The winners of the 2023 International Photography Awards have been announced. The annual competition for professional, amateur, and student photographers on a global scale creates one of the most ambitious and comprehensive photo awards in the photography world today.
The category winners in both professional and amateur levels compete for IPA’s top two awards. The main professional prize is International Photographer of the Year, selected from the 11 professional category winners with a Lucie Trophy and a cash prize of $10,000. The 11 category winners in the non-professional/student categories compete for the title of Discovery of the Year. The winner will also be awarded the Lucie Trophy and a $5,000 cash prize.
Scroll down to see some of the winning images, and make sure to visit the official website of IPA for the full list of awarded photographs.
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#1 Nature / Animals / Pets, 2nd Place: Circle Of Life By Moises Levy
"This image is part of a portfolio that I have been working on for several years in a fishing village in Guerrero, Mexico. I have been attending the ritual for several years when the fishermen arrive early in the morning with the catch they obtained during the night. This image expresses the energy of the birds as they receive their first meal of the day."⠀
Image credits: ipa
Bored Panda contacted Kevin Blackwell, a photographer based in Atlanta, Georgia, whose image titled "Ant-mimic Jumping Spider" earned him the 3rd prize in the Nature/Macro category for non-professional photographers. We were curious to learn about the inspiration behind his pursuit of nature and macro photography. Kevin shared with us: “I've always had a passion for photography as a medium for storytelling. My love for showcasing the tiny awesomeness of animals has evolved into a mission to bring people closer to these fascinating creatures, allowing them to appreciate the beauty and intricate details that often go unnoticed.”
#2 Architecture / Buildings, 3rd Place: Jiangnan By Bin Zhang
"This is a photo taken by a mobile phone. The shooting location is in Suzhou, China. This is a traditional Chinese architectural form. The black and white minimalist shape left a deep impression on me."
Image credits: ipa
#3 Non-Professional Nature / Macro, 3rd Place: Ant-Mimic Jumping Spider By Kevin Blackwell
"Ant mimicking spiders imitate ants to gain two advantages: they deter certain predators who prefer other prey over ants, and their prey feels less threatened, providing these spiders with better chances to hunt and attack."
Image credits: ipa
When asked how he encountered this particular species for his shot, Blackwell told us: “The slender ant-mimic jumping spider (Synemosyna formica) is my favorite species of arachnids, fortunately found throughout my state. Once you understand this species' behavior, you can find these beauties walking under the leaves of trees. I specifically wanted to photograph this species, so I went out to find it!”
#4 Architecture / Historic, 2nd Place: Sun Party By Majid Hojati
"When the light passes through the stained glass of the window and shines on the carpet patterns and tiled lilies, It creates such a beautiful charter that we see it together."
Image credits: ipa
#5 Nature / Underwater, 2nd Place: Newborn Humpback Calf And Its Mother By Ricardo A. Nascimento
"A sight of a humpback whale mother and her precious calf gliding through the crystal-clear depths of the ocean. The calf, merely one week old, retains its pristine white color, reminiscent of the day it was born."
Image credits: ipa
Macro photography can be challenging due to the small size of the subjects. We wanted to know more about the difficulties faced by the 2023 IPA finalist while capturing the “Ant-mimic Jumping Spider.” Kevin explained: “Macro photography poses numerous challenges, from working on such a small scale to lighting insanely small creatures. However, the reward is always worth it. One of the challenges of photographing this species is that they rarely sit still. They constantly hide, move or jump, making it easy to miss the shot. But, as with shooting most insects, patience and practice will take you far.
