“Iowa Storm Cell” by Ilene Meyers. Nature Photographer of the Year (Non-Professional).
From powerful photos of nature to important images documenting cultural events, the category winners of the 2025 International Photography Awards (IPA) are a striking lens inside our world. Eleven category winners were named across professional and non-professional divisions after thousands of submissions were received.
Standout images include Savadmon Avalachamveettil’s photo of India’s sacred Kumbh Mela festival, which won the Event category in the professional division. This religious pilgrimage drew an estimated 660 million people, and Avalachamveettil’s photography captures the energy of the crowd.
In the non-professional division, Sebastian Piorek’s photo, titled The Overflowing Earth, won the Editorial/Press category. This look at Poland’s expanding landfills is exemplified by Piorek’s aerial photo featuring thousands of compact cars piled up, creating a mosaic of color and waste.
Scroll down to see even more categories from this year’s contest while we await the October announcement of the two grand prize winners. The International Photographer of the Year, drawn from the professional division, will receive $10,000, while the non-professional winner, who will be named Discovery of the Year, will be awarded $5,000.
Check out the winners of the 2024 International Photography Awards.
The 2025 International Photography Awards has announced the category winners in its professional and non-professional divisions.
“MahaKumbh – World’s Largest Gathering” by Savadmon Avalachamveettil. Event Photographer of the Year (Professional).
“The overflowing earth” by Sebastian Piorek. Editorial / Press Photographer of the Year (Non-Professional).
“Icon of Architectural” by Mohammad Awadh. Architecture Photographer of the Year (Non-Professional).
“Buzkashi” by Todd Antony. Sports Photographer of the Year (Professional).
“Frida – A Singular Vision of Beauty & Pain” by Julia Fullerton-Batten. Fine Art Photographer of the Year (Professional).
The eleven categories, which run the gamut from Fine Art to Editorial, are a lens into our world.
“Requiem pour Pianos” by Romain Thiery. Architecture Photographer of the Year (Professional).
“Porcelain Petals” by Natalie Vorontsoff. Advertising Photographer of the Year (Non-Professional).
“The Beautiful of Floating Babies” by Sho Otani. Nature Photographer of the Year (Professional).
“South Island Group Wedding” by Yu Ling Ho. Event Photographer of the Year (Non-Professional)
“Piercing the Rainbow” by Kohei Kawashima. Sports Photographer of the Year (Non-Professional)
“Echoes of Genocide: Gaza’s Civilian Suffering” by Abdelrahman Alkahlout. Editorial / Press Photographer of the Year (Professional).
The grand prize winners, who will receive a total of $15,000, will be announced at a special ceremony in October.
“Family In Vitro” by Natasha Pszenicki. People Photographer of the Year (Professional).
“Emotive Snapshots” by Monia Marchionni. Special Photographer of the Year (Non-Professional).
“Damselfies from Another Planets” by Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz. Special Photographer of the Year (Professional).
“Inside Romania” by Ilona Schong. People Photographer of the Year (Non-Professional).
“Murmures de l’âme” by Marie Sueur. Fine Art Photographer of the Year (Non-Professional).
“Misplaced Childhood” by Yehor Lemzyakoff. Analog / Film Photographer of the Year (Non-Professional).