Some street photographs make you stop scrolling. Others pull you into a moment, making you wonder what happened just before the shutter clicked. That’s the magic of black and white street photography, and the 2026 MonoVisions Awards deliver plenty of it.
Celebrating outstanding monochrome photography from around the world, the MonoVisions Awards bring together photographers of all backgrounds and experience levels, from seasoned professionals to passionate amateurs. The Street category captures the unpredictable rhythm of everyday life, turning ordinary encounters, fleeting expressions, dramatic shadows, and unexpected connections into unforgettable visual stories.
Australian photographer Kailin Wang takes first place with his photograph Between Worlds. Captured outside a Turkish restaurant on a Friday night, the image reveals two worlds existing side by side. Inside, a woman exhales smoke in the warm glow of the dining room, enjoying her private moment. Outside, a passerby waits, separated by glass and circumstance. It’s a simple scene, yet packed with atmosphere, contrast, and human emotion.
Scroll down, explore these award-winning images, and get inspired by the photographers who find extraordinary stories hiding in everyday life.
Photographers, take note: Entries are open for the 2027 MonoVisions Awards. Submit your work before January 17, 2027, for a chance to gain international recognition.
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#1. 1st Place Winner: Between Worlds by Kailin Wang, Australia
"Outside a Turkish restaurant on a Friday night, two worlds exist simultaneously. Inside, a woman exhales smoke into the warm glow of the dining room, lost in her moment of leisure. Outside, a passerby waits, separated by glass and circumstance."
#2. 2nd Place Winner: Shadow Play by Jason Au, Hong Kong
"A lamp post casts a soft glow over a quiet crosswalk at night, its light stretching the shadows of a lone pedestrian and nearby traffic lights across the textured facade of a building. The elongated silhouettes create a striking contrast against the wall, adding cinematic depth to the urban scene and evoking a sense of fleeting moment."
#3. 3rd Place Winner: Carrying Joy by Chris Mozyro, United Kingdom
"Captured in the London Underground, this street photo breaks the monotony of the daily commute with a spontaneous burst of celebration from a hen party. A group of young girls share laughter and fun, their joy spilling into the usually muted atmosphere of the metro."
Honorable Mentions
#4. Not HCB by Jonny Addecott, United Kingdom
"A man walking through the old town of Olhão in Portugal."
#5. Tapeman by Paul King, United Kingdom
"Rain, glass and tape. A lone figure escapes the elements and is caught against a brooding street backdrop. I have used the theme of singularity here. Is the lone figure escaping from something, or simply trying to get dry?"
#6. Afternoon cycling by Tamas Dragon, Hungary
"Cyclist passing by in the best afternoon light."
#7. Crossing by Tamas Dragon, Hungary
"People crossing the street. Decided to concentrate on their shadows that can tell the full story without the real figures on the picture."
#8. Lots of Lines by Alex Sommer, Germany
"This picture was taken at the Philharmonic Luxembourg."
#9. Destiny by Joaquín Pastor Genzor, Spain
"A man walks with conviction towards the luminous source that emerges from the deepest darkness. He seems to be facing the end of one cycle, or perhaps it is just the beginning of a new one."
#10. Pizza delivery courier by Oleg Ustyukhin, Poland
"The world of food delivery couriers is so vast that everyone who works in it feels truly alone. But without them, rushing to us every second, our lives would come to a standstill."
#11. Street Rythm by Bertrand RENAUD, Hong Kong
"Three silhouettes walking in unison in this very geomtric composition. The textured brutalist wall and strong horizontal lines create a stage-like setting for this choreography of urban movements."
#12. Ephemeral Echoes by Ttukbae Kim, Korea, Republic of
"Ephemeral Echoes captures a fleeting moment where light and human presence overlap. Through layered reflections and blurred illumination, the figure becomes both present and dissolving. The image explores how urban spaces hold traces of movement and memory, leaving behind echoes of moments that exist only briefly before fading away."
#13. The light and shadows of consumers by Saligue Rémi, France
#14. Gymotion by Bettina Arens-Kardell, Germany
"I’m a German photographer from Iserlohn, Germany, but I also spend a large part of the year in Umbria, Italy. I discovered photography at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and have been shooting predominantly monochrome or black-and-white street shots with great enthusiasm and passion ever since."
#15. Climbing back up the slope by Pascal RIVIERE, France
"This image was taken in Lisbon in December 2025. I was waiting for passersby to use these stairs. I was lucky and got what I was hoping for."
#16. The world belongs to children by Paolo Guido Riganti, Italy
"A young girl playing in the church square in Palermo. 1/250 s, f/22, ISO 400, 45 mm (medium format sensor)."
#17. Runner by Ralph Rogge, Germany
#18. Didn’t Need a Reason by Roberto Boria, United States
"She didn’t ask permission to take up space. Shot on the streets of New York City, a woman moves against a wall of stone — unhurried, unbothered, unaware. The city frames her without swallowing her. A moment that needed no explanation, no staging, no reason. Just presence, caught."
#19. Following the squares by Thierry Lagnel, Switzerland
"A man with his bike and his dog in Ljubljana, Slovenia. I took the photo from Ljubljana’s castle."
#20. Miami Coincidence by Donna Maria Lancia, United Kingdom
"Miami Coincidence captures a fleeting alignment of forms and gestures in an ordinary urban moment. The photograph frames only the lower half of a seated man, his legs stretched casually against the curved base of a public sculpture, creating an anonymous but unmistakably human presence. By excluding the man’s upper body and face, the image shifts attention toward rhythm, silhouette, and visual echoes rather than identity. The scene becomes less about portraiture and more about accidental harmony."
