Every year, photographers worldwide capture moments that make us see the world a little differently. The Siena International Photo Awards (SIPA) brings together photographers from different countries and backgrounds, celebrating outstanding images selected by an international jury of photographers and photo editors.
The winners of the 2026 competition are here, and we’ve gathered some of the remarkable photographs that caught the judges’ attention. This year, the competition recognized outstanding work across 10 categories, covering everything from travel and nature to wildlife, street photography, sports, fascinating faces and characters, storytelling, documentary and photojournalism, underwater life, and short documentary films.
Scroll down to check them out, and let us know which picture you think has the biggest impact and impresses you the most!
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#1 Documentary & Photojournalism, Highly Commended: Morning In A Burned Valley By Pinu Rahman
Early in the morning, after a devastating fire swept through the Korail slum near Dhaka’s Mohakhali-Gulshan area, a family rests beneath the open sky, surrounded by the charred remains of their own home, reduced to rubble by the blaze of the previous night.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#2 Animals In Their Environment, 1st Classified: Power Play By Kevin Shi
A moment of intense tension as a female puma attempts to capture a guanaco. For days, Kevin had been following the predator, a mother of two cubs who depended on her for food. At dawn, after observing the guanaco for a long time, the puma cautiously approaches and launches her attack, repeatedly trying to pull it down and bite into its neck to suffocate it. Despite the intensity of the struggle, the guanaco ultimately manages to escape.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#3 The Beauty Of Nature, 1st Classified: A Powerful Onset By Marco Di Marco
Eruptions of the Svartsengi volcanic system initially unfold in a rapid and powerful way: within minutes, the ground tears open, forming fissures up to one kilometer long, from which lava emerges violently, creating high lava fountains and incandescent flows. At Sundhnúkagígar, during the November 20, 2024 event, the winter night was lit by an orange glow as activity progressively concentrated into a few eruptive vents.
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#4 Documentary & Photojournalism, 1st Classified: Tender Humanity By Carol Guzy
In a rare and poignant moment of tender humanity, a security guard breaks down in tears while witnessing the devastating heartbreak of a distraught migrant family, moments after the woman’s husband was unexpectedly detained by ICE during his immigration court hearing, in New York on August 20, 2025. Such scenes have become increasingly common as many find themselves caught up in the intensified mass deportation campaign.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#5 Animals In Their Environment, 2nd Classified: Highlands By Marco Gaiotti
A gelada (Theropithecus gelada) perches on a rock in the Ethiopian highlands at sunset. Endemic to Ethiopia, this primate—also known as the ‘bleeding-heart baboon’ for the distinctive reddish patch on the chest of males, a sign of health and dominance—is the only primate in the world that feeds almost exclusively on grass, which it selects with agile, precise fingers. It spends the nights clinging to rocky ledges along steep escarpments, where the altitude and steep walls protect it from predators. In the background, amid threatening clouds, the jagged peaks of the Simien Mountains rise, a volcanic massif in northern Ethiopia with deep gorges and spectacular basalt cliffs. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, they host the world’s largest concentration of geladas and other endemic species in a high-altitude ecosystem often above 3,000 meters.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#6 Photo Of The Year: Amina By Stefano Rosselli
Amina, an Afghan girl, perfectly embodies the condition of Afghan women: a life spent in the shadows, confined within the walls of her home, her eyes struggling to glimpse a future that, for now, remains steeped in darkness. In any other corner of the globe, the right to fight for a better life exists, but this is not the case for Afghan women, who are deprived of the right to work and their independence—the only weapons to change their destiny. In Afghanistan, moreover, there is not a single day of respite; it is a vortex of emotions that overwhelms you at every turn. Entering the homes of those who have lost everything reveals a chorus of identical stories: families where the death or disappearance of men has left an unfillable void, silencing all hope. They are all defined by the sad awareness that a happy ending will probably never be written by anyone.
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#7 Journeys & Adventures, 1st Classified: Mothers By Amir Hossein Kamali
The end of the holy month of Ramadan, a profound spiritual journey, is marked by the communal Eid al-Fitr prayer—a unified call to a fresh beginning. For Muslims, it is a day when faith is renewed, and the diverse expressions of global Islam paint the world with unique local colors, traditions, and scents. The presence of a new generation, a child among the rows of women, highlights the theme of a fresh start.