#6 Sports / Extreme Sports, 3rd Place: Big Monday By Tó Mané
"The iconic photo of Garrett McNamara riding what everyone called the "100-foot wave", likely the world's biggest wave ever surfed, at Praia do Norte, Nazaré, Portugal."⠀
Image credits: ipa
#7 Nature / Macro, 2nd Place: Mushroom Cyclone By Liu Yang
Image credits: ipa
Finally, we were interested in learning about upcoming projects or subjects the photographer is excited to explore in his future endeavors, particularly in the realm of nature and macro photography. We discovered that: “I do have some exciting photography projects unrelated to wildlife photography that I am currently working on and will be posting about very soon. As for wildlife, I am always looking for the next thing to shoot—large or small. Additionally, I am the photographer for The Amphibian Foundation in Atlanta, providing many exciting opportunities to photograph amphibians. Spotted salamander season is upon us, so I am definitely looking forward to some salamander awesomeness!”
#8 Nature / Wildlife, 3rd Place: The Statues Of Mara By Lakshitha Karunarathna
"A bunch of adult and sub-adult African lionesses huddle together on a cold, gloomy morning in Maasai Mara National Reserve. As the Sun began rising in front of the statue-like group, their eyes started to glitter like stars through the dingy atmosphere."
Image credits: ipa
#9 Nature / Landscape, 2nd Place: A Perfect Cloud By Francisco Negroni
"The Villarrica volcano is the most dangerous volcano in Chile and one of the most active in America. In the photograph a beautiful lenticular cloud moves over the crater while it is illuminated by the light emitted by the volcano's lava."⠀
Image credits: ipa
#10 Non-Professional Place / People / Traditions / Culture, 2nd Place: Before Migration By Tommaso Vecchi
"Nenets are indigenous Siberian people whose traditional economy has long been rooted in nomadic reindeer-herding, fishing and hunting. They live in chums: small huts made of reindeer skins, in order to ensure a minimum of thermal insulation, especially during the winter. In this picture Roman looking out of the chum, with his red cheeks worn by the cold, -50°C."
Image credits: ipa
#11 Architecture / Interior, 3rd Place: Cave Of Light By Yury Trofimov
Image credits: ipa
#12 Honorable Mention: Behind The Beauty And Strength By Shu Ito
"During my trip in 2019, I met this women at a hostel in Bagan, Myanmar. She tearfully shared her story of being forced to quit her beloved job in childcare and coerced into running the hostel."
Image credits: ipa
#13 Architecture / Cityscapes, 3rd Place: Over The City By Ammar Alsayed Ahmed
"A group of flamingos flying over the city of Abu Dhabi on a morning when fog covers the city, and you can only see parts of the skyscrapers."
Image credits: ipa
#14 Honorable Mention: Navajo Nation By Amy Ijams
Image credits: ipa
#15 People / Portrait, 1st Place: Over The Years By Jasmin Rupp
"Over the years, dancers wear out shoe after shoe. Much to the detriment of a parent's pocketbook, young dancers grow out of shoes season after season." ⠀
Image credits: ipa
#16 Advertising / Fashion, 2nd Place: Futah - Morocco By Mendo Dornellas
"This image was shot from a campaign in Morocco for a Portuguese beach towel brand called Futah. For this campaign the idea was to find textures shapes and colors that can be only found in the Sahara Desert, creating this unique and captivating mood."⠀
Image credits: ipa
#17 Honorable Mention: The Other Days Of Life By Oleksandr Rupeta
"Bakhmut is a small town in the Donetsk region that should have become another victim of the Russian occupation in the first months of the invasion of Ukraine. Nonetheless, the town has been desperately standing against the fierce onslaught of the Russian army for over a year, and now it is one of the bloodiest places in this war."
Image credits: ipa
#18 Nature / Aerial / Drone, 3rd Place: Veins Of The Earth By Robert Bilos
Image credits: ipa
#19 Sports / Winter Sports, 2nd Place: Alpine Australia By Penny Prangnell
"This photo series offers a fresh perspective on the Australian landscape, contrasting the typical image of red clay, eucalyptus trees, and vast skies. The photos highlight the connection between humans and the mountain range, emphasizing our insignificance in the face of nature while also celebrating the skiers' appreciation for the slopes."
