The World’s Largest Photography Competition Announced 100 Finalists From Over A Million Entries And Here’s 30 Of Them

Gear: Huawei Mate 10 pro
Location: Imogiri, Yogyakarta Indonesia
"Her name is Mss Ponikem, she is a batik craft maker from Giriloyo, Imogiri, Yogyakarta Indonesia. She's been making Batik for 35 years. Batik is one of Indonesia heritage legacy in fashion."

Gear: Nikon D3200
Location: Mary Mother of God Center in Lamadi, Tanzania
"This image was taken at the Mary Mother of God Centre in Lamadi, Tanzania. This is an orphanage for children with albinism that can't live with their own family anymore because of the danger they are facing. In Tanzania, when you have albinism, you are thought to be evil. There even is a price on the head of children with albinism since killing a person with albinism is considered to bring you good luck. People with albinism live in constant fear and because of the killings, many children with albinism now live in camps. Rejected by and cut-off from their families, they live separate from society in order to keep them safe.
In Sister Helena's Mary Mother of God centre, the children are loved and well taken care of. On the photo you see one of the ''mama's'' giving one of the children a wash at the end of the day."

Gear: DJI Mavic Pro
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
A Winter Paddle

"It's the time of year where 99% of Sweden's population is hibernating indoors. There's light for around 6 hours a day. On this particular morning, I found myself walking outside, away from the city and into the nearest forest. I'm not exactly sure what triggered the urge, or what made me bring my camera equipment.

My three thermals did little in the blistering cold. But I didn't really notice... A half-hour stroll had just magically transported me to a winter wonderland. Fresh powder covered every surface, stacking up several inches high.

Clearing the snow off a frozen bench, I sat down and let the drone take to the sky. I really hoped that its little mechanical heart would hold out in this weather.

Soon enough, from the stark white scene - emerged a single sign of life. Against all odds!

Slicing through the river, the water opened like curtains as the kayaker moved downstream. Silent and graceful. The 1%."

Gear: Canon 5D mark IV 16-35mm 2.8
Location: Tokyo, Japan
"Traveling around Japan and soaking in its unique, fast paced rhythm. We happened to be on a JR line, traveling to Shinjuku. Once we entered the train, we were surprised how focused, quiet and distant everyone was traveling to their homes at the busiest time of the day. This perfectly reflected a very intense city lifestyle which I decided to paint with a little splash of color in the middle of the grays and blacks."

Gear: Canon EOS 7D Mark II, Canon 70-300mm f4-5.6 L IS USM
Location: Parco Regionale Migliarino San Rossore, Italy
"It was one of the most beautiful mornings on our Italy photo roadtrip in April 2019, when we arrived in the fairytale land of Tuscany. The sunrise painted the sky with lovely oranges and yellows, the birds were singing and the ground was bathed in soft mist. Because the nature park was still closed to the public, we decided to drive back and to shoot the sunrise at a field of mist. At 8 am we went back to the nature park and started our independent walk directly on the avenue, surrounded by huge fascinating pine trees. There was this beautiful silence, which reminded me of a quote by Rumi: "Listen to the silence. It has so much to say." A very pleasant feeling came over me and I felt happy and free. Only a few sunrays fought their way through the dense pine trees. I have seldom had such a spectacular view. In that moment a stranger appeared in front of us and painted an amazing silhouette in this picture. I can honestly say that was one of the most impressive mornings in my life."

Gear: Sony A7II
Location: Jogokariyan Mosque Yogyakarta Indonesia
"This photo explains the preparation of 2,500 portions of Ramadan fasting at the Jogokariyan mosque in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. There is a unique tradition that has been preserved for decades until when the coming of Ramadan, a total of 2,500 portions are distributed every day to worshipers and people who perform fasting worship."

Gear: Samsung Galaxy S8
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
"This is one of the most special photographs I've ever taken, and it's because of the story behind it. I remember the feelings I was having that day as if it were today. A few days before this photo, I ended a relationship with a girl who I've never stopped missing, and who was and is the most special person I've ever been with. The fact that we broke up has made me feel very sad and nostalgic for a long time and that's exactly what I feel every time I see this picture. I remember that sunset in my building terrace here in Buenos Aires, and that building looking exactly as lonely as I was feeling without her. So I took out my phone from my pocket and just let the feelings press the shutter. I named this picture "Miranda."

Gear: Sony Alpha A7R3 / Sony 85mm f1.4 GM
Location: Vienna, Austria
"I love to shoot when it is raining in my hometown in Vienna. People are more focused and introverted. This catch was made close to a big subway station where many people are passing by, which gives more opportunities to shoot. I am always looking for certain characters and emotions."

Gear: Fujifilm X100F
Location: Vejle, Denmark
"Due to a family emergency it happened that i had to go to Vejle for the first time after several years. I felt like I'd need some time for myself and just went out exploring. I ended up at the ocean where I just stayed for a while. I was just fascinated how calm water could actually be, even though the harbor and ocean was just right next to this place."