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#8 Underwater Life, 2nd Classified: Shark Portal By Linda Ness
During the annual Sardine Run off the Transkei Coast of South Africa, Linda spent three days freediving amidst massive shoals of sardines trapped against a headland. She descended into an almost surreal underwater world—a parallel universe where sharks swirled, appearing and disappearing into the blue. Among them, a massive dusky shark, an apex predator, moved effortlessly within the bait ball during this extraordinary migratory spectacle. In that presence, an unexpected sense of calm could be felt. While the impact on the oceans caused by human activity is now widely documented, Linda has chosen instead to reveal its pristine beauty, creating images that invite a profound sense of wonder.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#9 Street Photography, Highly Commended: The Trousers Man By Gianpaolo La Paglia
Amidst the alleys of Varanasi, where the rhythm of life flows fast, a local worker rests among rows of trousers drying in the sun. This moment of profound peace transforms reality into a living pattern: the man’s body merges with the expanse of fabrics, becoming an integral part of their texture.
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#10 Documentary & Photojournalism, Commended: A Lifeline In The Rubble By Ali Jadallah
For two years, life in Gaza has been defined by bombardment, displacement, and hunger. Tens of thousands have died, and nearly the entire population has been driven from their homes. With aid blocked and infrastructure destroyed, starvation has become part of the war itself.
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#11 The Beauty Of Nature, Commended: Humpback’s Ice-Flower By Roie Galitz
A humpback whale (Megaptera, from Ancient Greek for “giant wing”) surfaces to breathe after diving deep for krill, breaking the water at the heart of a flower-shaped opening in the sea ice. From above, the dark water and scattered floes frame its glowing pectoral fins, in a fleeting moment where art and nature become one.
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#12 Journeys & Adventures, Commended: Wild Traffic By Shailza Singhal
On the dry lakebed of Amboseli, this playful frame makes it look as if the elephant is about to give the jeep a mighty kick—while the little calf trails behind, watching curiously. A fun illusion, yes, but also a gentle reminder that this shared terrain exists in a delicate balance.
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#13 Journeys & Adventures, Commended: In One Line By Ammar Alamir
The image captures thousands of worshippers dressed in white ihram garments, all facing the same direction. Despite differences in races, colors, and backgrounds, the scene becomes unified in a single movement and a single line, where human diversity dissolves into visual harmony.
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#14 Journeys & Adventures, Highly Commended: Weightless Morning By Thibault Gerbaldi
In rural Bali, children grow up among rice paddies and jungle. Kites occupy a central place in village life, as they are symbols of prosperity and spiritual connections to the gods. They serve as ritual tools to communicate with the divine, acting as a bridge between the earthly and the spiritual realm. Their tradition is passed down from father to son, with boys learning from a very young age the craft of shaping bamboo, sewing silk, and assembling lightweight frames. Built collectively and flown during the dry season, they reflect agricultural rhythms and family traditions. On a quiet path, a boy leaps into the morning light to catch his homemade kite. Far from screens and traffic, his play reflects a slower rhythm of life—immersed in nature, creativity, and joy. In these still corners of the world, time stretches differently.
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#15 Journeys & Adventures, Highly Commended: Pickering Hotel 4 By Chin Leong Teo
The Parkroyal Collection Pickering Hotel feels like a lush vertical garden in the heart of Singapore. Its swimming pool is framed by sky-gardens and cabanas that offer a serene retreat, creating a verdant architecture that contrasts dramatically with the hectic streets below.
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#16 Underwater Life, Highly Commended: Back To Fishing By Romain Barats
A group of Gentoo penguins speeds through the icy waters of the Antarctic summer at Port Charcot. At this time of year, penguins rapidly build colonies on the Antarctic Peninsula, finding in this sheltered bay—surrounded by mountains and icebergs—an ideal refuge. Romain and his companions anchored their sailboat for three days near the colony. Every day they immersed themselves in the freezing waters to observe these incredibly curious birds, which repeatedly approached to investigate their presence. During a freediving session, a vast group of penguins suddenly passed above him, diving in unison to feed on krill. Clumsy on land, in water they transform into fast and perfectly agile swimmers. In just moments, Romain found himself surrounded by over 200 individuals, immersed in the midst of their frenzied activity.