Image credits: ipa
#20 Non-Professional Editorial / Press / Other, 2nd Place: Polluted Buriganga River By Azim Khan Ronnie
"A busy polluted waterway is filled with boats and their passengers in the morning commute as they try to pass on a river in Bangladesh. The boats on the Buriganga River in Bangladesh as millions of commuters attempt to cross the river daily to get to their workplace in the city of Dhaka. The Bangladeshi capital is one of the most densely populated in the world and home to around 19 million people."⠀ ⠀
Image credits: ipa
#21 Architecture / Interior, 2nd Place: Chianti Eye By Peter-Plorin
"It is always fascinating for me what happens when we change our perspective, our angle of vision. Often we realize only then what hidden beauty awaits us."
Image credits: ipa
#22 Non-Professional Nature/Astrophotography, 3rd Place: Our Sun And The Universe Around It By Markus Wiedmann
"Our sun and some of the most famous deep sky objects around. All taken from my backyard in southern Germany and my telescopes."
Image credits: ipa
#23 Editorial / Press / Environmental, 3rd Place: Eastgrip - Ice Core By Lukasz Larsson Warzecha
"Ice cores drilled during the East Greenland Ice-Core Project (EastGRIP) 2022 field season from ca. 2300-2400 meters in depth - and around 65,000 years old - lie in aluminium trays in the buffer ice core storage waiting to be processed at the science trench."
Image credits: ipa
#24 Sports / Extreme Sports, 2nd Place: Skyward Serenity By Aidan Williams
"Carmen Ator Conquers Tasmania's Breathtaking Highline, Embracing the Thrilling Heights and Majestic Exposure as the Sun Ascends."⠀
Image credits: ipa
#25 Special / Special Effects, 2nd Place: Transformations On The Island Of The Gods By Alena Khokhlova
Image credits: ipa
#26 Non-Professional Architecture / Abstract, 2nd Place: Windows In Window By Anna Wacker
"Architectural abstract of the modern interior of a building and a window with a view to a traditional building with windows. Photo taken in Frankfurt, Germany."
Image credits: ipa
#27 Special / Smartphone Photography, 3rd Place: Zar By Shervin Bashari
"Zar Amir Ebrahimi, the Cannes festival winner and one of the inspiring and influential Iranian women, bursts into tears while buying flowers from a lady, late night in Paris."
Image credits: ipa
#28 Analog / Film / Other, 3rd Place: Der Dunkle Strom (Dark River) By Michael Anker
Image credits: ipa
#29 People / Portrait, 3rd Place: Open Mind, Open Heart By Olivia Mazzola
"A tribute to open-mindedness."
Image credits: ipa
#30 Editorial / Press / Other, 3rd Place: Hello From The Gutter: Skateboarding In A Shipyard By Daniel Stelly
"The photograph shows Stephen Brayman published in the November 2022 issue of Thrasher Magazine."
Image credits: ipa
#31 Architecture / Other, 3rd Place: Medical Center By Ilan Benattar
"This series is made in old asylums and abandoned hospitals in France, Italy and Portugal."⠀
Image credits: ipa
#32 Honorable Mention: Shark Bay World Heritage Marine Park By Tom Putt
"Shark Bay is a World Heritage Site in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. The 2.2 million hectares (of which about 70% are marine waters) have a number of exceptional natural features, including one of the largest and most diverse seagrass beds in the world."
Image credits: ipa
#33 Event / Concert, 3rd Place: Fire Power By Julien Duval
Image credits: ipa
#34 Nature / Aerial / Drone, 3rd Place: Earth's Treasure By Miki Spitzer
"Icy blue watery veins, shimmering glacial braids and glistening golden sediment come together to provide a delightful mirage for the human eye."⠀
Image credits: ipa
#35 Special / Travel / Wanderlust, 3rd Place: American Roads By Felix Botella
"The long, lonely North American roads stretch like endless lines across vast landscapes, but the curves reveal the true spirit of these roads, embracing the landscape and defying the monotony of the journey, opening a new panorama to discover at each turn."
