The 2026 Sony World Photography Awards have been announced, and the results are genuinely moving. This year’s winners go beyond technical mastery; they share stories that linger in your mind, long after you’ve seen the images.
At the forefront is Citlali Fabián, named Photographer of the Year for her moving series, “Bilha, Stories of my Sisters.” Drawing from her Yalalteca Indigenous roots, her photography delves into themes of identity, migration, and community with striking honesty. These aren’t just pictures, they’re moments of real life, captured with purpose.
The Open category celebrated stunning single images, while the Student competition took on the theme of “Together,” showing how the next generation is already challenging conventions. In the Youth competition, 16-year-old Swedish photographer Philip Kangas stood out with a gripping photo of firefighters saving art during a crisis, a moment packed with drama and emotion.
Legendary photographer Joel Meyerowitz also received recognition for his Outstanding Contribution to Photography, a well-earned tribute to a career that helped define how we see and share stories through images.
From intimate personal stories to powerful moments that span the globe, this year’s winners show us exactly why photography remains so vital: it brings us together, pushes us to see differently, and reveals truths that words alone can’t express.
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1. Photographer of the Year: « Bilha, Stories of my Sisters » by Citlali Fabián
« Growing up without role models can make it difficult to dream or recognise one’s ability to shape the future. This photographic series seeks to create a precedent through collaboration with activists and artists from various Indigenous communities in southern Mexico, particularly from Oaxaca state. Their stories offer a glimpse into the world we are living in, and how their roles and work are generating meaningful impact and change in their communities and beyond. This project is intended to be published as a children’s book, with digital illustrations made by the photographer. »
2. Open Photographer of the Year: « The Barefoot Volcanologist » by Elle Leontiev
« On the ash plains of Mount Yasur, on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu, Phillip, an internationally recognised, self-taught volcanologist, stands barefoot atop a volcanic rock bomb. Wearing a lava-protection suit gifted to him by some visiting researchers, the volcano smoulders behind him, sending a plume of gas and sulphur into the sky. Phillip grew up beneath the active volcano, and this portrait captures him in his element. »
3. Student Photographer of the Year: « The Place Where I Used to Play » by Jubair Ahmed Arnob
« ‘What is the city but the people?’ — William Shakespeare Jubair Ahmed Arnob returns in memory to Green Model Town, Dhaka, Bangladesh, where the rivers, canals, ponds, and fields that once held laughter are now buried under concrete. Over three years, he has photographed disappearing landscapes in a dreamy, surreal style, layering images with memory and emotion. Urbanisation can erase rivers, homes, and joy, yet communities persist. This work carries memory beyond fact, reflecting Dhaka’s transformation while resonating with cities worldwide facing similar losses. »
4. Youth Photographer of the Year: « Saving History from the Flames » by Philip Kangas
« When a fire broke out in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in central Stockholm firefighters worked hard to contain the fire and began transporting art pieces to safety. »
5. Architecture & Design 1st Place: « Homes of Haor » by Joy Saha
« Homes of Haor documents the vernacular architecture of Ashtagram, Kishoreganj, in Bangladesh’s Haor region. Here, homes are built on naturally raised mounds that become islands during the monsoon, surrounded by seasonal floodwater, and boats become the primary means of travel. From above, the settlements form distinct patterns shaped by elevation, water and function. Elevated roads, clustered dwellings, and carefully arranged livestock spaces reveal how rural communities design and adapt their built environment to a landscape defined by water. »
6. Creative 1st Place: « Bilha, Stories of my Sisters » by Citlali Fabián
7. Documentary Projects 1st Place: « Under the Shadow of Coca » by Santiago Mesa
« In the southern Colombian department of Putumayo, coca cultivation remains one of the few economic options for rural families in this neglected border region. This project follows farmers and families whose livelihoods depend on an illicit economy shaped by poverty, weak state presence, and armed control, as well as members of Comandos de la Frontera, the armed group that controls the territory and the cocaine trade. »
8. Environment 1st Place: « Notes on How to Build a Forest » by Isadora Romero
« Forests have long been narrated as spaces where only vegetation exists. Yet science and history reveal that they have always been cultural territories, inhabited and reshaped by multiple human and non-human groups over time. Notes on How to Build a Forest is a photographic project developed in Ecuador, in the territories of Mache Chindul and Yunguilla — landscapes marked by layered histories of settlement and relationships with the forest. »