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#17 Street Photography, Highly Commended: Good Bye Francisco By Yuri Cortez
A church worker carries a portrait of Pope Francis during a memorial mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral in the Zócalo, on April 21, 2025. On the same day, Pope Francis died at the age of 88, a day after making a much-anticipated appearance in Saint Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.
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#18 Street Photography, Highly Commended: Varanasi Streets By Arianna Speranza
A merchant rests in his shop near the cremation ghat, where small businesses remain open day and night. A rooster wanders among packaged goods while the turquoise wall frames the scene in which daily commerce and sacred rituals coexist along the streets above the Ganges ghats.
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#19 Street Photography, 3rd Classified: A Family Affair By Paul Mckenzie
In the densely populated Wah Fu housing complex, worn by time and life, and home to an economically disadvantaged working-class community, a father plays with his child as the mother casually walks into the frame, like an unexpected apparition in an intimate fragment of daily life. The scene highlights the contrast between the mother’s perceived glamour and her humble surroundings: as the child bends down to pick up a toy, only the mother’s leg and a foot in an eccentric golden high heel are visible. The father remains just outside the frame, present only through his shadow playing with the child.
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#20 Sports In Action, Highly Commended: Touching The Star By Roman Vondrouš
Jockey Ondřej Velek and his horse Star salute the spectators after the qualifying race of the legendary Velká Pardubická steeplechase, held in Pardubice, Czech Republic, on September 6, 2025—a moment of shared respect and joy between rider, horse, and crowd.
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#21 The Beauty Of Nature, Commended: Joining The Crowd By Kevin Lohman
Two tightly packed clusters of Western monarch butterflies rested on branches that hung close together in the forest. Small bursts of orange showed through their wings as a single butterfly approached one cluster, easing in as though preparing to join the crowd.
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#22 The Beauty Of Nature, Highly Commended: Cluster Of Hope By Vinodh Venugopal
During the monsoon season in the Western Ghats, Vinodh found a clutch of bush frog eggs on the moss of a large tree. This species is characterized by direct development: these frogs skip the tadpole stage, and young froglets emerge directly from the eggs.
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#23 The Beauty Of Nature, Highly Commended: Bubble Kingdom By Filippo Carugati
In summer, the Fino River in Abruzzo is almost dry, with only a few puddles surviving the midday heat. A zenithal perspective frames a common green frog (Pelophylax esculentus) surrounded by shimmering green bubbles among filamentous algae floating along the water’s edge.
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#24 Fascinating Faces And Characters, Commended: Lord Of The Butterflies By Thomas Nicolon
Ngoma Aimé Désiré, the village chief of Legue-Malen, poses for a portrait on the banks of the Dja River in southeastern Cameroon. In rural areas, traditional authorities often hold more legitimacy than state representatives, and his leopard-skin hat is a symbol of power and status.
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#25 Fascinating Faces And Characters, Commended: The Nomads Of Ladakh By Wasim Malik
Yangdol lives in the remote Changthang region of Ladakh, where nomadic families depend on their herds for survival. In this frozen, wind-shaped land, her daily life is a balance of tradition, resilience, and responsibility. Her presence reflects the courage of those who call this plateau home.
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#26 Fascinating Faces And Characters, Highly Commended: The Performers By Vikas Nama
Two Indian performers are captured as they prepare for their performance, in a moment suspended between the theatrical and the intimate. Their painted faces, styled hair, and carefully arranged costumes trace the passage between identity and the characters they are about to embody, where the mask conceals as much as it reveals, and the persona merges with the soul. The image intensifies this tension through contrast: on the left, a composed, everyday gesture suggests concentration and preparation; on the right, the body opens into theatrical abandonment, already beyond itself, tracing the fragile boundary between representation and identity. Moving through light and shadow, presence and absence, it reveals a delicate balance: the precise moment when art, ritual, and human vulnerability intersect, reminding us that every act of expression carries within it both survival and loss.
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#27 Fascinating Faces And Characters, 3rd Classified: Ulrika’s Second Life By Pekka Ala-Pietilä
On 4 November 2008, Ulrika’s life changed forever when a Learjet 45 crashed next to her in Mexico. In a matter of seconds, an ordinary moment turned into a devastating accident. The explosion and intense heat left her with severe burn injuries: forty percent of her skin was badly burned, including her face. What followed was a long and painful journey. Ulrika had to undergo extensive medical treatment and endure months of recovery, both physically and emotionally. The road back to everyday life was difficult and often uncertain, requiring immense courage and determination. Yet, despite the trauma and the challenges she faced, Ulrika gradually found the strength to move forward. Step by step, she moved on with her life, drawing on a deep resilience that allowed her not only to survive the tragedy, but also to live with renewed hope and purpose.
