Some photos don’t just record a scene, they make you feel like you’re there. That’s exactly what these winning shots from the 2025 Chromatic Awards Amateur Competition in the Street and Travel categories achieve.
From lively city streets and vibrant markets to peaceful scenes in far-off villages, these images capture the wide variety of life around the world. Every photo tells its own story. Some bring out a smile, while others make you stop and reflect. That’s the beauty of photography: it preserves a fleeting moment and makes it last.
The Chromatic Awards are now recognized as one of the top international competitions focused on color photography. Open to amateurs and professionals alike, it honors creativity, technical talent, and the power to tell stories through color. With almost everyone carrying a camera these days, it takes something special to stand out. The winners here show that memorable photos come from vision, patience, and a fresh perspective.
What sets this collection apart is how genuine it feels. These aren’t posed or staged just for social media; they’re honest slices of life, culture, motion, and daily experience. Whether it’s a child dashing down a narrow alley, a traveler making their way across a far-off place, or a brief exchange between strangers, every photo captures something everyone can relate to.
Feeling inspired? Entries for the 2026 Chromatic Awards are now open until July 19, 2026. If you’re a photographer hoping for international recognition, this is your chance to share your perspective with the world.
You can find more info:
Street Winners
1. 1st Place winner: Ephemeral Passage by Takao Okuyama, Japan
Along a narrow Japanese street, sunlight etches the fleeting silhouette of a passing bicycle. A whisper of motion captured against the quiet backdrop of everyday life.
2. 2nd Place winner: A Solitary Commute by Thibault Gerbaldi, United States
In the early morning, Brickell, Miami’s financial hub, is bathed in soft golden light. Amidst the tranquility, a lone figure walks to work along the usually bustling avenue. The quiet streets witness the dedication of early risers, capturing a moment of calm determination before the day’s rush.
3. 3rd Place winner: Attesa by Enrica Ridolfi, Italy
A group of visitors at the 2024 Venice Art Biennale wait to enter one of the exhibition pavilions.
4. Dancing Shadows by Thibault Gerbaldi, United States
At day’s end, a playground transforms into a captivating scene of organized chaos. The low golden light casts the lively play of children and the water’s mist into a mesmerizing array of dancing shadows. Amidst this orchestrated disorder, metallic sculptures emerge, blurring the lines between human and art, where the boundaries between reality and sculpture become beautifully intertwined.
5. Arrival by Frank Schasse, Germany
Arrival – 3 women come to town for a visit
6. Fotoautomatica by Rosetta Bonatti, Italy
Streets of Florence, Italy
7. Framed Lives by Takao Okuyama, Japan
The brutalist geometry of the façade creates stark, sun-drenched frames for two brief, distant figures. Below, the warm, grounded presence of the food trucks offers a contrasting layer of everyday commerce.
8. Honeycomb Wall by Rajan Dosaj, United States
This image was captured at the Broad Museum in Los Angeles, California
9. Interwoven Paths by Takao Okuyama, Japan
Against the intricate backdrop of a Japanese street corner, multiple silhouettes briefly merge and separate. A visual representation of countless, anonymous stories intersecting in the urban flow.
10. Joy by Axel Görlach, Germany
Axel Görlach was born in 1966 in Kaufbeuren and lives as a poet and photographic artist in Nuremberg.
11. Frames by Axel Görlach, Germany
The Museum of the Future in Nuremberg.
12. Ochre by Margo Ryan, United Kingdom
A veiled women walks past a small ochre mosque under a clear blue sky, one of the many mosques in Harar city in Ethiopia.
13. Run, Baby run by Otello Gironacci, Italy
Street life in Khajuraho during the Diwali fest.
14. Shadow Theater by Nadège ROCHE, France
15. Winter Story by Jacek Chachurski, Poland
Born in 1981. An amateur photographer from Kraków, Poland. More of an observer than a participant in the event but sometimes… everything can happens ;)
16. Night Passage by Asako Naruto, Spain
The platform for long-distance trains at Madrid-Atocha Station. People arriving and departing on night trains.
17. Regla, Havana, Cuba by Barry Crosthwaite, United States
Passengers waiting at a bus stop in Regla, Cuba.
Travel Winners
18. 1st Place winner: Feeding the Machine by Barry Crosthwaite, United States
Fishing is vital to Vietnam’s economy and coastal communities, providing livelihoods and food for millions. While men venture to sea, women play a crucial role by meticulously mending damaged fishing nets, a tedious but essential task.
19. 2nd Place winner: Silent Prayers by Timon Halbach, United Kingdom
Inside a temple in Bagan, Myanmar, young monks gather in the glow of candlelight. Their quiet devotion transforms the ancient space into a sanctuary of stillness. The warm light and delicate shadows echo centuries of tradition, capturing a moment where faith, silence, and place become one.
20. 3rd Place winner: Fetching Water by Regula Tschumi, Switzerland
The photo shows children in a village in Ghana who are fetching water at the river bank of the Volta.