Gear: Dji Phantom 4 Pro
Location: Hong Kong Island
"I took that photo on my business trip to Hong Kong last year in April. It consists of 45 photos and what you see now is a result of an experiment I tried when I wanted to make something fresh."

Gear: Sony Xperia C5 Ultra
Location: Manjuyod, Negros Oriental, Philippines
"It was my last day of vacation and we usually spend it in a nearby beach with my family. From afar, I saw this group of kids enjoying the high tide by backflipping into the sea. So I decided to sit behind them and take couple of shots when a moment came that they decided to do it all together."

Gear: Canon 60D. 18-135
Location: Rishikesh, India
"Two weeks in India is a glimpse, but it did give me quite a few perspectives on how people live. Of these people, the women in particular caught my eye. You can find them doing all these things that look bizarre to us. I happen to see many of them carrying baskets and other things on their heads. I saw this woman coming up the street with a giant pile of some fort of plant on her head, I could not see her face. I managed to get my camera out take a couple of shots. I don't think she ever saw or heard me taking her photo."

Gear: Canon 5D Mark IV
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands. Spain
"Running away from the crowded beaches of Tenerife, my friend Sergio and I decided to explore the north shore of the island. We found this natural pool known just by a few people."

Gear: DJI Mavic Pro
Location: Kayseri, Turkey
Kayseri.
"This land is in the middle of the Anatolia. I always wanted to see wild horses and the rural life on the doorstep of 5th highest peak of Turkey called Erciyes mountain(3917).Ali dayı owner of the horses.Dayı means uncle in turkish, everybody calls him uncle.He is the boss of the ranch in his village called Hörmetçi köyü.He feed horses as well as look after them and when the photographers come over he start to show with his cowboy cap on.What he told me was there are more than 300 horses in his ranch.I was little bit nervous when the herd running out by me,the ground was moving like Earthquake, but this place was a wetland so it was so normal.It was worth to see and photograph wild horses even though im covered in mud up to my knees.To be honest i could not get enough of this rural life when i was there, so im planing to visit there again next summer."

Gear: iPhone
Location: Banaras, India
"The title of this photograph is “Flying Boys”. These boys were jumping off a man-made cliff into the Ganga river to beat the heat. It was about 40 degrees celsius that day."

Gear: Canon 1000D with a Tamron AF 18-270m
Location: Larung Gar, Garzê, China
"The main reason I went to China was to know more about the Buddhist settlement of Larung Gar and its ritual, Sky Burial.

One of the mornings it was snowing and many Buddhist students were gathered in the main temple, reading and chanting near the stairs. I observed the group for a while, from the distance, taking a couple of shots without interfering in their tasks.

Suddenly, this little novice looked at me. The magic of the alignment, where the set up was perfect, happened just in front of my eyes. I just immortalized it for the collective memory."

Gear: iPhone
Location: Pushkar, India
"The title of this image is ‘Shoulder Birds’. This was a spontaneous shot. This was shot in Pushkar, Rajasthan during the last day of the Camel Fair. I was walking towards the desert route where all the camel masters were heading back to their villages. I probably walked for a good 30 minutes and aftet a while, I saw a bunch of camels with their masters sitting by the roadside resting. They were all smoking and having a laugh. I had a split second to take this shot. This was shot on an iPhone."

Gear: Canon 6d mark II
Location: Athens, Greece
"This image showcases how ''fragile'' and how ''strong'' the human body can be or become. This is a metaphor for the brain, soul and heart. Although it looks broken, polymorphic and weird at the same moment, it's beautiful in it's own way. You have to break as a human in order to become stronger."

Gear: Sony ILCE-6300
Location: Norway
Edge of the world.

Gear: fujifilm x-e2 with 35mm 1.4/f lens
Location: Lucban, Quezon Philippines
"I was in my hometown documenting the events happening during holy week. I’ve always wanted to capture the beginning to the end of this so-called procession of the “mahal na senyor” or “image of the dead christ,” wherein hopes and promises are the main reasons many people perform these rituals. They believe it will bring luck, success, conceive a child and even cure sickness. As I was looking for the right moment, I saw this group of men on the side of the glass carriage then quickly got my backup camera with 35 mm lens so I could be closer and compose it tightly in the frame. Beyond lighting, composition, aesthetic and expressions, there’s more to it than meets the eye. That moment I knew something extraordinary caught my camera and a year later I am still moved at this image. Perhaps it is the purpose of the rituals that affects me deep within."

Gear: Sony A7R3
Location: Hong Kong
"#children born not of light but of shadow

Inhabitants seemingly gilded in gold call this city home. Once vibrant, energetic and widely known around the world has now fallen into decay. Children born into this fading glory inescapably had their golden shell stripped. Yet one’s true self can only be seen by the world when one is not shielded by a suit of armor.

Turns out, this city is still achingly beautiful."

