Winners

This photo reflects a real, perfectly timed moment where everything aligned—the perfect sunset, a rider joyfully cycling beside the sea. The shot was taken through the wheel of a bicycle with scattered droplets. The framing came together naturally. Getting the rider in the perfect position took a lot of patience. While anyone can take a photo, a pinch of creativity can transform the entire scene.

I captured the pure joy of soaring above a breathtaking mountain landscape. Suspended on a rustic, handmade swing, the subject becomes a silhouette of freedom against rolling emerald hills and an endless blue sky. The image balances spontaneity and serenity—the dynamic motion of the swing contrasts with the timeless grandeur of nature.

In a traditional fire rod performance, the dancer moves in harmony with flames. The frozen moment resembles the legendary Sun Wukong descending to earth, allowing audiences to experience the awe of light and shadow within the fire.

Light and shadow weave a tapestry of colors, while childhood innocence brews precious moments. Against an orange-red wall, a small figure runs joyfully. Time lingers, freezing this instant of purity and aspiration.

This photograph captured two Intha fishermen on Myanmar's Inle Lake at sunrise, wearing traditional attire and conical hats. Kneeling on their narrow wooden boats with distinctive conical fishing nets, one pours tea for the other, symbolizing camaraderie amid their work. The golden sunlight filters through mist over the water, casting warm reflections and creating a serene yet vibrant atmosphere.

In November 2024, I traveled around Iceland. After a day of driving through a blizzard, I finally reached the Arctic Henge in northernmost Iceland. At 66 degrees north latitude, crossing this stone circle felt like entering the Arctic. Upon arrival, the clouds gradually dispersed, and looking north, the aurora shone brilliantly. I walked toward the megalith that resembled a gate of life, turning this moment into eternity.

God's Own Mountain, or Gonbo Rangjon, is a solitary mountain in the Zanskar region of Ladakh, India, and is considered very sacred by the local Buddhist community. I traveled to this majestic place in April 2025, specifically during the new moon's night, with the sole intention of shooting the Milky Way alongside the holy mountain. The image was shot past midnight with temperatures around -10°C.

OnePlus 13's speed let me react in real time to capture the explosive energy of PSG fans celebrating their Champions League win deep into the night on the streets of Paris. Surrounded by darkness, red flares illuminate faces full of fire, joy, and collective identity. The photograph is about more than football; it's about unity in chaos, the human need to belong. Such raw power exists only on the streets.

It's been a dream of mine to photograph lightning with this 16th-century architecture. I had gone to Gingee Hills for full moon photography, but clouds covered the sky, so I couldn't see the moon. Finally, I got this shot after two hours of waiting. This cloud-to-cloud lightning struck approximately 20 km from my location, and I estimate the lightning spans 20–30 km.

This photo captures Delhi's Jama Masjid during Ram Navami, a major Hindu festival celebrating Lord Ram's birth. It showcases India's preserved cultural and religious diversity, with the sunset contrail symbolizing how Indian culture endures like stone architecture, greeting each new dawn.

As dusk falls over Manhattan, countless lights spread like a galaxy, each beam narrating a tale of hope and progress. In the distance, the Freedom Tower stands as a beacon along the shore, while streams of traffic and streetlights trace the city's pulse.

This is a ballad of the plateau:
the whistle from her lips
is the language of the wind;

the arc of her swinging lash
writes the plateau's ancient cipher.

When the light of modern civilization
at last pierces the snowlands—

this migration path, worn smooth by hooves,
still keeps its final rhythm
in the lash held by a woman's hand.

The pigeon-selling grandmother sits on a blue plastic stool, her elbow resting on her knee, her palm cradling her wrinkled cheek. Her gaze drifts like a falling leaf, settling softly on the green wire pigeon cage before her. Inside, the pigeons huddle close, jostling for space. What is she thinking about? I can't help but wonder.

In the heart of a snowy Kashmiri winter, a child rests warmly in her guardian's arms, her tiny face scrunched into a playful pout, unaware she's stealing hearts. Dressed in a traditional pheran and woolen cap marked "Lucky," she embodies the innocence and spirit of Kashmir. The soft snowfall, blurred background, and vivid colors capture both the chill of winter and the warmth of love.

The poor hope for wealth. The sick hope for recovery. Those at war hope for peace. The hungry hope for food. What is the child in the picture hoping for?

This photograph captures a bond of love that connects people throughout their lives. Time acts as a gentle lock, anchoring us in each other's existence. Through relentless currents and the settling dust of aging, we find eternity reflected in one another's gaze.

Little Model is a quiet, in-between moment—sunlight wrapping around her, hair dancing in the wind, and eyes that seem to hold more stories than words can tell. Nothing about it was staged; she was simply lost in her own little world, and I was lucky enough to catch it on my OnePlus 5T. It's a reminder that beauty often lives in the small, unplanned pauses we almost miss.