Photography & Digital Art,Art & DesignMAY 16, 2025

48 Powerful Winning Shots From The 2025 All About Photo Awards

What happens when thousands of photographers from more than 40 countries submit their most powerful single image? You get the All About Photo Awards 2025 – "The Mind's Eye"—a jaw-dropping collection of photos that capture the beauty, chaos, heartbreak, and wonder of our world.

From intimate human moments to sweeping landscapes and surreal visual concepts, this year’s winners prove that one image can tell an entire story. And with $5,000 in cash prizes up for grabs, the competition was fierce.

Whether you’re a photography geek or just someone who appreciates a powerful image, you’ll want to see what the fuss is about.

More info: all-about-photo.com | Instagram | x.com | Facebook | youtube.com

#1 "Hands Of Time, Net Of Light" By Chester Ng (United States)

"Myanmar, 2025."

Report

19points

Now celebrating its 10th edition, the All About Photo Awards continues its mission of showcasing the world’s best visual storytellers — both emerging and established — and giving them a global platform. The 2025 winners are a testament to photography’s power to document, provoke, and move us.

Some images are quiet and poetic. Others hit like a punch to the gut. All of them are unforgettable.

#2 "Untitled" By Pedro Jarque Krebs (Peru)

Report

19points

#3 "Plastic Hiking" By Mohammad Foisal (Bangladesh)

"A worker doing challenging work by carrying a huge bag full of plastic trash up a big stack that is made entirely of wasted plastic bottles."

Report

16points

These photographers come from all corners of the globe — from the United States, Italy, and France, to Bangladesh, Australia, Turkey, and beyond. Their work explores identity, resilience, conflict, nature, aging, labor, joy, and everything in between.

Selected by a jury of industry leaders, these images will also be featured in a dedicated issue of AAP Magazine, offering deeper insight into the stories behind the lens.

#4 1st Place Winner And Photographer Of The Year 2025: "Husnah" By Marijn Fidder (The Netherlands)

"Husnah Kukundakwe (15) during an early swim training at the Elite Swim and Gym pool in Kampala, Uganda.

Husnah was born with a congenital limb impairment that left her with no right lower arm.

Husnah is a Ugandan swimmer who is currently the country's only classified Paralympic swimmer. Her first appearance at the World Championships in London was mentioned among the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC’s) Top 10 Moments of 2019."

Husnah: “Swimming was for me an escape from being really shy. I was always hiding my disability, because people look at me weirdly when they see my arm. So I’d always wear a sweater the whole day, even when it was hot, so people couldn’t see my hand. But when I started swimming, I learned to be more confident about myself.”

Report

15points

#5 4th Place Winner: "Exhaustion" By João Coelho (Portugal/Angola)

"This group of young people risk their lives every day in this ship graveyard. They have to dive to pull iron plates from the sunken carcasses of ships using only their hands and the strength of their arms. Exhausted, they must find the strength to fight the waves and currents to bring the heavy pieces to the beach where they are weighed and sold."

Report

14points

Marijn Fidder (The Netherlands) has been named Photographer of the Year 2025 for "Inclusive Nation", a humanistic series portraying 15-year-old Husnah Kukundakwe, Uganda’s only classified Paralympic swimmer, highlighting themes of disability rights and social progress.

Second place goes to Abdelrahman Alkahlout (Palestine) for "Stolen Innocence", a powerful image from a Gaza hospital morgue after an airstrike. Erhan Coral (Turkey) takes third with "Hot Springs of Budaklı", a poetic scene of men and water buffaloes in Eastern Turkey’s thermal waters. Fourth is João Coelho (Portugal/Angola) for "Exhaustion", documenting harsh labor in Angola’s ship graveyards, and fifth is Francesco Gioia (Italy) for "Hand and Cigarette", a textured portrait capturing the raw elegance of aging.

#6 "Fire Incident" By Syed Mahabubul Kader (Bangladesh)

"This photograph shows people surrounding the remains of a car previously engulfed in flames in Dhaka, Bangladesh."

Report

13points

#7 "Camel Fair" By Arne Strømme (Norway)

Report

13points

Members of the Jury:

• Janet Delaney – Photographer

• Sarah Gilbert – Features Photo Editor, The Guardian

• Karl Taylor – Photographer and Filmmaker, Hasselblad Ambassador

• Tatsuo Suzuki – Street Photographer

• Ann Jastrab – Executive Director, Center for Photographic Art

• Sandrine Hermand-Grisel – Founder, All About Photo

#8 3rd Place Winner: "Steamy Serenity In Güroymak" By Erhan Coral (Turkey)

"In the heart of Eastern Turkey’s winter landscape, men and water buffaloes share the warmth of the Budaklı hot springs in Bitlis. Rising mist veils the frozen surroundings, blending human and animal silhouettes in a primal ritual of survival and coexistence. While the snow-covered plains and distant mountains whisper solitude, the steamy embrace of the thermal waters becomes a sanctuary, where tradition, resilience, and nature converge in harmony."