Gear: FUJIFIM X-T1 The Lens 16-55 f2.8
Location: between Tinghir and Fez in Morocco
"This image was taken during a long car journey between Tinghir and Fez in Morocco during a ten day photography trip. We were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by empty landscapes when we drove past this man on a donkey. The opportunity was too good to miss as I had been trying to capture ordinary people going about their daily lives. So we stopped the car a little further along the road and waited for the man to approach. I took a few shots and chose this one to submit."

Gear: Canon EOS6D
Location: Yangonbauk, Malaysia

Gear: Nikon D600
Location: Falmouth, Cornwall
"This photograph is part of a series entitled ‘Um-do-li-tá’ and is related to childhood. Who are we and who were we? Looking back is something people often do when they are in a position in life where they are not really pleased with. Remembering moments of the past which brought them happiness can be perceived as an escape or a way of wanting to experience those feelings again. Through this photograph, I aim to embrace the pureness of the being, by representing childhood and the blissful ignorance of simpler times."

Gear: Google pixel 3XL
Location: Texas, USA
"Night Sight mode has just come out for the Pixel and I was excited to see what the phone was capable of shooting in the dark.

My partner and I were also in the middle of construction inside our home. I believe this photo was taken one night after the drywall was mudded which resulted in all of our windows fogging up from the moisture.

For the photo, my girlfriend stood outside and I shot through our back windows just after the sun had set. The backyard streetlight illuminating her profile."

Gear: iPhone X
Location: Lajpur Surat, Gujarat, India
"This women works at a brick factory. She's balancing the bricks on her head then loading them on trucks. It’s her work, so she does it sincerely, and with a smile that gives us an example of determination."

Gear: Huawei 10 lite
Location: Georgia. Tbilisi
"In my photos I try to share how seeing the world and feeling is important."

Gear: Fujifilm xt3
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
"Stronger than a flower. This editorial was inspired by a girl who is stronger than a flower.

Photographer and stylist’s goal was to showcase an image of about how a woman blossoms into a warrior in nature with paint in her eyes."

Gear: Sony A7II with Sigma 35mm f1.4 ART
Location: Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
"Showing a fresh view on things is what I really love. I captured this moment on an early morning exploration of the local food market in Ubud, Bali. Markets have something that fascinate me. They are raw and the people are real. There's only one question left to ask: How much is the fish?"

Gear: Nikon D7000
Location: Goslar, Germany
"With this picture I tried to tell a story about two people who are bound together. Living in symbiosis as long as everything's balanced. One person carrying and protecting the other, while knowing how fragile this equilibrium can be. The title of this image is "The Sisters". The Models are: Michelle Hartl (Left) and Michelle September (Right)."

Gear: Nikon D810
Location: Jaisalmer, India
"I took this picture in India in Pushkar city during celebration of Buddha's birthday. Women were praying for Buddha and took fruit to the lake. After a while, I couldn't see any men around but women were still in the water. This woman in a yellow dress stood motionless for a long time and she didn't leave until late."

Gear: Nikon D700 + Nikon 24-70
Location: International Circus Festival of Italy - Latina, Italy
"This photo shows the two Ethiopian acrobats of the "Addis Brothers," during the show of the Icarian games at the International Circus Festival of Italy.

This festival features the best circus artists from around the world. This photo is linked to a series of other photos, a photographic reportage on the circus life that was born in 2011 and continues today.

This collection of photos depict scenes of circus life, from the backstage to the entry of the artists on the scene. My aim is to succeed in bringing the magic of the circus to life, marked by the precise times of the acrobats, and the accuracy of logistics."

Gear: Sony Alpha 6300
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
"I did a shoot for my friends and we got a bunch of weird objects. So mushrooms happened to match the chair pretty well."

Gear: Nikon D810 Camera with Nikon 50mm 1.4G objective
Location: Varanasi, India
"I had never met anyone with vitiligo before. I didn't know this disease existed. When I met this man in Varanasi, India, I asked him about the blemishes on his skin.
I like take portraits of people who have tattoos, freckles, birthmarks or spots because it seems to me more colorful and mystical."

Gear: Nikon F5
Location: London, UK
"One of the beautiful things about photography is that it has the potential to capture authentic human moments even under very deliberate circumstances. Observing people’s ever-changing expressions is a study I often find myself lost in. This photo is a moment of levity. I shot this portrait of Jen whilst we were waiting for an outfit change."

Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, 70-210MM
Location: Garath, suburb of Düsseldorf, Germany
"In the past 2-3 years I have developed a keen interest for modern churches as their often minimal, yet sculptural, design leaves a deep impression on me.

This summer I set off to explore a lesser traveled area in the south of Düsseldorf (Germany) called Garath. This area was developed during the 1960-70s and houses three fantastic examples of modern churches. The depicted Friedrich Bonnhöfer church was designed by architects Helmut Hentrich und Hubert Petschnigg and built from 1962 to 1965 in close vicinity to two other churches.While walking toward these churches, passing small gardens, the sun came out and illuminated the church tower and its cross so that it was presented as a statue on a pedestal."