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#28 Underwater Life, 3rd Classified: Mating Mandarin Fish By Luc Rooman
In December 2025, Luc spent two weeks in the Lembeh Strait, exploring its volcanic seabed to document the underwater microcosm. During a dusk dive, he focused on the elusive mandarinfish, a species renowned for its extraordinary and fleeting twilight mating ritual. These small, vividly coloured fish emerge from the coral in pairs, briefly rising into the water column to complete reproduction, before vanishing in a fraction of a second. After countless attempts and patient waiting, Luc managed to capture the exact moment of the nuptial ascent, immortalizing the chromatic harmony and fragility of this brief instant.
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#29 Street Photography, Highly Commended: The Custodian By Enrica Ridolfi
Inside San Francisco’s Coit Tower, the walls are entirely covered with murals from 1934 that illustrate the city’s history. Here, a custodian seated in a small booth seems to be part of the paintings, blending seamlessly into the artwork.
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#30 Street Photography, Commended: Skaters By Luca Menotti
At MACBA in Barcelona, one skater rests while the other shows off his tricks. The tent adds to the narrative of a legendary spot where skaters from all over the world come to experience the culture firsthand.
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#31 Under 20, 3rd Classified: The Flautist By David-Leonardo Antal
With his enchanting melody, the flautist leads the group of bear-costumed people around him, setting the pace and guiding their movements. Known as ‘Jocul Ursului’ (the Bear Dance), this traditional Romanian custom is performed every year between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Once considered a sacred animal deeply connected to the rhythms of nature—hibernating through winter and awakening in spring—the bear was believed to hold the power to defeat the cold season and herald renewal. Men, women and children disguised as bears with red tassels mimic the movements of the animal in a captivating ritual meant to ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity in the year to come, as they bring back to life the spirit of the bears whose skins they wear.
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#32 Documentary & Photojournalism, 2nd Classified: Whirling Against Pepper Spray By Umit Bektas
During a protest in Istanbul on March 23, 2025, which erupted following the arrest of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, police officers use pepper spray against a demonstrator dressed in traditional dervish attire, an incident that became a symbol of the heightened tensions surrounding the entire nation. İmamoğlu, a prominent opposition figure and vocal critic of the ruling government, has long been considered an emblem of democratic reform in the country. Detained on March 19, 2025, he was arrested a few days later: his arrest sparked outrage among his supporters and triggered a wave of protests across Turkey. In numerous cities, demonstrations were organized, calling for his immediate release, while tensions escalated further due to clashes between police and protesters.
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#33 Sports In Action, Commended: Barrelled By Ben Thouard
Taken in Teahupo’o, from underwater, in the morning light. With the right timing and conditions, you can see the surfer passing through the barrel, and the whole scene is mesmerizing thanks to the water’s clarity.
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#34 Sports In Action, 2nd Classified: The Dark Knight By Ben Thouard
A rare and fleeting alignment unfolds beneath the surface in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, French Polynesia. Captured from underwater, the surfer becomes a dark silhouette gliding along the wave’s face, framed by a luminous ribbon of light slicing through the water. The slow shutter speed softens the chaos above into a celestial texture, while the perfect alignment of wave and surfer, combined with the reflection of light, transforms the wave itself into a sculptural, dreamlike form. Suspended between motion and stillness, the scene reveals the duality of the ocean: both powerful and serene. In this instant, light, water, and human presence merge into a single, timeless vision, creating an almost surreal composition.
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#35 Sports In Action, 1st Classified: Jumping Javelineer By Dean Mouhtaropoulos
Para‑athlete Guillermo Varona González of Team Cuba prepares to compete in the Men’s Javelin Throw F46 Final on day three of the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, on September 29, 2025. The F46 class features standing athletes with upper limb impairments, who adapt their technique to throw the javelin for maximum distance. Varona secured the bronze medal with a throw of 63.34 meters.
