The Royal Photographic Society just dropped its 2025 award recipients, and trust me—this lineup is stacked. 22 Outstanding Recipients of the Royal Photographic Society Awards 2025 celebrates creators who aren’t just taking photos or making films—they’re shaping the entire visual culture around us. From still imagery to moving frames, these artists are out here pushing boundaries, rewriting rules, and proving that photography is way more than a craft…it’s a force.
The RPS Awards are no small deal. They’re the world’s longest-running photography honors, going strong for 147 years. Think about that—over a century of spotlighting photographers who see the world differently. Sure, the gear and tech have evolved like crazy, but the spirit behind the award hasn’t changed one bit. It’s always been about celebrating photography as an art form that moves people, sparks emotion, and makes us rethink what’s possible.
This year’s 22 recipients carry that legacy with style. You’ll find rising stars who are redefining visual storytelling and longtime professionals who’ve been quietly (or loudly) changing the game for decades. Their work hits everything—from scientific innovation to artistic brilliance to deep cultural impact. As the RPS puts it, this collective talent is “a testament to the power of photography to inspire, uplift, incite change and bring about personal, social, and cultural wellbeing.” And honestly…they’re right.
What makes the 2025 winners so exciting is how broad their achievements are. Some are breaking new ground in moving image. Others are elevating still photography with jaw-dropping artistry. And all of them are contributing to the RPS’s three pillars: the art, the science, and the knowledge of photography.
So here’s to the 22 creatives who lit up 2025—visionaries who remind us why photography still matters, even in the most fast-paced digital era.
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#1. The RPS Centenary Medal and RPS Honorary Fellowship – Susan Derges HonFRPS
"Awarded in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the art of photography or moving image."
#2. RPS Award for achievement in the Art of Photography – Omar Victor Diop
"Awarded to a photographer in recognition of a notable personal achievement in the art of photography or moving image."
#3. RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography (under 30yrs) – Tami Aftab
"Awarded to a photographer under the age of 30 (at the time of nomination) in recognition of a notable personal achievement in the art of photography or moving image."
#4. RPS Award for Editorial or Documentary Photography – Raghu Rai
"Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in editorial or documentary photography or moving image."
#5. RPS Award for Photojournalism – Amak Mahmoodian
"Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in photojournalism whether in photography or moving image."
#6. RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of the Moving Image – Mónica de Miranda
"Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in photography or moving image."
#7. The RPS Progress Medal and RPS Honorary Fellowship – David Malin FRPS
"Awarded in recognition of any outstanding invention, research, publication or other contribution which has resulted in an important advance in the scientific or technological development of photography or moving image."
#8. RPS Award for Scientific Imaging – Anand Varma
"Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the promotion of public knowledge and understanding of scientific imaging, or in the application of scientific imaging (still or moving image) to creative practice."
#9. RPS Award for Imaging Science – Professor Sabine Süsstrunk
"Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable contribution to the advancement and/or application of imaging science."
#10. RPS Award for Environmental Responsibility – Ragnar Guðni Axelsson
"Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable use of stills photography or moving image that highlights or contributes to demonstrable improvement in public awareness of environmental issues."
#11. The RPS Eastlake Medal and RPS Honorary Fellowship – Vivienne Gamble
"Awarded in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the public appreciation, enjoyment or understanding of photography through education, criticism, research, curatorship or publishing."
#12. RPS Award for Photography Education – Janice McLaren
"Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the field of photography education."
#13. RPS Award for Photography with Young People – Juliette Buss
"Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the field of promoting or encouraging photography with young people."
#14. RPS Award for Photography Curatorship, Criticism or Research – Charlotte Cotton
"Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the field of photography curatorship, criticism or research. Including, but not limited to historical research."
#15. RPS Award for Photography Publishing – 10 x 10 Photobooks: Olga Yatskevich and Russet Lederman
"Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable achievement in the field of photography publishing."
#16. RPS Award for Social Impact – Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora
"Awarded in recognition of sustained excellence or a notable use of stills photography or moving image that highlights or contributes to demonstrable improvement in public awareness of social issues."
#17. RPS Honorary Fellowship – Eileen Perrier
"Awarded in recognition of a significant personal achievement in any of the three areas of: the art of photography and moving image; the science of photography and knowledge of photography which includes curatorship, education or publishing."
#18. RPS Honorary Fellowship – Rhiannon Adam
"Awarded in recognition of a significant personal achievement in any of the three areas of: the art of photography and moving image; the science of photography and knowledge of photography which includes curatorship, education or publishing."
#19. RPS Honorary Fellowship – Richard Billingham
"Awarded in recognition of a significant personal achievement in any of the three areas of: the art of photography and moving image; the science of photography and knowledge of photography which includes curatorship, education or publishing."
#20. RPS Honorary Fellowship – Janine Wiedel
"Awarded in recognition of a significant personal achievement in any of the three areas of: the art of photography and moving image; the science of photography and knowledge of photography which includes curatorship, education or publishing."
#21. RPS Honorary Fellowship – Marc Wilson
"Awarded in recognition of a significant personal achievement in any of the three areas of: the art of photography and moving image; the science of photography and knowledge of photography which includes curatorship, education or publishing."
#22. RPS Honorary Fellowship – Martin Oeggerli
"Awarded in recognition of a significant personal achievement in any of the three areas of: the art of photography and moving image; the science of photography and knowledge of photography which includes curatorship, education or publishing."