9. Landscape 1st Place: « Constructed Landscapes » by Dafna Talmor
« Stemming from the photographer’s personal archive, this series employs hand-printed and collaged colour negatives that are reconfigured into abstracted landscape representations. Purposefully undisclosed locations — sites that may otherwise be loaded with personal and political connotations — are collaged and repurposed, transforming them into spaces of greater universality. »
10. Perspectives 1st Place: « Sunny Side Up: A Portrait of the Most Average K-Parenting Today » by Seungho Kim
« South Korea stands at a crossroads. In 2023, the country’s birth rate hit a record-low of 0.72 children per woman, while more than six million households now find the meaning of family in their dogs. Choosing between a child and a pet has become an ironic reality. However, the photographer of this series chose to put both ends of this spectrum ‘onto life’s hot frying pan.’ These photos are his ‘sunny side up’: a fragile, vibrant and beautifully messy record of the K-parenting world that lies ahead. »
11. Portraiture 1st Place: « The Faithful » by Jean-Marc Caimi & Valentina Piccinni
« Between the death of one pope and the election of the next, crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, for an event that functions simultaneously as sacred ritual and global spectacle. The photographers explain that pilgrimage took on the traits of fandom, as rosaries, flags and prayer gestures were performed with full awareness of the attendant cameras and media. »
12. Sport 1st Place: « Buzkashi » by Todd Antony
« Buzkashi (literally meaning ‘goat pulling’ in Persian) is the fierce, ancient sport of Tajikistan. It is similar to polo, but there are no teams and no boundaries. The ball is the eviscerated, headless carcass of a goat and the aim is brutally simple: seize it, hold it, break free. The game was born among the nomadic horse cultures of Central Asia, where strength and horsemanship were measures of identity. For centuries, chapandaz (riders) have hurled themselves into this churning mass of hooves and bodies, fighting for honour and a moment of clear sky among the dust. »
13. Still Life 1st Place: « Talking Without Speaking » by Vilma Taubo
« Talking Without Speaking is a series of photographs of everyday objects that have become symbols of protest. Each of the objects can be connected to a specific historical period, a particular rights struggle or a particular country. Some have been intentionally brought to the streets to support a cause, while others have unexpectedly found their place in the public sphere, revealing their symbolic power over time. »
14. Wildlife & Nature 1st Place: « Crossing Point » by Will Burrard-Lucas
« This series was produced using a remote camera trap installed at a forested river crossing in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. The camera was set up in collaboration with rhino rangers to monitor endangered black rhinoceroses moving through a key corridor and was left running continuously for three months. While its primary purpose was conservation monitoring, the system also allowed nocturnal scenes to be lit creatively, revealing the wildlife and habitat in dramatic ways that are rarely seen. The location was chosen for its striking scenery, enabling the images to document both animal movements and the ecological diversity and beauty of an area largely closed to tourism. »
15. Outstanding Contribution to Photography – Joel Meyerowitz
« As the Sony World Photography Awards announced in November, celebrated photographer Joel Meyerowitz is being honored this year with the Sony World Photography Awards Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award. »
FAQs:
Who won Photographer of the Year 2026?
Citlali Fabián won Photographer of the Year 2026 for her series “Bilha, Stories of my Sisters.” Her work explores identity, migration, and Indigenous culture through deeply personal and visually compelling storytelling rooted in her Yalalteca heritage.
What is the Sony World Photography Awards?
The Sony World Photography Awards is a globally recognized competition celebrating outstanding photography across multiple categories, including Professional, Open, Student, and Youth, showcasing both emerging and established photographers from around the world.
What makes the Open competition unique?
The Open competition focuses on single images rather than a series, rewarding photographers who can capture a powerful story, emotion, or moment in just one frame, making it highly competitive and creatively diverse.
Who won Youth Photographer of the Year 2026?
Philip Kangas, a 16-year-old Swedish photographer, won Youth Photographer of the Year 2026 with a dramatic image capturing firefighters rescuing artwork during a fire, blending action, emotion, and storytelling in one striking shot.
Who received the Outstanding Contribution award in 2026?
Joel Meyerowitz received the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award in 2026, recognizing his decades-long influence on modern photography and his role in shaping contemporary visual storytelling across generations.