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#36 Animals In Their Environment, 3rd Classified: Sleeping Beauty By Felix Belloin
From a ship deep within the Arctic pack ice north of Svalbard, in the summer of 2025, a tuft of fur emerging from a distant ice wall catches Felix’s attention. In this remote polar environment, where sea ice thins each summer due to rising temperatures, encounters with wildlife are increasingly rare and unpredictable. Driven by curiosity, he launches his drone and approached slowly. As the distance narrowed, the scene gradually revealed itself: a polar bear (Ursus maritimus, an apex predator dependent on sea ice for hunting seals) in a deep sleep, its body curled within a crack beside an extraordinary formation of glacial ice of an intense and almost unreal shade of blue. Felix keeps the drone high, careful not to break the spell of the moment or disturb the bear’s peaceful rest. Then, with the same gentleness with which he had arrived, he withdrew, leaving the bear to its dreams, alone in the frozen realm it calls home.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#37 The Beauty Of Nature, Highly Commended: Spiderlings By Georgina Steytler
Newly hatched spiderlings gather in a delicate web in Darwin, Northern Territory, shortly after emerging from their egg sac. At this early stage of life, the tiny spiders cluster together before dispersing to begin their independent journeys. Georgina chose to photograph the scene toward the rising sun to emphasize the fragile, translucent quality of the spiderlings’ bodies. The backlighting also revealed subtle iridescent colors shimmering along the silk threads of the web. Using a shallow depth of field, Georgina isolated the small group of spiderlings against the luminous background, creating a soft, ethereal atmosphere that highlights both their vulnerability and the intricate beauty of the web.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#38 The Beauty Of Nature, 3rd Classified: The Sporologist By Benjamin Pawlica
The reproduction of the pear-shaped puffball (Lycoperdon pyriforme), a saprophytic fungus with a distinctive pear-shaped form, takes place under the silent gaze of a small woodland snail slowly climbing across its surface. The puffball relies on the dispersal of spores produced inside the gleba which, when mature, are released through a small apical pore. When the fruiting body is stimulated by external factors such as rain or the passage of animals, the spores are expelled in a thin cloud, resembling smoke, which is carried by the wind, ensuring the continuity of the species’ life cycle. At the right moment, Benjamin gently shook the branches above, releasing raindrops trapped among the leaves. The first drop strikes the fungus, triggering a cloud of spores, while a second is caught in mid-air.
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#39 Fascinating Faces And Characters, Commended: Carrying The Sacred By Bartlomiej Rubik
Women from Escuela de Cristo brotherhood walk together during a Holy Saturday procession in Antigua, Guatemala, carrying a platform with the statue of the Virgin of Sorrows. The ritual becomes not only an act of penitence, but also a time of reflection, shared faith and remembrance of the ancestors.
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#40 Fascinating Faces And Characters, Commended: Farewell To Pope Francis By Francesco Monteforte
Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience in the San Damaso courtyard in Vatican City on September 30, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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#41 Fascinating Faces And Characters, Highly Commended: Behind The Veil By Alessandro Bergamini
Along a road in Gujarat, a young woman briefly lifts her veil after receiving permission from a nearby man. The gesture is fleeting, yet in that instant, hesitation, trust, and presence converge, revealing the quiet tension between tradition, personal space, and the act of being photographed.
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#42 Fascinating Faces And Characters, Highly Commended: The Barefoot Volcanologist By Elle Leontiev
On the ash plains of Mount Yasur, on the remote Pacific island of Tanna, Vanuatu, Phillip stands barefoot atop a volcanic rock bomb. Wearing a lava-protection suit donated by visiting scientists, the volcano smoulders behind him, sending plumes of gas and sulfur into the sky. Born and raised at the base of Mount Yasur, Phillip has spent years studying and monitoring the volcano. He trained with French volcanologist Thomas Boyer, but due to limited access to education and the high cost of tuition, he has no formal qualifications. Despite this, Phillip is now internationally recognized as a self-taught volcanologist and has progressively played an important role locally, serving as a knowledgeable observer of Yasur and as a bridge between the volcano, visiting scientists, and the communities of Tanna. He often guides researchers and tourists up the volcano—always barefoot, as he has been since childhood. This portrait captures Phillip in his element, embodying both courage and a deep familiarity with one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
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#43 Journeys & Adventures, Highly Commended: After The Rain By Alessandro Bergamini
After a heavy rainfall in the high Andean plateaus of Peru, a Q’ero family observes their flooded tuber fields. Water and moss reshape the landscape, revealing the fragile balance between tradition, environment, and resilience that defines everyday life in these remote communities.