21. Reflective by Margo Ryan, United Kingdom
On an overcast morning in Madagascar a women stands near the dark waters edge a baby strapped to her back in a reflective mood waiting to sell her produce, bananas and charcoal sacks from her pirogue.
22. A Lifelong Bond by Thibault Gerbaldi, United States
In Mongolia’s Altai Mountains, Kazakh eagle hunters form lifelong bonds with golden eagles weighing up to 7kg. Passed down through generations, this tradition survived Soviet-era repression and remains a powerful symbol of resilience, pride, and harmony between human and animal.
23. Playtime by Thibault Gerbaldi, United States
From above, two men in vibrant red turbans—a Rajasthani symbol of honor and tradition—engage in a game of Pachisi on a cross-shaped board. This ancient game, a precursor to modern Ludo, holds a cherished place in Rajasthan’s culture, blending strategy with leisure. Often played during festivals or family gatherings, Pachisi reflects the region’s love for timeless traditions and communal bonds.
24. Quiet Return by Chia-chieh Yang, Taiwan
In the afternoon light of Luang Prabang, young monks return quietly to their monastery after their daily routines outside. One adjusts his robe while walking into the shade of the temple walls, as another disappears into his room. The stillness of the moment reveals the quiet rhythm of monastic life — humble, measured, and serene.
25. Sing-Sing by Kristyn Taylor, Australia
Tribal women from the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, sing and dance with incredible exuberance.
26. The Girl From Ipanema by Barry Crosthwaite, United States
“The Girl from Ipanema” was written in 1962, inspired by a young woman who strolled past a beachfront bar in Rio, embodying Brazil’s sun-kissed spirit. The song captures the bittersweet feeling of watching someone enchanting yet untouchable, evoking fleeting moments and unspoken dreams.
27. The pool by Michel Mirabail, France
A game of colors and shapes near a pool in France.
28. Windmills in the fog by Jesus Manzaneque Arteaga, Spain
Watching a foggy sunrise among the windmills of La Mancha is a beautiful experience that can be had on a visit to Campo de Criptana in Spain.
29. Poolside by Nicola David, United Kingdom
The sun sets over a hotel pool in Corfu (taken on Samsung smartphone)
30. Spiritual Liberation by Thibault Gerbaldi, United States
Sadhus embody spiritual renunciation amid the city’s vibrant chaos. Draped in saffron robes, they meditate and perform rituals by the Ganges, navigating narrow alleys, bustling ghats, and cremation grounds. In this sacred city, where life and death intertwine, their presence reflects a timeless quest for transcendence.
31. Surma Boy by Athanasios Maloukos, Greece
The Surma tribe people are semi-nomadic cattle herders living west of the Omo River, near the borders with South Sudan. Weaved deep into the culture of the Surmas is body-painting, lip and lobe piercing, stick fighting and decorative scarification, all of them being signs of pride, bravery and beauty.
32. The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple in Dali by Qiguang Wei, China
The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple in Dali consist of one large pagoda and two smaller ones. The large pagoda, named Qianxun Pagoda, was first built during the Qianfengyou period of the Nanzhao Kingdom. It is a 16-story square, dense-eaved, hollow brick pagoda with a Tang Dynasty architectural style, standing at a height of 69.13 meters.
33. Traces in the Dunes by OK Chan, Hong Kong
Footprints weave across the Gobi sands, marking a quiet passage through a landscape that feels endless and weightless. As the wind reshapes the dunes, these fleeting traces speak to the transience of human movement within an ever-changing desert.
34. Dora Dora by Regula Tschumi, Switzerland
When I passed two young women chatting in front of a house with an interesting blue wall, I stopped and asked if I could take a photo of them. They were both very shy, but eventually one agreed, while the other hid in the doorway, but was peeking out curiously when I made this photo.
FAQs:
What is the Chromatic Awards?
The Chromatic Awards is an international color photography competition open to amateur and professional photographers worldwide. It recognizes outstanding photographic talent across multiple categories and helps artists gain global exposure, recognition, and opportunities within the photography community.
What categories are featured in this collection?
This collection highlights the 2025 Amateur Winners in the Street and Travel categories. These photographs capture authentic moments, cultural experiences, urban life, and extraordinary scenes from different countries and communities around the world.
Why is the Chromatic Awards important for photographers?
The competition provides international recognition, professional exposure, and cash prizes. It also gives emerging photographers a chance to showcase their work before respected industry professionals and gain visibility in the global photography and art market.
Can amateur photographers enter the Chromatic Awards?
Yes. The Chromatic Awards welcome both amateurs and professionals. The competition is designed to discover new talent, celebrate creativity, and provide photographers at every skill level with opportunities to share their work internationally.
When is the deadline for Chromatic Awards 2026 submissions?
Photographers interested in participating in the 2026 edition can submit their entries until July 19, 2026. Early preparation gives entrants more time to select, refine, and present their strongest photographic work.