Report

12points

#9 "Georgia Protests: The Early Days - United In Love" By Patrick Enssle (Germany)

"A portrait of a couple in front of burning street barricades. The couple stands close together, holding hands, with their faces illuminated by the fiery glow of the flames."

Report

12points

The All About Photo Awards – "The Mind’s Eye" is an annual international photography competition that celebrates powerful visual storytelling. Open to photographers of all levels and styles, the contest highlights images that are artistically strong and socially, culturally, or environmentally meaningful.

The name "The Mind’s Eye" is inspired by a quote from Henri Cartier-Bresson: “To take photographs means to recognize—simultaneously and within a fraction of a second—both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning. It is putting one's head, one's eye, and one's heart on the same axis.”

It captures the spirit of the competition and its focus on thoughtful, meaningful photography.

#10 "Mel" By Martina Holmberg (Sweden)

"When Mel was two years old, she stayed in the car with her older sister while her mother went to buy something small at the convenience store. When the mother returned, the car was on fire. Mel's sister died, but Mel survived with severe burns. Throughout her life, she has lived with the aftermath of the accident and a deviant appearance. Despite difficulties in life, Mel has lived her dreams and graduated as a lawyer."

Report

12points

#11 "Sisters" By Neşe Arı (Turkey)

"A large number of refugees fleeing the Syrian war have sought refuge in Turkey. The country provides them with shelter, healthcare, and education services."

Report

11points

#12 "Symbol Of Strength And Grace" By Donell Gumiran (Philippines)

"A young girl with an Arabian horse reflects the growing role of women in preserving cultural traditions. While equestrianism was historically male-dominated, Emirati women today actively participate in horse breeding, endurance riding, and racing, making this image a tribute to both tradition and modern progress."

Report

10points

#13 "Alone" By Holger Goehler (Germany)

Report

9points

#14 "Hold The Line" By Brandon Yoshizawa (United States)

"A surreal experience documenting the Bridge Fire in the Angeles National Forest as it burns in the mountains behind the Los Angeles skyline and puts off an eerie glow. At the time of capture, the fire totaled 50,000 acres at 0% containment. In a sad way, this hauntingly beautiful photo documents the proportions of fire risk in California, which are elevated in several areas due to dry conditions. A truly unique photograph capturing the harsh reality of the summer months in my hometown."

Report

9points

#15 "Anchored In Hope" By Andrea Torrei (Italy)

"The erosion of the beach in Senegal is a stark reminder of the devastating effects of climate change on young people. As the sea levels rise, the once-thriving tourist industry is struggling to survive, and many are left wondering if they will be able to stay in their homeland or migrate to find a better future."

Report

9points

#16 "Luo He, 2024" By Tianhu Yuan (China)

"Luo He is a Lolita handcraftswoman. In the process of commercialization of the Lolita subculture community, a variety of creative industry occupations have arisen, and one of them is the handcraftswomen. They emphasize their subcultural identity by making handmade accessories to enrich their Lolita-style outfit. The hat and the mirror are both of her own design. From the series Lolita Dreams, which is about the Lolita fashion subculture community in China."

Report

8points

#17 "Untitled" By Buck Holzemer (United States)

Report

8points

#18 "Breakfast In The Hut" By Thibault Gerbaldi (United States)

"In a distant Ethiopian village without electricity, life unfolds under the natural light that guides daily activities, emphasizing a culture where life, work, and socializing predominantly occur between sunrise and sunset. Early in the morning, we shared breakfast with a local family. I was captivated by how the light entering the hut through a distinctive opening to the outside world illuminated the face of this beautiful Ethiopian woman."

Report

8points

#19 "A Way To Feel Still Alive" By Valentina Sinis (Italy)

"In a secret workshop in Kabul, women are attending make-up classes. In 2023, the Taliban announced that all beauty salons in Afghanistan must close, citing that these establishments provided services that are prohibited by Islam and contributed to economic difficulties for the families of grooms during wedding celebrations. The Taliban has restricted women’s employment and access to public places like parks and gyms, and has imposed strict limitations on media freedoms."

Report

8points

#20 "Of Birds And Men" By Gavin Libotte (Australia)

"I noticed that hardly any street photographers shot from the level of the street. When I started doing this and adding the element of flash, I was astonished at the new perspective it reveals."

Report

8points