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#44 Journeys & Adventures, Highly Commended: Immersed In Color By Tittu Shaji Thomas
Holi, the festival of rebirth in northern India, is more than a celebration of colors—it is a sensory journey. Among thousands of people, a living storm of color and motion takes over. As colored powder fills the air, individual boundaries dissolve into rhythm, faith, and collective joy.
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#45 Underwater Life, Highly Commended: Expectant Parents By Mark Chang
Two whip coral gobies share a tender embrace while guarding their maturing eggs. These tiny fish—barely 3.5 centimeters long—are known to form monogamous pairs and to be remarkably dedicated parents, carefully tending their clutch until the eggs hatch. What makes this species even more extraordinary is its ability to change sex in response to specific social cues, ensuring the pair bond is always maintained. This rare scene—where fish appear to be showing real emotion—was captured in an extreme macro shot in which the entire frame is only about an inch wide, a reminder that some of the ocean’s most intimate moments play out in a miniature world.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#46 Underwater Life, 1st Classified: Commotion In The Ocean By Nur Tucker
A chaotic underwater struggle unfolds as northern gannets compete fiercely for discarded fish. What begins as a frantic aerial dive quickly transforms beneath the waves into a violent battle for survival. This intense feeding frenzy exposes the unseen consequences of human fishing activity—an artificial abundance that distorts natural behavior, pushing these seabirds into dangerous and exhausting competition.
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#47 Documentary & Photojournalism, Highly Commended: Explosion Over Gaza By Ali Jadallah
Amid the devastation in Gaza, civilians flee through streets shattered by airstrikes as explosions tear through residential buildings. Years of conflict have turned everyday life into a struggle for survival, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble and families forced to seek refuge elsewhere.
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#48 Documentary & Photojournalism, 3rd Classified: Breaking Fast In The Rubble During Ramadan By Saher Alghorra
On March 4, 2025, during the holy month of Ramadan, Palestinian Tamer Hassan El Shafei breaks his fast with his wife and children inside the remains of their almost completely destroyed home in Beit Lahia, Gaza. Seated around a small table in a partially collapsed room, the family shares a simple evening meal surrounded by the rubble and debris that stretch across the devastated neighborhood. The background, with its ruins and dusty roads, highlights the scale of destruction that Palestinians are still experiencing. The family, attempting to preserve a sense of normality despite the devastation around them, embodies resilience and strength.
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#49 Sports In Action, Commended: Serve In The Spotlight By Tingshu Wang
Coco Gauff of the United States unleashes a serve during her fourth‑round clash with Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic at the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 19, 2025. The sun splits the court into shadow and glow, turning the scene theatrical, as if Gauff were serving from a spotlight.
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#50 The Beauty Of Nature, Commended: A Carpet Of Shimmering Light In The Forest By Shirley Wung
The glow of every firefly signals ecological balance, shaped by thriving forests and conserved watersheds. Preserving this balance means preventing deforestation, sustaining soil and water systems, reducing pollution—while minimizing artificial light and embracing coexistence over exploitation.
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#51 The Beauty Of Nature, Commended: Underwater Garden By Ysabela Coll
From the darkness of the cenote cave, an underwater garden comes to life with colorful water lilies and tiny fish. The sudden contrast transforms the scene into a dreamlike world, where light, color, and life replace the silence of the cave.
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#52 The Beauty Of Nature, Commended: Gamberetto Arlecchino By Stefano Scortegagna
Small and charming Harlequin Shrimp, or Hymenocera picta, photographed in the Philippine Islands at a depth of about 15 meters, using a Nikon 105 VRII f2.8 Macro lens, with a selective snoot lighting technique that isolates the subject.
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#53 The Beauty Of Nature, 2nd Classified: Quetzalcóatl By Miguel José Ávalos González
In Santa Bárbara, at 2,269 meters above sea level, on the summit of the Sierra de Baza Natural Park, stands a remarkable black pine (Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii), a sentinel of the high-mountain oromediterranean landscape. Its twisted, snake-like branches show remarkable adaptations: compact size reduces wind exposure, trunks and branches bend under snow, and deep roots draw nutrients from rocky soils. Shaped by decades of harsh conditions, these trees are living symbols of resilience. Their rugged silhouettes host lichens, mosses, and endemic invertebrates, highlighting their role as keystone species. The gnarled forms recall Quetzalcóatl, the feathered serpent bridging earth and sky. Every wind-shaped trunk and branch tells a story of survival, beauty, and nature’s strength.