#21. Vertical by Barbara Corvino, Italy
"Shot from above, a horizontal surface, but to me it gives the impression that it is vertical."
#22. The Unyielding Gaze by Donna Maria Lancia, United Kingdom
"The photograph centers on a young boy whose penetrating stare cuts through the layered barriers separating him from the viewer. Seen through a metal railing, his stare creates a tension between concealment and direct confrontation. The railings divide the frame rhythmically, yet his gaze remains unwavering, refusing to be obscured by the structures surrounding him."
#23. Urbane Exhale by Petter Rustad, Norway
"A street shot from London, The UK, 2026"
#24. Into the Shadow by Jaeseok Lim, Korea, Republic of
"A silent figure moves through a corridor of shadow, where light cuts the space into geometry."
#25. The collector by Phil Davson, Switzerland
"On a cold and misty evening, I decided to go out and try and capture the mood and feeling of myself (autoscatto).
It was important to position myself exactly in the middle to achieve a symmetrical image. Not only that but I also used wore a long coat, a swiss farmers hat and used my old business briefcase to create something unusual. I also used the diffraction effect of the lens to add another element to the street scene"
#26. Walk the line by Gerlinde Schaffer, Austria
#27. Photo by Simon Ellingworth, United Kingdom
#28. In The End by Nikiforos Pittaras, Greece
"A warm sunlight on the face on a cold day. A smile from a passerby. In the big city, there is little to hold on to. It is an immense cage that, for brief moments once in while, opens a window,just long enough to taste simplicity, to feel life… knowing it is slowly, inevitably, coming to an end."
#29. Where darkness takes over by Leena Rahkamo, Finland
"A lady stepping into the shadow of the Kamppi Chapel in Helsinki city center. This was the final moment when her face was still lit by the sun before disappearing into the darkness. Kamppi Chapel is also known as the "Chapel of Silence" since it is intended to be a place to calm down and have a moment of silence in one of the busiest areas of the city."
#30. Retreating Light by Jewook KIM, Korea, Republic of
#31. Sarajevo Teashop by Timothy Harmon, United States
"The shops in Sarajevo selling tea cups and pots are very popular. Their craftsmanship and history goes back 500 years. I grabbed this shot of the shop owners taking their own tea break."
#32. Still Moving by Liu Song, China
"In the heart of London’s Westminster, an elderly woman moves slowly through the crowd, a quiet, unbroken presence amid the city’s relentless rush. Behind her, Big Ben stands tall, an unchanging symbol of time that continues to tick, unstopping, for every life that passes beneath it."
#33. Yin and Yang by Gerry O’Neill, United Kingdom
"When opposites meet. An encounter in an environment that pulls multiple opposite strands together."
#34. Framed Motion by Ulf Finndahl, Sweden
"Seen through an abstract foreground, two cyclists pass across a structured grid of lines and crossings. The scene reduces movement to form—where everyday motion becomes a quiet exercise in geometry."
#35. Sukkot of the Samaritans by Orna Naor, Israel
"The Samaritan Sukkot is a colorful biblical holiday, On the eve of the holiday and during the day, the community ascends to the summit of Mount Gerizim, their holy place. The main pilgrimage begins with a walk to the mountain in the early morning hours (around 3:00 AM)."
#36. Young Street Couple by Leroy Skalstad, United States
"On a chilly and blustery late October day, a young couple, along with other street folk, wait patiently for the arrival of a meal van that serves the less fortunate. Soup and sandwiches will provide a brief yet welcome respite."
#37. Snowstorm by Tamas Dragon, Hungary
"We haven’t had serious snow in Hungary for fifteen years. This year was different. The snow almost paralyzed the city, but it was so beautiful that even people stayed out in the snowstorm after work. Life in the snowstorm in Budapest."
#38. Daily workers in Bangladesh by Muhammad Saidul Islam, Bangladesh
"Labourers in Bangladesh transport sand across a river from ships to trucks. They work hard to afford an education for their children."
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the MonoVisions Awards 2026?
The MonoVisions Awards 2026 celebrate outstanding black and white photography from around the world. The competition recognizes photographers across multiple categories, including Street, highlighting creative vision, powerful storytelling, striking compositions, and the timeless beauty of monochrome imagery.
Who won first place in the MonoVisions Awards 2026 Street category?
Australian photographer Kailin Wang won first place in the Street category with his photograph Between Worlds. The image captures a woman inside a Turkish restaurant and a passerby outside, separated by glass, circumstance, and contrasting moments.
What makes black and white street photography special?
Black and white street photography emphasizes light, shadows, textures, composition, and human emotion without the distraction of color. It transforms everyday encounters into compelling visual stories, revealing subtle gestures, unexpected connections, and fleeting moments that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Who can enter the MonoVisions Black and White Photography Awards?
The MonoVisions Black and White Photography Awards welcome photographers of all backgrounds and experience levels. Both professional and amateur photographers can participate, offering a platform to showcase their monochrome work, gain recognition, and connect with a global photography community.
What is the deadline for the 2027 MonoVisions Awards?
The submission deadline for the 2027 MonoVisions Black and White Photography Awards is January 17, 2027. Photographers interested in participating should review the official competition guidelines, check category requirements, and submit their strongest eligible images before the deadline.
