In a world overflowing with color, black and white photos still have a way of stopping us mid-scroll. No filters. No loud palettes. Just light, shadow, and a moment that feels real.
And here’s the surprising part: when color disappears, emotion doesn’t fade. It becomes sharper. Stronger. Harder to ignore.
In 2025, photographers from across continents proved that monochrome isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about focus. Street scenes feel more intimate. Wildlife moments become more dramatic. Fine art portraits reveal texture and depth you might otherwise miss.
But what makes an image powerful enough to win global recognition?
It’s not just composition. It’s not just timing. It’s the ability to hold your attention for more than a second.
That’s exactly what these award-winning photographs do.
Below are 35 of the most striking black and white photos of 2025, each honored by respected international competitions, and each telling a story that lingers long after you’ve looked away.
Why Black and White Photography Still Wins in 2025
Black and white photography strips a scene down to its essentials. Without color distractions, the eye focuses on:
- Expression
- Texture
- Contrast
- Composition
- Emotion
That’s why monochrome images continue to dominate categories like documentary, street photography, wildlife, and fine art in global competitions.
According to data, an estimated 61,400 photos are taken every second. That equals 3.7 million per minute and nearly 221 million per hour. With that many images flooding screens constantly, visual noise becomes unavoidable.
In that overwhelming stream of color, black and white feels deliberate. It slows the viewer down. It removes excess. It makes a moment harder to ignore.
What Defined Black and White Photography in 2025
Looking across this year’s winners, a few clear trends stand out that continue the legacy seen in iconic black and white photographs that shaped visual history:
- Stronger use of negative space to create tension and clarity
- Emotion-driven street photography focused on real human reactions
- Wildlife captured with cinematic contrast and layered depth
- Minimalist fine art portraits built around light and shadow
Rather than relying on dramatic effects, photographers leaned into restraint. Simplicity became the strongest creative choice.
35 Award-Winning Black and White Photos You Need to See
Below are 35 award-winning black and white photos that defined photography in 2025.
1. Exposure One Awards – International Photographer of the Year-“Lux” by Arturo Gómez Sierra
Awarded at the Exposure One Awards, “Lux” captures symmetrical beams of light descending onto a silent cross. The Mexican visual artist blends spirituality with digital art influences, creating a powerful meditation on faith, stillness, and introspection through precise lighting and controlled composition.
2. Exposure One Awards – Film/Analog Photographer of the Year – “Where the Wild Things Are” by David Zlotky
Shot on a 4×5 view camera using sheet film, Zlotky’s work celebrates the quiet wilderness of Colorado and Wisconsin.
These landscapes feel sacred and untouched. Using large-format film, the photographer captures forests and natural spaces with extraordinary detail and tonal range. The slow, deliberate process adds depth to the final images, reminding viewers that patience and craft still matter deeply in modern black and white photography.
3. Exposure One Awards – Fine Art Photographer of the Year -“Sugar Gallery” by Jozef Danyi
Inspired by the form of a sugar loaf, this surreal portrait hides and reveals the subject beneath sculptural fabric. The image explores anonymity, purity, and silence. Clean composition and soft tonal transitions create a refined fine art piece that feels both modern and timeless.
4. Exposure One Awards – Nature Photographer of the Year- “Vulture perched on a log during the rain” by Fabrício Peixoto Da Silva Mello
A solitary vulture stands motionless in the rain, feathers heavy and textured under dark skies. The monochrome treatment intensifies the mood, highlighting survival and resilience. Raindrops and rough bark textures add depth, making this wildlife image both dramatic and emotionally charged.
5. LensCulture Black & White Photography Awards – Series Winner – 1st Place – “Buzkashi” by Todd Antony
Recognized by the LensCulture Black & White Photography Awards, this series documents the intense Central Asian sport of Buzkashi.
Hundreds of riders clash in a powerful display of strength and tradition. Dust, motion, and dramatic light collide in these black and white photos. The absence of color amplifies the raw physicality and cultural depth of this centuries-old sport, making every frame feel urgent and immersive.
6. LensCulture – Series Winner – 2nd Place – “You Can’t Enter the Same River Twice” by Francisco Gonzalez Camacho
This conceptual landscape series explores impermanence and transformation. Shapes appear and dissolve, light shifts unpredictably, and textures feel almost fluid. The black and white approach removes time references, allowing the viewer to focus on change itself — subtle, continuous, and inevitable.
