Fascinating faces and characters

Photo © Audrey Jeane

1st classified

Brice with his catch
by Thomas Nicolon


Itoua Brice poses with a dwarf crocodile he caught in the swamps of Lake Télé Community Reserve, the largest swamp forest in the region. The tool used to pull the crocodiles out of their dens is a liana with a hook. Crocodile hunting is allowed in the reserve for local consumptio...

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2nd classified

Here dreams fly in the wind
by Md Shamim Ul Islam


Seema and her friends work, as usual, among the trash of Anandabazar in Chittagong. The city, the second most populous in Bangladesh and home to its largest port, is struggling with severe plastic pollution. Due to poverty, Seema began working there during school days to support...

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3rd classified

A Symbiotic Relationship
by Thibault Gerbaldi


Roccio, a Peruvian woman, is surrounded by her alpacas, which gaze at the observer, creating a strong sense of unity. The scene reflects the symbiosis between Andean communities and their alpacas, symbols of mutual dependence, respect, and shared identity: not only a source of wo...

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Highly commended

Afghan Bird Sellers
by Daniel Malikyar


A group of Afghan bird sellers who live and work at the historic bird market in Kabul, known as Ka Faroshi. Birds are an integral part of Afghan culture and are often kept as pets across the country, offering small moments of joy amidst a backdrop of hardship.

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Highly commended

From life to death
by Sanghamitra Sarkar


In the dance of life and death, the young stand enveloped by the past—a lineage of spirits painted as bones, echoing both vitality and mortality. Originating from Papua New Guinea, the Skeleton tribe’s symbolic body art presents both protection and a tribute to ancestors, connect...

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Highly commended

A WOMAN IS PHOTOGRAPHED IN A WAR-TORN CITY
by Narciso Contreras


Ludmilla Klochko, a sixty-four-year-old painter, is pictured in her home in Chasiv Yar, where she lives with her daughter Alexandra, who has suffered brain damage since childhood. Despite the intense fighting, Ludmilla refused to leave their refuge, remaining in a war-torn city.

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Highly commended

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
by Dan Winters


A portrait of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., created for a feature dedicated to him by the American magazine ‘The New Yorker’ and published in August 2024, exploring his political career. The nephew of John F. Kennedy, in 2025 he was appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services in Pr...

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Highly commended

Emma Stone
by Dan Winters


American actress Emma Stone, a two-time Academy Award winner, photographed in April 2024 for ‘The Hollywood Reporter.’ The photoshoot was part of an article about the TV series ‘The Curse,’ in which she stars alongside comedian Nathan Fielder. The series is a distinctive and unus...

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Highly commended

Remembering
by Adela Lia Rusu


This image captures a heartfelt moment with Mrs. Susana Somcutean, a retired Romanian language teacher, at the school museum in Sălaj County. Susana, a living encyclopedia of folk songs and poems, fondly recalls vivid memories of her childhood and schoolmates. Her thoughtful gaze...

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Highly commended

No Desire For Dust
by David Olayide


The image explores the connection between tradition, technology, and innovation. It depicts two people in traditional African attire made from ‘aso oke’—a vibrant fabric from Nigeria, used in ceremonies—wearing goggles made from repurposed VHS tapes, symbolizing the transformatio...

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Commended

Sharmiin
by Gerrie Mifsud


The moment Gerrie saw Sharmin at a university event, she was captivated and felt an instant urge to capture her essence. A dedicated student in Radiology, Sharmin graciously agreed to be her subject. For her, photography goes beyond pressing a button—it's about forming genuine hu...

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Commended

Doll
by Mohammad Beheshti


Portrait photography resembles puppeteering, with the photographer as a puppeteer. This object-oriented view of people may be neither correct nor humane, but it reflects the nature of photography: it transforms everything into an object. That's why this photo is called 'Doll.'

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Commended

Zanskar girl
by Isa Ebrahim


A girl in traditional dress stands next to women from Karcha village in Zanskar, who are wearing their traditional winter clothes decorated with precious ornaments inherited from their ancestors in Ladakh, India.

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Commended

Nura and Tokali
by Daniel Malikyar


Nura sits beside his spotted hyena, Tokali, as he "laughs". The 'laughter' vocalization for which spotted hyenas are known is a high-pitched series of short, giggle-like sounds. These sounds are generally made when they are frustrated.

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Commended

A Gange’s Tale
by Thibault Gerbaldi


In Varanasi, sādhus embody spiritual renunciation amidst the city's vibrant chaos. Draped in saffron robes, they meditate and perform rituals by the Ganges, navigating narrow alleys, ghats, and cremation grounds. Their presence reflects a timeless quest for transcendence.

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Commended

On the side of dingos
by Douglas Gimesy


The Australian dingo is misunderstood and often persecuted on a massive scale through widespread baiting, trapping, and shooting. However, there are people on their side, such as Lyn Watson from the Australian Dingo Foundation, pictured here with one of her purebred ambassador di...

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Commended

Aryan Beauty
by Fadhel Almutaghawi


A pretty young girl wearing her tribal dress in the Aryan Valley, near the Indian border in the high mountains of Ladakh. This type of clothing is usually worn on religious occasions and during rituals specific to the tribe.

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Commended

DONALD TRUMP'S AMERICA
by Carol Guzy


Former President Donald Trump accepts the nomination during a contentious election campaign at the Republican National Convention with political party faithful in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 17, 2024. His ear is bandaged from an injury during an assassination attempt at a campa...

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