Gear: Samsung s5
Location: Marakech, Morrocco
"The thought behind this capture is just being a good human and helping one another, and just be able to pass on good energy. The pink defines the love and support passed through from one to another even if we're going through difficulties ourselves, and that's defined by the blank space in the picture. The general idea behind the picture, is support and show compassion no matter what."

Gear: iPhone 6
Location: Khuri Desert, Jaisalmer, India.
"Arjun Singh, I feel like he is warrior. I met him during my holiday in Khuri Desert, Jaisalmer - India. He is camel rider in the desert.

The struggles and hardships of life in the desert is reflected in his wrinkled face with his eyes showing the spirit of life."

Gear: SONY A7R2 with Sony 28mm + 16mm Fisheye Converter (SEL28F20 + SEL057FEC)
Location: Ahmed, Bali Indonesia (2018 AAS Freediving Depth Championships)
"Freediving is a sport where you dive as deep as you can, for as long as you can on a single breath of air. Athletes push themselves far beyond what is considered normal, some diving to depths over 100 meters, and breath-holding for over 10 minutes. It may seem like a crazy extreme sport at first, reserved only for the suicidal adrenaline junkies, but when you look closely at a freediver beneath the surface, you may find that it is quite the opposite. Freedivers dive in a meditative state, lowering their heart rate and relaxing their body to consume the least amount of oxygen. Calmness, stillness, peace and silence, the words often used to describe this sport, of which I try to portray in this photo."

Gear: Canon 7D
Location: Vlorë, Albania
"The form makes its story."

Gear: Canon 750D with 10-18 lens
Location: Cimitero Monumentale San Cataldo in Modena
"What you see in this picture is the ossuary of Modena’s cemetery, designed in 1971 by the Italian architect Aldo Rossi. I’m in love with this brutal architecture so I spent an entire day there taking pictures of the entire structure. I think the brutality of this architecture is a perfect match with the concept of death."

Gear: Digital Composition
Location: Puglia, Italy
"A sculpture, a mannequin can take shape next to a human. The union of two souls."

Gear: Huawei P20
Location: Berlin, Germany
"The photo is a portrait of my friend outside of her apartment in Berlin. That night we were sitting in her living room and I noticed that the night lights were really special, so I asked to take her picture, real low key and unplanned."

Gear: Xiaomi redmi 5
Location: Georgia
‍"This picture is from the series of "beauty in abandoned houses". I put a lot of effort in it, and while shooting every picture, there were houses in my mind which were abandoned and forgotten. It should be hard to leave the place where you grew up. I was searching these old houses in my hometown for a week. War in my childhood forced people to leave their homes and start their lives somewhere else. I was inspired with calmness and colors in this exact house. The sun was still shining and warming up every corner. For me, it was exploration of the stories, atmosphere and history."

Gear: Sony a7Riii + Sony FE 24-105mm f/4I
Location: Everest Base Camp trail between the villages of Dingboche (4410m) and Lobuche (4910m) in Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal
"Porter, also called “Sherpa” in the Himalayas, on the Everest Base Camp trail, carrying a heavy load of supplies, supported by a simple head strap called namlo.

This image is part of a photo series called "Guardian angels of the Himalayas," portraying the courage, dedication and hardship of men, women and animals who dedicate their lives to make the dreams of foreign travelers a reality. Taking care of their needs, carrying their gear, trip and expedition supplies, preparing the route ahead as well as rescuing and transporting them down the mountain in the case of accident or illness.

This image was taken on 25 April 2019 on the Everest Base Camp trail between the villages of Dingboche (4410m) and Lobuche (4910m) in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, during a two week expedition to Everest Base Camp (5364m) through the Gokyo Lakes (4700–5000m) and via Cho La Pass (5420m)."

Gear: Canon 5d Mk IV
Location: Jerusalem, Israel
"The photo was taken at the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem during the Jewish Sabbath. At sunset, the Jaffa Gate bustles with tourists, merchants and believers of all religions. The two Orthodox Jewish men portrayed, probably coming from the Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim, walk quickly towards the Wailing Wall for the end-of-Shabbat prayer."

Gear: Sony ILCE-7M3
Location: Varanasi, India
"I was walking the river side of Ganges in Varanasi one morning. From below I saw this chicken and started following him. It was moving and I was waiting for the perfect moment. Out of 25 shots, I got the right one on 18th. This is part of my larger series 'COEXISTENCE'"

Gear: iPhone XS Max
Location: The Joice Theater, Chelsea, New York, NY, USA
"This photo was taken at the Joice Theater in my neighborhood of Chelsea. This was a total 'street photography' moment: unplanned. A man underneath a woman’s skirt, changing the marquee of the theatre. I believe they’re both dancers for that company."

Gear: DJI Mavic 2 Pro
Location: The Chocolate Hills (Tsokolateng burol), Bohol, Philippines
"We arrived at the Chocolate Hills in the early hours of the morning in near total darkness. The only source of light from a yet to be opened ticketing booth illuminated the faint outline of the palm trees and the windy road we took up the hill to the viewpoint. This dim light also attracted a plethora of insects, including giant cockroaches, and in its attractive glow a sign was illuminated with its hand painted words stating that FLYING OF DRONE AFTER EIGHT IN THE MORNING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Since we were there so early this wouldn’t be a problem.

