Portrait Award June 2026

1st Prize James Clifford Kent

1st Prize James Clifford Kent
“Neisser Yoel Gálvez Tabares” - Pinar del Río, Cuba, 2025
Sixteen-year-old Neisser Yoel Gálvez Tabares poses in fencing gear in Pinar del Río, Cuba, where he trains as an aspiring modern pentathlete despite failing facilities and intermittent electricity. Sport offers discipline and ambition beyond the island’s narrowing horizon. Part of the series YUMA by James Clifford Kent, the portrait reflects a country marked by blackouts, fuel shortages and disrupted transport. Made through trust and dialogue, the work resists cliché and spectacle, offering a layered portrait of an island on the brink. © James Clifford Kent
2nd Prize Rachelle Steele

2nd Prize Rachelle Steele
“Master Seamstress Corrine Danner” - Utqiaġvik, Alaska
Portrait of Master Seamstress Corrine Danner stands under the Whale Bone Arches in the Arctic Circle. Utqiaġvik, Alaska. © Rachelle Steele
3rd Prize Benjamin Eagle

3rd Prize Benjamin Eagle
“Los Historiantes” - El Salvador
From my ongoing series/project from El Salvador’s, Los Historiantes. A centuries-old spectacle of handcrafted masked mythical characters. Performed within the small communities and villages across El Salvador, the Los Historiantes combine dance, theater, and ritual to preserve stories passed down through generations. © Benjamin Eagle
Finalist Trevor Cole

Finalist Trevor Cole
“Young Mundari woman” -Central Equatoria, South Sudan
Portrait of a young woman of the Mundari tribe in Central Equatoria in the light. © Trevor Cole
Finalist Tianhu Yuan

Finalist Tianhu Yuan
“Jue Ran” - Zhangzhou, China
Jue Ran is from Zhangzhou and is currently a senior at a university in Xi’an. Jue Ran’s journey began with a knockoff dress, sparking a passion that led her to become an avid participant. While she promotes the style at her university, she faces resistance from her family and stares from strangers in her smaller hometown. She persists relentlessly, viewing the fashion as a creative outlet that defies convention. © Tianhu Yuan
Finalist Todd Cooper

Finalist Todd Cooper
“Antonio, in the field” - Springfield, Oregon
A true master/teacher of his craft. Taken on 4x5 / Portra 400 © Todd Cooper
Finalist Laura Pannack

Finalist Laura Pannack
“Zahra and Diago” - South Africa
Between school and home lies a fragile space where childhood unfolds beyond the reach of adults. In South Africa, the walk home can hold both freedom and fear. Laughter and friendship existing alongside the realities of inequality and threats of daily crossfire from gang violence. © Laura Pannack
Finalist Nigel Malone

Finalist Nigel Malone
“Amy” - Australia, (from the series The Australian West)
Defined by mythology, not geography.
Inspired by Americana, rodeo is their ritual.
A test of nerve and stage for heartbreak.|
A landscape of temporary belonging.
Bypassed towns that continue in spite of time.
Found in showground campsites and low-slung motels.
Theirs is a culture hidden in plain sight.
Both everywhere and nowhere. © Nigel Malone
Finalist Jose Pereyra Lucena

Finalist Jose Pereyra Lucena
“The Keeper of the Salt” - Jujuy, Argentina
At 3,450 meters above sea level, lives Don Eulagio. Just a few kilometers from Salinas Grandes, he heads there every day with his shovel. He gathers salt, stores it in used sugar sacks, and later sells it. © Jose Pereyra Lucena
Finalist Giovanna Aryafara

Finalist Giovanna Aryafara
“Desert Child” - Western India
Deep in the deserts of western India, I encountered a nomadic community living among camels and goats. This young girl, dressed in a traditional red odhni, stood quietly holding her pet goat as desert winds swept across the landscape. © Giovanna Aryafara

Theme: Portrait Photography /
Competition Judge: Luisa Dörr

Portrait photography, a cornerstone of the medium, has a rich history dating back to its very origins. From iconic figures to everyday lives, portraits reveal our profound fascination with the human condition. This award celebrates the enduring power of the portrait, seeking the most compelling and impactful images that capture the essence of individuals today.\

To stay inspired and follow along with the journey, make sure to sign up for our newsletter and connect with our growing community over on Facebook, Instagram, and X, where we will be showcasing a curated selection of our favorite entries throughout the competition. Finally, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the exceptionally talented photographers whose vision and artistry earned them a well-deserved place in the finals!

Finalists

Jury's Feedback

1ST PRIZE: James Clifford Kent

“This one takes me straight back to Nadar and the other pioneers of portrait photography. The old, weathered painted wall looks just like one of those beautiful fabric backdrops used in natural-light portrait studios, while he’s dressed in his fencing attire, telling you already a story. I like the way Yoel is portrayed—with dignity, a sense of nostalgia, and a gaze that looks forward.” — Luisa Dörr

2ND PRIZE: Rachelle Steele

“I went to Corrine’s Instagram, the subject of this portrait, to learn more about her work. It’s fascinating what she does and how she keeps a tradition alive in one of the harshest places, working with one of the most unforgiving materials. Again, I really like the way she’s portrayed here. She feels like a queen —dignified, avoiding any sense of condescension. Her art is shown in exactly the right context.” — Luisa Dörr

3RD PRIZE: Benjamin Eagle

“A compelling and deeply intimate portrait that beautifully bridges the grand theatricality of ancient ritual with the personality of the subject. The vibrant, colorful handcrafted costume is perfectly set against the weathered, pastel-toned concrete of the steps, both slightly softened in focus to allow the subject’s steady, piercing gaze to take center stage. It is a powerful testament to the strength of documentary portraiture, a striking image where the weight of cultural heritage is carried with quiet dignity” – The Independent Photographer Editors

© Luisa Dörr

Judge: Luisa Dörr

Luisa Dörr is a Brazilian photographer renowned for her masterful portraiture and evocative use of color. Focusing primarily on the feminine human landscape, she utilizes compelling portraits to explore the complex narratives of human nature and femininity. Since winning a World Press Photo award in 2019, her striking storytelling has earned widespread international recognition.