7. LensCulture – Series Winner – 3rd Place- “Dancing Your Dream Awake” by Anita Andrzejewska
Inspired by pilgrimage and poetry, this series moves between longing and discovery. Soft tonal layers and graceful movement create a dreamlike rhythm. The monochrome format strengthens the emotional tone, encouraging reflection rather than distraction.
8. LensCulture – Single Winner – 1st Place- “Patience” by Kartikeya Manan
A man clings to an open bus window during a sweltering Delhi commute. The image captures exhaustion, heat, and daily struggle in one frame. Strong contrast and tight framing make the moment intimate and powerful, representing urban life with honesty and depth.
9. LensCulture – Single Winner – 2nd Place – “Silent Dialogue” by Nina Hauben
This image blurs the boundary between memory and reality. Through subtle shadows and layered composition, silence becomes expressive. The photograph feels introspective and poetic, demonstrating how black and white photos can communicate emotion without dramatic action.
10. Monochrome Photography Awards – 1st Place- “Between 2 Worlds” by Merche Llobera (Spain)
Above water, pelicans dive in coordinated motion. Below, sardines scatter as sea lions and mahi-mahi hunt. This extraordinary split-scene composition captures nature’s intensity in a single frame. The monochrome style enhances texture and contrast, turning a feeding frenzy into a visually balanced masterpiece.
11. “Through the Legs” – Baiju Patil (India)
Wildlife captured in Jim Corbett National Park, this image frames elephants or tigers through a creative low-angle perspective. The April landscape adds softness to the scene. The photographer’s persistence over 10–15 days results in a striking wildlife moment filled with atmosphere and depth.
12. “Look Back” – Min Li
A mysterious forest creature pauses at night, its shadow mirrored in still water. The high contrast between darkness and reflection intensifies the tension. This minimalist composition transforms a simple wildlife encounter into something haunting and cinematic.
13. “Freedom” – Roy Pan
Recognized at the Mobile Photography Awards, this image proves smartphones can produce award-winning black and white photos. Strong composition and emotional clarity define this powerful minimalist frame.
14. “The Bench with Shadow Dog” – Tony Hertz
A clever interplay between light and shadow forms the outline of a dog beneath a bench. The photograph uses geometry and timing to turn an ordinary urban moment into a witty and visually engaging monochrome scene.
15. “Canopy Jigsaw” – Sally Kent
Tree branches interlock like puzzle pieces above, creating natural abstraction. The monochrome palette simplifies the chaos of leaves and sky into a structured visual rhythm, demonstrating how black and white enhance patterns.
16. “The Kingdom of Flies” – João Coelho
Absolute Winner at the Black and White Photo Awards, this photograph portrays the harsh realities of survival. Stark contrast and confronting detail make it unforgettable, earning the title Black and White Photographer of the Year 2025.
17. “Where the Shadows Lie” – Mark Seawell
An intricate play of light and shadow defines this runner-up image. Carefully controlled lighting creates depth and elegance, proving how shadow can become the central storytelling element.
18. “Electric Silhouette” – Adebayo Rotilu
Laser beams serve as the only light source in this creative portrait. Once converted to monochrome, the bold outlines and clean negative space give the image a futuristic and artistic feel.
19. “No Words” – Roberto Corinaldesi
Awarded Master of Light, this photograph radiates energy through dramatic flash lighting. The strong directional light shapes emotion and movement, making silence visually expressive.
20. “The Wedded Rocks” – Robert Bolton
A landscape study in texture and scale, this image transforms rock formations into sculptural forms. The tonal range emphasizes natural patterns carved by time.
21. “Riders of the Volcano” – Mahendra Bakle
At Mount Bromo, horsemen stand against vast volcanic scenery. The monochrome format strengthens cultural storytelling and emphasizes the dramatic terrain surrounding it.
22. “Mundari Cattle Camp” – Svetlin Yosifov
Children tending fires in South Sudan create smoke-filled scenes rich in texture. Ash, cattle, and atmosphere combine to produce a deeply documentary-style photograph rooted in daily life.
23. “Rays of Tranquility” – Partha Roy
Morning light filters through an ancient tree while rural life unfolds below. The balanced composition and gentle contrast capture peace and timeless rhythm.
24. “Cutest Schoolgirls” – Amal Alameer
Taken in Kargil, India, this image reflects resilience and education in a remote Himalayan region. Smiles and expressions shine in monochrome simplicity.
