The Black and White Photo Awards 2025 has announced its winners, showcasing the enduring power and timeless artistry of monochrome photography through stunning images captured by photographers from more than 90 countries worldwide. The competition honored outstanding works across five categories: Portrait, Street, Fauna & Flora, Architecture, and Landscape, with winners selected based on their creativity, originality, and technical excellence.
Portuguese photographer João Coelho claimed the overall winner title and the $1,000 prize for his haunting work "The Kingdom of Flies." The powerful image depicts a man competing with swarms of flies for food scraps, creating what initially appears to be a post-apocalyptic scene but actually represents the harsh reality of survival for those who live on what others discard. The photograph transcends mere aesthetics to deliver a profound message about human dignity under siege through its raw social commentary.
For the first time in the competition's history, a Runner-up Award was introduced, which went to Mark Seawell for "Where the Shadows Lie." Captured in Arizona's canyons, the image reveals how flickering light dances across textured stone surfaces, creating fleeting moments of beauty that can only be found within the shadows. The composition demonstrates the photographer's ability to find extraordinary beauty in natural formations.
Special recognition awards highlighted innovative approaches to black and white photography. The Special Award for Creativity was presented to Adebayo Rotilu for "Electric Silhouette," a daring portrait where the subject was illuminated exclusively by laser beams and later converted to black and white. This technique produced a futuristic interplay of light and shadow that pushes the boundaries of traditional portraiture. Roberto Corinaldesi won the Master of Light Special Award for "No Words," featuring an elderly woman in India covering her face with her striking, gnarled hands against a black background. The decision to strip away all context intensifies the portrait's emotional weight, transforming silence into an overwhelming presence.
In the Landscape category, Robert Bolton's "The Wedded Rocks" took first place, capturing the sacred Meoto Iwa rocks in Japan. These symbolic rocks represent the union of heaven and earth and are bound by a heavy rope that is renewed three times each year to withstand the sea's erosion. The second-place winner in this category was Elias Ejderhamn's "Silent Steps," demonstrating the serene beauty found in minimalist natural compositions.
The Fauna & Flora category was dominated by Willem Kruger's winning image "Leopard Jump," captured at Mono Londolozi Reserve in South Africa. The photograph freezes the critical moment when a male leopard must escape a female's claws within seconds after mating, offering a rare glimpse into the dangerous dynamics of wildlife survival. Robin Scholte earned a Golden Mention in this category for "Big Hug," showing two young male elephants wrestling in play as practice for the challenges they will face in adulthood.
Portrait photography was represented by several compelling works, with Nur Tucker winning the category for "Proud Artisan," captured in a dimly-lit pottery workshop in Anatolia, Turkey, where terracotta artisans continue their centuries-old craft while enjoying traditional tea. Neil Buchan Grant's "Forever" earned second place, featuring a Vietnamese couple with a combined age of 196 years who embody enduring love and humor. Despite having just one tooth between them, their bond radiates with affection and playfulness.
The Street photography category showcased urban life through Yanitsa Genova's winning image "Trapped in a Frame," while Susana Sánchez González took second place with "Once in a Lifetime." The latter was captured during Storm Filomena's historic snowfall, when photographers braved freezing conditions in Madrid's Plaza Mayor to document this rare weather event. Sanghamitra Sarkar received a Silver Mention for "Define the Gravity Together," demonstrating the dynamic interactions of street life.
Architectural photography was celebrated through Remuna Beca's winning image "Brilliant Design," featuring a staircase that spirals upward in the shape of a lightbulb. Captured in Prague, the photograph transforms a functional architectural space into a symbol of inspiration through its unexpected fusion of form and concept. Martin Wacker's "Cubist Cityscape" earned second place by capturing Rotterdam's innovative Cube Houses as an abstract urban puzzle, where light and shadow play across the tilted façades to create a dynamic and surreal composition.
The Black and White Photo Awards, open to both amateur and professional photographers over 18 years old, continues to demonstrate the enduring appeal and artistic power of monochrome photography. The competition serves as a platform for photographers worldwide to showcase their vision and storytelling abilities through the classic medium of black and white imagery, proving that this traditional approach to photography remains as relevant and impactful as ever in the digital age.
