39 Stunning Black-And-White Photographs From The 2026 Mono Awards

There’s something special about black-and-white photography. Without color to draw the eye, details like light, shadow, texture, and composition matter even more. A simple expression can tell an entire story, an ordinary building can become a work of art, and a familiar landscape can suddenly look completely different.

Celebrating this timeless approach to photography is The Mono Awards 2026, presented by Synology. Organized by Australian Photography and Capture, the competition is now in its eighth year and showcases outstanding black-and-white photographs from Australia, New Zealand, and around the world. This year’s competition attracted more than 3,000 entries across three categories: People, Places, and Animals, with a total prize pool of $12,500. From intimate portraits and striking architectural compositions to fascinating wildlife encounters, the submissions show how much photographers can express using only shades of black, white, and gray.

We’ve gathered the top five photographs from each of the three categories, along with a selection of honorable mentions from the Top 50 shortlists. Scroll down to explore these remarkable monochrome images, and don’t forget to upvote the ones that impress you the most!

The top honors went to Carly Goldsmith in the People category for “Childhood,” a candid photograph of her two youngest children playing together; Andy Zakeli in the Places category for “De-Escalation,” an unusual perspective on an everyday scene at Sydney’s Gadigal Station; and Brooke Pyke in the Animals category for “Fever,” a mesmerizing underwater photograph of approximately 100 mobula rays in Baja, Mexico.

Reflecting on this year’s competition, Mike O’Connor, Editor of Australian Photography, said: “We’re always amazed by the diversity of work entered in The Mono Awards, and 2026 was no exception.” He also highlighted the different creative approaches photographers took to black-and-white work, with winning images captured in locations across the globe.

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