15 Extraordinary Photos That Stood Out At The 1839 Awards 2025
Each year, the 1839 Awards celebrate the art of photography, named after the year the medium was born. In 2025, the competition drew thousands of entries from over a hundred countries, capturing everything from fleeting human emotion to the quiet poetry of nature.
The winning images are more than just beautiful photographs; they’re moments that make you feel something. They remind us that even in a world flooded with images, the right frame can still stop us in our tracks. From haunting portraits and surreal fashion editorials to breathtaking wildlife and scenes of resilience, these photographs from the 1839 Awards 2025 stand out as powerful examples of storytelling through light and lens.
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#1 Gold In Nature Category: “Blue Hour Guardian” By Alexander Tasho
Image source: © Alexander Tasho
“Just before sunrise, this cheetah lay perfectly still, deciding whether I was a threat or not before taking a drink. It felt like I’d stumbled into a painting, where even time had stopped to look.”
#2 Gold In Storytelling Category: “Venice Of Africa” By Mauro De Bettio
Image source: © Mauro De Bettio
“Makoko, a floating slum in Lagos with over 300,000 residents, lacks infrastructure, education, and healthcare. Despite poverty and no official recognition, its people show resilience and unity, turning hardship into strength and fostering a deep sense of community.”
#3 Gold In Wildlife Category (Non-Professional): “Family Photo” By Chao Feng
Image source: © Chao Feng
“This bear family in Alaska gave me only a few seconds to take a family photo for them. And they never told me where to send the photo to, nor did I dare to ask.”
#4 Gold In Wildlife Category: “Emperor Family” By Risto Raunio
Image source: © Risto Raunio
“Emperor parents are feeding their chick on the ice of Antarctica.”
#5 Gold In Landscapes Category: “An Arizona Moonrise” By Michael Mihaljevich
Image source: © Michael Mihaljevich
“Arizona’s iconic saguaro cacti stand tall against a backdrop of post-sunset pastels. The monthly full moon lays watch over the serene Sonoran desert on a calm and colorful moment of dusk.”
#6 Gold In Event Category (Non-Professional): “Round The Barrel” By Christopher Baker
Image source: © Christopher Baker
“Barrel racing at the Limestone County Sheriff’s Rodeo in Athens, AL, USA.”
#7 Gold In Underwater Category (Non-Professional): “Unexpected Voyager” By Daniel Halmi
Image source: © Daniel Halmi
“I captured this image on my third blackwater dive in the Gulf of Thailand. A rare close encounter with a juvenile female paper nautilus hitching a ride on a box jellyfish. This is believed to be the first photo evidence of a living Paper Nautilus in the Gulf of Thailand.”
#8 Gold In Macro Category (Non-Professional): “Open-Mouthed” By Fabi Fregonesi
Image source: © Fabi Fregonesi
#9 Gold In Aerial Category (Non-Professional): “Fairytale City” By Oleg Ilyin
Image source: © Oleg Ilyin
#10 International Photographer Of The Year: “Dream” By Jaime Travezan
Image source: © Jaime Travezan
“Promotion for fashion designer Ade Bakare.”
#11 Gold In Underwater Category: “Our Ocean” By Brooke Pyke
Image source: © Brooke Pyke
#12 Gold In Domestic Animals Category: “Beyond The Echo Of Their Gallop” By Hiroshi Kutomi
Image source: © Hiroshi Kutomi
“Beyond the Echo of Their Gallop revives the splendor of retired racehorses and cinematic horses. Through adornment and portraiture, their resilience and beauty transcend time, reminding us that glory need not fade—it simply waits to shine again.”
#13 Gold In Travel Category: “Working The Salt Mines” By Steve Sorensen
Image source: © Steve Sorensen
“A lone soul working the salt mines of Peru. Having a human immersed in this level of color caught my eye.”
#14 Gold In Conceptual Category (Non-Professional): “Moon Game” By Adrian Limani
Image source: © Adrian Limani
“This is my blend of creativity and surrealism, which invites you to dream beyond boundaries.”
#15 Gold In Storytelling Category (Non-Professional): “The Day You Left Me” By Carlos F. Gomez Llavero
Image source: © Carlos F. Gomez Llavero
“In some cultures, when a loved one dies at home, their portrait is turned upside down to guide them to heaven and prevent their return as a ghost. Personal items may be placed nearby. This image is part of a series exploring death and its symbolism.”
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