When the iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAwards) were launched in 2007, smartphone photography was still in its infancy. Nearly two decades later, the competition has become one of the world's longest-running and most respected mobile photography awards, attracting thousands of submissions each year from photographers across the globe. Its winners demonstrate not only how dramatically smartphone cameras have evolved, but also how composition, timing, light, and storytelling continue to matter far more than the equipment used to capture an image.
Below, we've gathered some of this year's winning photographs, showcasing the creativity, technical skill, and visual storytelling that continue to define one of the world's most prestigious smartphone photography competitions.
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#1 Grand Prix "Cayman Islands", Photo By Robyn Jensen (Yepocapa, Chimaltenango)
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The 2026 competition received entries from photographers in more than 140 countries, with images spanning everything from wildlife and landscapes to street photography, portraiture, architecture, and abstract compositions. This year's Grand Prize was awarded to Robyn Jensen of the Cayman Islands for a remarkable photograph of a volcanic eruption in Guatemala, captured on an iPhone 15 Pro. The image stood out for its dramatic composition and the way it transformed a fleeting natural event into a striking visual narrative.
The remaining top honors recognized an equally diverse range of photographic styles. Gellért Gombai received the Gold Award, Arnold Plotnick earned Silver, and Catherine Wang took Bronze, with winning photographs ranging from intimate human moments and documentary-style street scenes to carefully observed still lifes. Together, they highlight the extraordinary versatility of mobile photography and demonstrate that compelling images depend far more on the photographer's eye than on the size of the camera.
#2 Animals, 1st Place, Photo By Peter Crome (United Kingdom)
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#3 Other, 3rd Place, Photo By Gabriela Alvelo (Venezuela)
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#4 Nature, 3rd Place, Photo By Paul Kitcatt (United Kingdom)
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#5 Landscape, 3rd Place, Photo By Joseph Cyr (United States)
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#6 Silver, Photo By Arnold Plotnick (Amsterdam, North Holland)
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#7 Architecture, 3rd Place, Photo By Preethy Ganesan (United States)
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#8 Nature, 1st Place, Photo By Tianjiao Zhang (China)
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#9 Lifestyle, 2nd Place, Photo By Sara Camporesi (Italy)
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#10 Children, 2nd Place, Photo By Justas Petkevicius (Lithuania)
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#11 People, 1st Place, Photo By Jenny Dang (United States)
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#12 Gold, Photo By Gellért Gombai (Alsóörs, Hungary)
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#13 Bronze, Photo By Catherine Wang (Oakton, Virginia)
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#14 Other, 2nd Place, Photo By Shan Qin (China)
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#15 Abstract, 1st Place, Photo By Barry Mayes (United Kingdom)
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#16 Abstract, 3rd Place, Photo By Jo Borzsony (United Kingdom)
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#17 Architecture, 1st Place, Photo By Ziwen Chen (China)
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#18 Children, 1st Place, Photo By Krystal Rountree (United States)
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#19 Animals, 3rd Place, Photo By Boyu Wen (China)
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#20 Other, 1st Place, Photo By Deniss Aksjonovs (Denmark)
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#21 Landscape, 2nd Place, Photo By Stewart Manning (Australia)
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#22 Series, 1st Place, Photo By Lasda Takbanuaz (Taiwan)
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#23 Animals, 2nd Place, Photo By Barry Mayes (United Kingdom)
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#24 Architecture, 2nd Place, Photo By Ellen Kim (United States)
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#25 Landscape, 1st Place, Photo By Anthony Ginns (Australia)
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#26 Lifestyle, 1st Place, Photo By Bertram Greenhough (United Kingdom)
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#27 Portrait, 1st Place, Photo By Brice Picard (France)
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#28 Lifestyle, 3rd Place, Photo By Shuo Chen (China)
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#29 Portrait, 2nd Place, Photo By Carlos Rubin (Puerto Rico)
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#30 Abstract, 2nd Place, Photo By Leland Smith (United States)
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#31 Citylife/Cityscape, 1st Place, Photo By Adrian Beasley (United Kingdom)
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#32 Citylife/Cityscape, 2nd Place, Photo By Yue Yu (China)
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#33 Citylife/Cityscape, 3rd Place, Photo By Ha Yun Song (South Korea)
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#34 Nature, 2nd Place, Photo By Li Yang (China)
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#35 People, 2nd Place, Photo By Iryna Nemyrovych (Ukraine)
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#36 People, 3rd Place, Photo By Ioan Maga (Romania)
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#37 Portrait, 3rd Place, Photo By Alexey Lazarenko (Russia)
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#38 Children, 3rd Place, Photo By Thea Mihu (German)
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#39 Series, 2nd Place, Photo By Liang Kuang (China)
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