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#54 Journeys & Adventures, Commended: Dune By Julia Roger-Veyer
On a beautiful and wild ridge close to Mont Blanc, the snow is covered with sand from the last windstorm coming from the south. The tiny alpinists help us realize the immensity of the landscape.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#55 Street Photography, 2nd Classified: The Fan Out By Olesia Kim
During the Notting Hill Carnival, London’s West End transforms into a whirlwind of steel pans, booming sound systems, and vibrant masquerade bands. This event, Europe’s largest street festival celebrating Caribbean culture since 1966, attracts millions of visitors each year. Under the sweltering August sun, attendees from all over the world cool themselves with bright fans, becoming part of the living performance. In this intimate frame, three figures hide behind ornate fans. Their rhythmic waving, set against a backdrop of raw urban graffiti, adds a sophisticated, fluttering layer to the carnival’s famous kaleidoscope of colors, turning a simple gesture of cooling down into an exuberant choreography.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#56 Street Photography, 1st Classified: Urban Puzzle By Luca Paccusse
Amid the chaos of Roman traffic and the warm glow of the sunset, Luca is struck by a face on a poster at the bus stop. After a few minutes of waiting, he manages to compose this interlocking of gazes, which intertwine and overlap, capturing the layers and complexity of a city where diverse identities merge and blur, like tiles in an ever-shifting urban mosaic.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#57 Under 20, Commended: Wunderpus Octopus By Panitbhand Paribatra Na Ayudhya
A Wunderpus octopus larva drifts through the darkness of the open ocean, reminding us that no life is insignificant—even the smallest existence is essential and beautiful when truly seen.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#58 Documentary & Photojournalism, Commended: Jimmy Carter Lies In State At Dusk By Andrew Harnik
The flag-draped casket of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter lies in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on January 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. Carter’s body will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda until a funeral service at the National Cathedral in Washington on January 9.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#59 Documentary & Photojournalism, Highly Commended: Life Persists Amid The Ruins By Ali Jadallah
Seated on rugs among the rubble, a group of men share a meal beside the collapsed dome of a mosque. Around them, a devastated landscape of destroyed buildings and piles of debris bears witness to the effects of the bombardments, while daily life continues amid destruction and uncertainty.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#60 Sports In Action, Commended: Balance Without A Face By Chalinee Thirasupa
The Philippines’ Jasmine Althea Ramilo performs during the women’s individual rhythmic gymnastics qualification at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, held at Thammasat University Rangsit Campus in Pathum Thani, Thailand, on December 15, 2025.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#61 Fascinating Faces And Characters, Commended: Nargis By Silvia Alessi
Nargis is an Afghan hairdresser who fled alone to Pakistan after losing her parents and brother in a suicide attack and her sister to suicide. This portrait was taken before she reached the USA. The scissors are her work and her defense; her eyes hold grief and exposure.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#62 Fascinating Faces And Characters, Commended: Childhood Dream By Alireza Bagheri Sani
Pardis is a newly developed town near Tehran, a place defined by uniform, lifeless buildings—a symbol of mechanized modern living. A child was playing, then—noticing the camera—started to run.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#63 Storyboard, 1st Classified: Así Es La Vida (C’est La Vie) Cecot By Juan Carlos
The Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a mega-prison that houses inmates from El Salvador’s three major gangs—Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Barrio 18 Revolucionarios, and Barrio 18 Sureños—is the largest prison in the Western Hemisphere. Built in a record-breaking span of six months, this maximum-security facility can house 40,000 inmates as part of the ‘war on gangs’ launched by President Nayib Bukele, who has been praised for ending gang violence and bringing security to his country. This reportage offers a rare look inside the prison and at the lives of gang members held in CECOT.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#64 Journeys & Adventures, 3rd Classified: Guardian Of The Cattle By Alessandro Bergamini