There was yet to be any sign of the 1,776 karst hills that I saw on my Google image search before arriving here in the Philippines. Leaving the car, my partner and I were startled by the sudden laughter of local children who were riding up the hill in the darkness on their push bikes. It turned out we weren’t the only ones to get up early today to watch the sun rise over the hills. There were even more locals and other weary travelers on top of the viewing platform where we were gradually making our way up. When the sun finally made it’s ascent above the undulating horizon, it illuminated the tops of the grass coated limestone hills that blanketed the countryside. Taking to the skies provided even further depth to this complex landscape. The hills stretched out for even further than we could even comprehend.

Even with the drone at a high altitude I couldn’t make out where the multitude of hills ended or began over the horizon. In stark contrast to this natural wonder; several rice fields and farms lay interspersed in the flat arable land between the hills with the occasional feeding carabao. This brilliant view was mixed with the chorus of crickets chirping and the giggling of local teenagers, which in turn would be sporadically drowned out by the triumphant sounds of the odd rooster crowing.I would learn later on while on the drive back to our accommodation that while the hills themselves were protected, the private farm land between them was not; which explained the complicated clash between this natural wonder and human agriculture we were seeing."

Gear: HUAWEI WAS LX1
Location: Tbilisi, Georgia
"The photo is from my series called 'autoportrait,' shot on a mobile phone."

Gear: Huawei P30 Pro
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
"As an architecture student it was a long dream of mine to see the Pavilhão de Portugal by the architect Álvaro Siza. It is a unique and beautiful building in which the sunlight creates beautiful shadow play. In the photo I would like to show how powerful this architecture is towards people. This difference in size becomes really apparent there."

Gear: Canon 5D Mark III
Location: Dubai, UAE
"During my first stay in Dubai, I was staying in a hotel in a developing part of the city, with a lot of construction work going on around. From my room, which was quite high up, I was watching this construction site and was fascinated by the shapes and shadows, but taking a photo proved really tricky - the windows in tall buildings don't open freely and some don't open at all, and taking the pictures through the closed window wasn't possible. Luckily I was able to open my window at least a tiny crack and squeeze my camera through it and attach the lens outside of the window. I could not compose the scene through the viewfinder, so I turned the back screen on and tried to capture some pictures with my hands stuck through the tiny crack and my face flat against the window, the heavy camera pointed downwards... And getting the camera back inside the room was again quite a challenge!"

Gear: Canon 6D
Location: Warsaw, Poland
"This picture is a part of series I shot during the Independence Day march in Warsaw, Poland. This annual event gathers thousands of nationalist, far-right patriots showing their affection for the country and, often, dislike for its perceived enemies. There is a lot of hate speech and imagery, including racism and homophobia.

The march itself is dominated by the red flares, with smoke covering all the surrounding streets. The man in the picture can be seen with his face covered in white and red, the colors of the Polish national flag, which he is holding. Faces of multiple participants are covered, many of them are football hooligans and far-right activists.

Getting inside the march as a photojournalist may be somewhat dangerous, with alcohol and aggression involved. However, I believe that it's important to show some of the true side of such an emotionally loaded event - as much, as one photographer can."

Gear: Leica m10, 35mm
Location: Old Havana, Cuba
"Kids were playing on streets of Havana, Cuba. Old Havana. This girl was chasing her friend. Full of energy and dedication to catch her friend, she was running out of the shadow into the light and my camera."

Gear: Fujifilm X100F
Location: Spiekeroog, Germany
"November 2018 on Spiekeroog. Spiekeroog belongs to the East Frisian Islands in the German North Sea. On my walk over the dike early in the morning with strong wind but beautiful sunshine I waited for such a motive. One person (in this case with their dog) on the morning walk. What for this person probably belongs to everyday life, could not be possible in a few years. The North Sea is rising. The coasts crumble, the sea washes away the sand. Depending on the scenario and model calculation, the global rise in sea level will amount to almost one metre by the end of the century.

‍
The erosion of sandy beaches is first of all a natural process, but climate change in conjunction with the melting polar ice caps and the increase in storm events is accelerating this trend significantly. In many places, the beaches of the East Frisian Islands can only be maintained with great effort and high costs.
November 2018 on Spiekeroog. A small island in the North Sea with problems to be found all over the world. But hopefully it's not too late yet."

Gear: Canon EOS 600D
Location: Russia, Moscow, Redhook studio
"I thought it would be quite interesting to show the visual component by combination of the Victorian Age style and elements of the Art Nouveau style. The first emotion caused by this shot is the most important one. The woman in this shot has a very interesting character and it is not easy to define her gender from the very beginning - that is why this shot is called "Unintended."

Gear: Samsung s5
Location: Marrakech, Morocco
"The idea is nurturing our vision, try to improve, learn, to keep a fresh perspective on the world."

