AAP Magazine has unveiled the winners of its prestigious international photography contest focused on colors from around the world. The competition, featured in AAP Magazine 51: Colors, showcases the work of 25 talented photographers from 16 countries across four continents, each demonstrating how color can be used to create compelling visual narratives.
Irish photographer Trevor Cole claimed the top prize with his striking portrait titled "Pastoral Peoples and Practices," which captures a Mundari man covered in ash to protect his cattle from insects. Cole's winning image exemplifies how excellent color photography can achieve impact through subtlety rather than bold saturation. The intimate portrait reflects the photographer's deep commitment to understanding his subjects, having spent four years living in Ethiopia and making annual visits for over a decade.
Cole emphasized his approach to people-based photography, explaining that while some photographers rely on telephoto lenses for discrete shots, most of his work stems from interpersonal connections. "I like to spend time, talk, get to know those who are being photographed," Cole shared with AAP Magazine. "I always ask and even when my efforts are rejected I always respect their choice. Sometimes, even with difficult subjects, spending a little time and using a little humor can yield positive results."
The runner-up position went to Austrian photojournalist Laurin Strele for his vibrant portrait "Colors of Resilience," featuring a man known locally as "The Yellow Man" in Aleppo, Syria. Abu Zakkour has dressed exclusively in yellow since 1983, and Strele's photograph shows him leaning against a red car, creating a powerful visual statement. Against the backdrop of a war-torn city, the subject has become a living symbol of endurance and individuality, with his bright presence transforming ordinary streets into declarations of joy and resilience.
Palestinian photographer Abdelrahman Alkahlout earned third place with another entry in the "Colors of Resilience" series, depicting displaced Palestinians performing collective prayer over the rubble of a mosque destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza. The image powerfully contrasts the vivid colors of scattered prayer rugs against the gray ruins, symbolizing resilience, unity, and unwavering faith amid devastation.
Among the Merit Award recipients, several photographers stood out for their innovative use of color. Chinese photographer Li Sun received recognition for his "Beholders" project, which personifies surveillance cameras through various colors and poses, creating an equal relationship between people and the omnipresent devices that observe urban life. Iranian-American photographer Nazanin Alipour Jeddi's "Lingering Shadows" series uses the color blue to emphasize the often invisible fatigue experienced by women in their daily lives, capturing moments of drinking tea, preparing food, and brief pauses amid daily chaos.
The Merit Awards also recognized diverse subjects and techniques from photographers worldwide. Yuan Su from the United States captured a volcanic landscape in Indonesia during a fortunate moment when the volcano was emitting smoke under beautiful morning light. Romanian photographer Oana Daian created an intimate nature study showing frost-covered autumn leaves, describing the scene as "natural vegetal fabrics, in the vibrant colors of autumn, sewn with silver thread."
French photographer Fabien Dendiével documented extreme winter conditions in Iowa, having traveled across the Midwest for two weeks in January 2024, while Russian photographer Vitaly Golovatyuk explored the relationship between architectural facades and scale. Ukrainian artist Oksana Omelchuk took a unique approach by manually hand-painting flowers in a digital environment, moving away from familiar floral palettes to explore emotion through unexpected colors.
Several photographers used color to address social and spiritual themes. Nigerian photographer Mayowa Akande presented a portrait series exploring the layered realities of African immigrants, while Turkish photographers Erhan Coral and Neşe Arı both captured vibrant street scenes – Coral in Ethiopia and Arı documenting life along the sacred Ganges River in Varanasi, India. French-American photographer Thibault Gerbaldi also focused on Varanasi, capturing saffron-robed sadhus navigating the spiritual chaos of one of Hinduism's holiest cities.
The contest celebrated both traditional and contemporary approaches to color photography. Polish photographer Anna Matysiak drew inspiration from surrealist artist René Magritte, creating images that challenge viewers' perceptions and encourage deeper contemplation. Argentine-Italian photographer Alejandra Nowiczewski explored Buddhist color symbolism, relating blue to the transformation of anger into wisdom, while Italian astrophotographer Simone Curzi captured the ethereal blue light of the Witch Head Nebula reflected off interstellar dust.
The winning photographs demonstrate the universal power of color to convey emotion, tell stories, and connect diverse cultures across the globe. From intimate portraits to sweeping landscapes, from social commentary to spiritual exploration, the contest winners prove that color photography continues to evolve as both an artistic medium and a tool for cultural documentation. The complete collection of award-winning images is featured in AAP Magazine 51: Colors and can be viewed at AllAboutPhoto.com.