In South Sudan, the Mundari tribe—a Nilotic pastoral people with deep cultural and social roots—has preserved its customs and traditions unchanged for centuries. Their economy revolves around cattle, with which they live in an almost symbiotic relationship. Roaming the banks of the White Nile, they migrate to ensure grazing for their precious animals: the majestic, large-horned Ankole-Watusi cows and bulls, regarded as true family members, status symbols, wealth and even a form of currency. At dusk, as a young herder watches over the camp from above, the silhouettes of the animals meld with the golden light of the sunset. It is the story of a timeless bond between man and land, where responsibility, identity, and tradition are passed down intact from generation to generation.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#65 Under 20, Highly Commended: The Bear And The Volcano By Kesshav Vikram
A lone brown bear strolls along the desolate shore of Kuril Lake, its stark silhouette set against the water, as the Iliinsky volcano emerges from the clouds and a slaty-backed gull flies past, perfectly aligned with its summit. Generally solitary, the bear is heading to join its kind in feasting on the sockeye salmon migrating upriver from July to September to spawn—a seasonal abundance that draws bears from across the remote wilderness of the Kamchatka Peninsula, in Russia’s Far East. Kurile Lake, a caldera formed by the collapse of a volcanic crater, is the largest sockeye salmon spawning ground in Eurasia; its deep, cold waters serve as a vital cradle for life in this untamed landscape.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#66 Under 20, 2nd Classified: The Flying Horse By Matteo Botta
The Menorquin Fiestas and Jaleos are vibrant traditional celebrations with roots dating back to the Medieval period, held every summer across Menorca’s main towns. In a remarkable display of horsemanship, skilled riders dressed in traditional costumes guide their Menorcan horses at a gallop through densely packed crowds, in a thrilling atmosphere of music, cheering, and festivity. At the heart of the festivities is the ‘bot’—a movement in which the rider makes the horse rear up on its hind legs—while spectators try to touch the horse’s chest, a gesture long considered to bring good luck. These fiestas remain one of the most extraordinary and authentic folk traditions in the Mediterranean.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#67 Documentary & Photojournalism, Commended: The Ones Who Stay By Ringo Chiu
A firefighter’s shadow is cast on the wall of a burning home as wind-driven embers fly during the Palisades Fire. Amid a powerful windstorm on the west side of Los Angeles, crews worked to contain the fast-moving flames on January 8, 2025.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#68 Sports In Action, Highly Commended: Trouble On The Double By Seb Daly
Jockey Jamie Lee Scallan and Empire Soldier narrowly avoid Stealthy Tom and jockey Simon Derek Torrens, who remain on the ground after a fall, as they soar over Ruby’s Double—a demanding double grass obstacle built in 1995 in honor of legendary Irish jockey Ruby Walsh Sr.—on the cross-country course at Punchestown in County Kildare. The action takes place during the third day of the Punchestown Festival, Ireland’s premier National Hunt event, held every April, which attracts top competitors and large crowds and is regarded as the Irish equivalent of the Cheltenham Festival. With clods of earth flying through the air, Scallan maintains balance and momentum as his horse stretches mid-leap, in a moment of pure peril and precision.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#69 Sports In Action, Highly Commended: Dive By By Adam Pretty
Brandon Loschiavo and Jordan Rzepka of the United States perform their dive during the Men’s Synchronized 10m Platform Final at the Fukuoka World Aquatics Championships on July 17, 2023. Shortly before, the two American athletes had won the national title, securing their qualification for the World Championships. Against a black background, the long exposure transforms their bodies into a single luminous, blurred form floating in the darkness above the judging panel. The six judges, dressed in dark suits, watch in silence from their seats, still and focused, in sharp contrast with the swirling motion captured by the lens. The luminous fluidity of the athletes’ bodies contrasts with the judges’ composed stillness, turning the moment into a scene suspended between motion and silence, where tension and the fleeting beauty of the athletic gesture converge.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
#70 Sports In Action, 3rd Classified: Blue Glass By Adam Pretty
Three athletes from the U.S. team dive in perfect synchrony into the pool to start their routine in the Artistic Swimming Team Technical Final at the Singapore 2025 World Aquatics Championships on July 22, 2025. The water’s surface, smooth and still like glass, reflects the dome of the arena and the surrounding lights, turning the pool into a mirror suspended between sky and water, where the athletes seem to swim through the air. Several elements align perfectly: the harmonious symmetry of the venue, highlighted by the upward perspective of the roof; the dive, perfectly centered on the platform; and the brightly colored costumes standing out sharply against the transparent pool floor. All these details merge into an extraordinary choreography, where geometry, color, and movement converge to transform an athletic gesture into pure visual architecture.
Image source: Siena International Photo Awards
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