Gear: Canon 7D / Lens: 50mm
Location: Andalucía, Spain
"The truth is that I basically took this picture thanks to a bowl, a straw and the cactus that we have next to the computer.

I love the fantasy that comes from real elements, that's why I always take images that allow me to observe reality and nature from a more personal perspective.

This image aims to talk about care, protection and delicacy. Although the set seems to be in tension, all the elements are necessary to create a balance that does not burst the bubble. For me, this is a metaphorical and fun way to understand our current relationship with nature."

Gear: Olympus
Location: Sabucedo, Galicia, Spain
"I took this picture during "A Rapa das Bestas," a traditional celebration in Galicia, in the northwestern region of Spain. There, the horses live in the wilderness. At the beginning of the summer, their owners collect them to brand them, cut their hair and free them of parasites. Since the animals have been living in the wild during the year, they don't know how to behave in an enclosed space, and they fight against their owners and among themselves. The tradition of Sabucedo, the small village where this particular celebration takes place, dictates that no tools or weapons can be used to control the animals. The process becomes a fight between the men, who struggle to keep the horses calm and under control. This celebration has been part of Sabucedo and another parts of Galicia since medieval times."

Gear: Canon EOS 600D
Location: Kandy, Sri Lanka
"I spent a few weeks traveling through Sri Lanka and was particularly excited about the train ride from Kandy to Ella with it‘s stunning views on the many tea plantations. As I was waiting for the train to move, I noticed some kids and two men smiling and waving at me. They got even more excited when I took this picture and showed it to them. It will always remind me of the hospitality and friendliness of the people in Sri Lanka and still remains one of my favorites from the whole trip."

Gear: Canon T4I
Location: Desert near Dubai
"I was in a city called Jaisalmer, which is a desert city in the state of Rajasthan in India. I was going to explore the sand dunes and the only way to go there is by using the cars provided by Safari agencies. The driver told us that this village is a gypsy village and warned us to be careful. Me and a fellow traveler I met in the hostel went into the village hoping to hear the stories of the people living there. But no one was interested in seeing us. Then a little girl came to us and she started asking for money or food. I tried to take out my wallet and give her some coins. The other kids saw this and they ran and surrounded us in no time.

They started grabbing the handbag of the fellow traveller and they swarmed around her. She ran away, breaking out from the group, hurting her foot from the thorns in the ground. There was already a group swarming me, so I held my wallet tight and tried to break away from the group as well. The kids tried to snatch my camera as well, but I managed to get out of that village. We then reached our car and this group of kids gathered and started throwing stones at us, cursed us and demanded us to get out of their village, which I captured in another similar photo. This particular photo was taken when they started throwing stones at us and I tried to save myself by going the other side of the car. Then the driver chased those kids away. That's the exact moment this photo has been captured. I can never forget that experience."

Gear: Fujifilm X100F
Location: Kivik, Sweden
"This was taken at Kiviks Market in 2018. I have been working on a project documenting the fairs and markets in southern Sweden since 2014."

Gear: Canon 5D Mark IV
Location: Monument Valley, Arizona, United States
"I was outside shooting the famous -almost cliche- postcard shot of the three pillars at monument valley but wasn't happy with the photos as they looked like every other photo I've ever seen of the spot. So I decided to take a water break and hide from the sun in the gift shop and found this nice frame. Kind of ironic that I was physically surrounded by postcards & souvenirs and managed to find a perfect frame of the monument."

Gear: Canon EOS 6D with EF16-35mm f/4L IS US
Location: Vatnsnes, Norðurland vestra, Iceland
"This picture comes from a night ride on Ring Road with my boyfriend, searching for Northern Lights, on the last day of the journey. The weather in Iceland is very unpredictable and a storm, one of many, was just about to pass over us. Due to the lack of any urban lighting, everything around was very dark and heavy. Suddenly a light flashing throughout the clouds caught our attention, and we stopped the car as close as possible to this, between the street and the sea, in an undefined corner of Vatnsnes Peninsula. Unexpectedly, the cloudy sky opened on an incredible, dramatic seascape with a lonely lighthouse flashing in green against the vast of the ocean: a moment of stillness between the calm and the upcoming tempest."

Gear: Minolta xe-1
Location: Germany
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"This photo is part of a series about aesthetic and minimalist nudes. The series includes 3 individual pictures, each taken with an analogue camera - on color film"

Gear: Sony A7 II
Location: Hong Kong

"This is a series I'm working on called "Belongings", which is based on the subjective belief in a common origin that unites different individuals."

Gear: Fujifilm X-T20, 18-55 mm, 30 mm, f 6.4
Location: Granada, Spain
"This photo is part of a series I took during a road trip around Andalucia, Spain. It shows one part of the stunning Andalucia's Museum of Memory (Museo de al Memoria de Andalucía) building complex (Architect: Alberto Campo Baeza). It was quite empty during that time and the sun position was perfect. I had the possibility to wander around this amazing piece of architecture in an almost silent surrounding and shoot my photos trying to capture the lines, cubatures, light and shadow."