Image credits: ipa
#36 Non-Professional Editorial / Press / Environmental, 2nd Place: The Blue Fig By Mohammad Rakibul Hasan
"Bangladesh, the world's largest delta, faces the harsh consequences of global warming, including rising sea levels, increased natural disasters, higher salinity in coastal areas, and declining local fish species availability."
Image credits: ipa
#37 Non-Professional Architecture / Buildings, 2nd Place: Mirror Or Mirage By Beatrice Wong
"Captured at Maraya, Guiness World Record holder for the largest mirrored building in the world, in AlUla, Saudi Arabia."
Image credits: ipa
#38 Fine Art/ Minimal / Minimalism, 3rd Place: Dazzling Light By Lorenzo Vitali
"Dazzling white light that accompanies my resounding steps in the silent blue."
Image credits: ipa
#39 People/ Lifestyle, 3rd Place: Almost Elvis By Yu Pang George Chan
"Almost Elvis was shot in Australia and it is a celebration of the enduring legacy of Elvis Presley. Despite never setting foot in Australia, Elvis-themed festivals and concerts are held regularly, Elvis Tribute Artist (ETA) have emerged as a thriving business that transcends barriers of race and gender."
Image credits: ipa
#40 Honorable Mention: Umbrella By Paulo Macedo
"I was visiting Rome with my family and I saw some people selling umbrellas because was very hot at Vatican City and I was walking around photographing while we wait to see the pope. But this guy was selling colorful umbrellas and I tried to compose and I get this result. The silhouette with colors. It became one of my favorite photos."⠀
Image credits: ipa
#41 People / Street Photography, 3rd Place: Untitled By Daniel Ramos
"Calisthenics, acrobatics, exercise, kind-hearted people, and drugs are some of the things that coexist in Barras Insurgentes. Barras Insurgentes is a calisthenics park in Mexico City which is located just a few steps away from Insurgentes Metro Station, one of the biggest and busiest in Mexico City."⠀
Image credits: ipa
#42 Non-Professional Advertising / Self-Promotion, 3rd Place: The Ferry By Betty Manousos
"Crossing the Aegean Sea on a ferry. For me, a ship, ferry or a boat can be seen as being symbolic. Furthermore, it can be seen as that which enables me to make my journey across life."
Image credits: ipa
#43 Editorial / Press / Personality, 3rd Place: Gogo By Noa Grayevsky
"Gogo Lupin is a fashion influencer, dancer, creative director and a fashion model. Starting his career in Paris, Gogo attracts attention for his individuality and free spirit vision."⠀
Image credits: ipa
#44 Non-Professional Advertising / Music, 3rd Place: The Rock Musician By Sergio Armillei
Image credits: ipa
#45 Non-Professional Architecture / Abstract Space, 3rd Place: Base By Benny Chan
"This is the ceiling of a Palace Museum in HK - it resembles a space base."
Image credits: ipa
#46 Non-Professional Advertising / Beauty, 2nd Place: Remember Say Cheese By Xiaolu Lin
Image credits: ipa
#47 Architecture / Abstract, 2nd Place: Color Conversation By Gleici Rufatto
"The series explores the perception of a constructed world in which the squares and geometric blocks are not rational static forms atop each other. Instead they are components of a penetrable architecture conceived and built with color."
Image credits: ipa
#48 Non-Professional Editorial / Press / Other, 3rd Place: Homeless Home By Te-Chin Hsieh
"Furniture is a necessary element of a home, but one day it becomes homeless because it is no longer used, needed, or beloved. They usually don't stay on the roadside in Taipei City for more than 24 hours. During the period, they may encounter viewing based on various factors. The lucky ones are taken away again, and the more common fate is to be cleared by environmental protection units after dawn."
Image credits: ipa