25. “Balance” – Astrid Verhoef
Shot in Fuerteventura, Spain, this artwork explores the connection between humanity and nature. Minimal elements and negative space create emotional tension and calm simultaneously.
26. “Harder Lives” – Antonio Denti
Souvenir makers near the Sahara Desert work against a shifting economic landscape. This documentary-style black and white image captures globalization’s local impact with honesty and dignity.
27. “People I Know” – Lynne Breitfeller
A nostalgic portrait from the 1990s reflects memory, identity, and personal history. Soft tones and natural expressions make the photograph intimate and timeless.
28. B&W Street Macadam Awards – 1st Prize
A group of figures dressed in dark coats moves across a windswept dune, their footsteps scattered across the pale sand. The contrast between their silhouettes and the soft, textured landscape creates a striking visual rhythm. Wind lifts their coats as they climb, adding motion and urgency to the frame.
29. B&W Street Macadam Awards – 2nd Prize
Three elegantly dressed women stand close together, their wide-brimmed hats dominating the frame with bold shapes and textures. In the centre, one woman reacts with visible shock as she looks at her phone, her expression frozen in disbelief. The dramatic contrast between the dark and light hats creates balance, while the candid reaction adds humor and spontaneity.
30. B&W Street Macadam Awards – 3rd Prize
In an open courtyard, children leap, balance, and flip through the air, turning the worn concrete floor into a stage of energy and expression. One boy hangs upside down mid-air, perfectly frozen in motion, while others practice handstands and lifts around him.
31. “Winter Attack” – Michiko Otomo
A snow-covered night at Place d’Armes in Old Quebec City transforms into a dramatic winter scene. Streetlights and snowfall create texture and movement.
32. “Lunch Break at the Orphanage” – Allan Syphers
A quiet moment in a Kenyan orphanage kitchen reveals resilience and simplicity. The monochrome treatment strengthens the emotional depth of the scene.
33. “Life of Sumba” – Jeff Baus
A glimpse into everyday life in Sumba captures cultural identity through gesture and setting. The photograph feels observational yet respectful.
34. “Black Woodpecker Flying Through the Trees” – Zdeněk Vošický
A perfectly timed wildlife shot freezes motion mid-flight. Autumn tones translate into layered greys, adding softness and motion blur for artistic impact.
35. “Aquatic Flame” – Juan Carlos Pinto
A swan viewed from above curves its neck into a flame-like shape in Tokyo’s imperial moat. Inspired by Japanese aesthetics like ma and wabi-sabi, the image celebrates stillness and simplicity.
Final Thoughts
The best black and white photos of 2025 prove that simplicity still creates the strongest impact. Without color, every detail matters more; light becomes sharper, shadows deeper, and emotion clearer.
Across wildlife, street, documentary, and fine art categories, these award-winning images show that monochrome isn’t a passing trend; it’s a timeless craft.
Photographers from around the world used black and white to tell honest, powerful stories. Each frame feels intentional and focused.
These images invite us to pause, look closer, and truly connect with the moment captured inside the frame.
FAQ’s
1. Why are black and white photos so powerful?
Black and white photos remove color distractions, allowing viewers to focus on light, contrast, texture, and emotion. This simplicity often creates a stronger visual impact and deeper storytelling. Without color, expressions, shadows, and composition become more dramatic and meaningful.
2. Are black and white photos more professional than color photos?
Not necessarily, but black and white photography is often associated with fine art, documentary work, and timeless storytelling. Many award-winning photographers use monochrome to create a classic, sophisticated look that highlights form and mood rather than vibrant tones.
3. How do photographers decide whether to shoot in black and white?
Photographers usually look for strong lighting, clear contrast, interesting textures, and emotional expressions. If color doesn’t add value to the scene, converting to black and white can strengthen the composition and create a more focused visual story.
4. What camera settings are best for black and white photography?
For strong black and white photos, photographers often prioritize good lighting, controlled exposure, and sharp contrast. Shooting in RAW format provides more flexibility in post-processing, allowing better adjustment of shadows, highlights, and tonal range.
5. Can you turn any photo into black and white?
Yes, but not every image works well in monochrome. Photos with strong contrast, defined shapes, and textured details usually translate better. Images that rely heavily on color contrast may lose impact when converted.
6. Why do photography awards have separate black and white categories?
Many competitions create dedicated black and white categories because monochrome photography requires a different creative approach. Judges evaluate tonal balance, lighting control, composition, and emotional depth rather than color harmony.