Gear: Nikon d5200
Location: Odessa, Ukraine
"It was magnificent July's sunrise on the coast of the Black sea. Me and my friend (Mary) decided to do this experimental series. All my works are based on my feelings and this is no exception."

Gear: Canon 5D Mark IV
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
"Passion makes you creative and you can find three of my biggest passions combined in this particular Image. Art, Photography and my Girlfriend.
I decided to work analog and not to use digital tools to combine these different components for my final composing. Working by hand with printed mediums brings me closer to the final image than having the distraction of a digital screen between me and my work."

Gear: Canon 550d + SIGMA 30mm F1.4
Location: Guanyin Township, Taiwan
"Relax and enjoy the sunshine on vacation."

Gear: Canon EOS 40d
Location: Abkhazia, Sukhum
"From the very beginning I planned this photo in color to show the whole palette of autumn colors. However, in the process of studying this photo, I realized that it would be much better to convey the darkness and mystery of autumn, and therefore I made this photo black and white. (I rarely use the black and white effect for photographs.) Then it seemed to me that some details were missing from this photograph, and I added the silhouette of a hand. Looking at this photo, I immediately realized that I would call it “touch the autumn”

Gear: Sony ILCE-7RM3
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh, India
"The camp is crowded, with not enough bathrooms or adequate water supply.
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Geneva Camp in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur is a colony of the stranded Pakistanis who migrated to the then East Pakistan from the Indian state of Bihar during the partition of 1947.

The Urdu-speaking Muslims have been living there since the end of the 1971 War of Liberation. The camp, one of the 70 camps all over Bangladesh, is a densely-populated settlement of more than one lakh Biharis where each family with eight to 10 members on average lives in one room, and around 90 people share a latrine."

Gear: Sony A7R3
Location: Hong Kong

Gear: Sony RX 100
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
"I often observe everything around me and pay attention to the small things. Finding beauty in subtlety always inspires me. A piece of peeled pink grapefruit with the fine textured flesh, gives me a visual shock. This photo displays a vigorous and energetic fascination with nature."

Gear: Sony Alpha A7iii
Location: Metro de Caracas, Venezuela
"This is a stressful moment during a "normal" day in Metro de Caracas, Venezuela. Crowded carts and no air conditioning makes it very hard".

Gear: Fujifilm XT10
Location: Thessaloniki Concert Hall, in Greece
"Minimalism is a way of life. It's a way of thinking. I love being able to create emotions through minimalist photography. It is more challenging, but when I do it I feel that I have achieved my goal. In my photo, the human body with its attitude and stance integrates with its environment. It becomes one with it and manages to find the time to isolate itself, to become invisible. It is its moment."

Gear: Canon EOS 600D
Location: Moscow, Russia
"This is one of my favorite shots. This series is called - "Lines". The concept was born absolutely by chance. I wanted to show the girl's body as an art object, like a combination of lines and shapes, while integrating all photos in black and white minimalism concept. I gave emphasis namely on lines, curves and first feelings."

Gear: Canon 5D Mark III + Canon EF 50mm f/1.4
Location: Warsaw, Poland
"The image you see here is a part of a photographic series I am currently engaged in. Its working title is “Subtle Eroticism” and in this project I continue to explore the matters of human sexuality, sensuality and non-verbal communication. I want people to be seen, to be heard, to be acknowledged. To wipe out everything but the essence that I fall in love with so frequently.

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This shoot was no exception. I still remember the awe I felt talking and observing Polina's delicacy and natural sophistication in every slight movement or apt remarks. In this image I recall ancient Greek sculptures, seemingly fragile though solid in nature, which would be the most accurate description of how I saw her that day."

Gear: Fujifilm XT-2
Location: Minsk, Belarus
"With the help of photos - a person can express his emotions and thoughts. When I took this, I wanted to show that art, people and photography are all connected!"

Gear: Fujifilm X-T3
Location: Oldenburg, Germany
"The photo is showing a part of the facade of the "Horst-Janssen-Museum" in Oldenburg."

Gear: Nikon D810
Location: Monument to the Uprising at Petrova Gora, Croatia‍
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"Taken at the Petrova Gora monument, this Spomenik (Serbo-Croatian) represents the uprising of 300 local peasants who resisted against the fascist Ustaše army. The Uprising at Petrova Gora monument stands as a concrete structure of remembrance; a signifier of strength, resilience and resistance during WWII in this specific region. As the Yugoslav wars passed on during the 80s, as decades and changing eras took its toll, the structure also faced the wear and tear of time. With its once prided upon imported steel panels (imported from Sweden) stolen and vandalism marking its form, the Spomenik stands alone, almost ghostly, abandoned. A paint technique in post has been added to create a somewhat Pastel, soft feel to the image - attempting to capture a Utopian element to the beauty of dilapidation."

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Gear: NSony A7III with a Samyang 35mm 1.4 Sony FE lens
Location: London, UK
"I shoot portrait, architecture, travel and drone photography, essentially people and places. This shot was taken on a portrait shoot in Canary Wharf and following taking the desired photos for the purpose of the shoot, I knew I couldn't leave without framing the models with the architecture. I'm ecstatic that my natural eye has been recognised by EyeEm."

Gear: Fujifilm X-Pro2
Location: Langkawi Island, Malaysia
"I am an architect by profession, the blue wall with a single palm tree fascinates my minimalist interest."

Gear: Canon EOS 700D
Location: Lisi lake, Tbilisi, Georgia
"The sea is my inspiration. Just because there is no sea in my hometown, I've made a decision to visit Lisi lake, to take a walk and relax. I got early on the lake with my friends, we took a camera on our way. In general, urban photography isn't my style, but at this moment I was obsessed with road signs and decent roads by their minimalisms. Basically, surrounding area was exactly the same I had expected. It gave me an inspiration to unite the details, which are represented in the picture."

Gear: Fujifilm X-T3
Location: Khayelitsha, Western Cape, South Africa
"I took this image December 2018 in the township of Khayelitsha, South Africa. It was a time I was traveling my home country a lot and I had begun exploring more landscape and street photography in my lifestyle, something I had not yet explored.This image was the result of a meeting with a local pantsula dancer by the name of Steve whom myself and a friend were filming as part of a music video. Before we started filming anything he gave us a tour around the various sections of the township, and while doing so, realized how well known he is throughout the entire place. He explained how new sections of the township were popping up so fast (illegally) due to the growing population that sometimes police would come and destroy the sections, only for the shacks to be built again a few weeks later.

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An interesting point regarding this image, it was taken the day after a public holiday in South Africa known as 'day of reconciliation' and as explained by our friend Steve, the majority of the township was hungover from all the party's taking place the day before, "celebrating freedom." The men in the picture were all talking and joking, drinking beer and smoking weed as we passed, we all talked for a short while about khayelitsha and the public holiday, and afterward I asked for their picture, then thanked them and continued on."

Gear: Nikon D300s
Location: Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa
"The focus of this photo-documentation is on the movement of the Punk Rock culture in Soweto, South Africa. Highlighting the unexpected growth of influential youth culture that has been rising from the infamous township of Soweto.

Punk Rock and skateboarding is keeping the youth inspired and unafraid of pursuing their dreams, in an environment that is not receptive to "white music and white sports," without public scrutiny or fear of being stereotyped. This movement is something I have documented through the lives of the gatekeepers of the punk movement in Soweto.
These unlikely role models from the band "T.C.I.Y.F" have influenced their community and outsiders, bridging borders through what many may deem as anti-establishment and non con-formative forms of self expression, similar to the rebellious nature of great South African artists such as, Brenda Fassie, Hugh Masekela and Lucky Dube, who rebelled against the Apartheid regime through their music.

This group of punk-rockers continue to inspire young black children and adults from the townships to the suburbs. Debunking the stereotypes and the misconceived identity the world has shaped what it means to be Punk-Rock, and from its one-dimensional perception as an only white accessible genre.

This photo is of a gathering of African skateboarders playing a game of S.K.A.T.E outside of the punk in Soweto music incubator, while waiting for their favorite band to start the mosh pits and the guitar riffs."

Gear: Canon EOS 5D MK2
Location: Waterloo Bridge, London
"This photo was taken during Extinction Rebels protests in London this spring. Rebels had full control over Waterloo Bridge for quite a while and police had to remove them from it. In this photo you can see female police officers moving to their positions to begin clean up operation."

Gear: Sony a7s
Location: Voronezh, Russia
"My lovely husband has troubles with recognition of colors. That's why colors have significant place in my photography. Yellow is the brightest from all colors even in black and white spectrum, so it is the "A" letter in my alphabet of colors."

Gear: Canon 5D Mark IV
Location: London, UK
"It is a personal reminder of moving every year from one place to another and starting again. I see what is left over in this image."

Gear: iPhone X
Location: Brisbane, Australia
"My image came about whilst exploring a new part of my city. As a photographer, absorbing something new and novel is as exciting as it gets. I find you become very aware of the little details. This was my favourite shot of the day as I felt it captured the laid back and slightly retro vibe I was getting from my explorations."

Gear: Honor 10
Location: South Bank , London, England
"I was asked to test out the camera capabilities of the Honor 10 mobile phone and it did not disappoint. Damon Brunings who features in this image is a world renowned street dancer, hailing from Utrecht in the Netherlands."

Gear: Sony a7riii
Location: Berlin, Germany
Hourglass: A concept about time and its perception.

"What is it that happens between two glances? What exactly happens in the midst of infinite emptiness that encompasses everything? If the findings of physics contribute only marginally to the definite understanding of the world, we are left to question a realm only somewhat comprehensible by our limited human senses."

Gear: Canon EOS 550D
Location: George Town, Malaysia
"The story behind this image is all about fashion. I always wanted to be a fashion photographer. This model's confidence brings the image to life."