Anadolu-organized show brings prize-winning images to Madrid after stops in Türkiye and New York

The fourth exhibition of İstanbul Photo Awards 2025, organized by Anadolu, opened on Thursday in Madrid, Spain.

The show, held at the Pons Foundation, features more than 90 photographs that were placed in the international contest.

Anadolu's CEO Serdar Karagoz, EFE news agency President Miguel Angel Oliver, and Türkiye’s Ambassador to Madrid Nuket Kucukel Ezberci attended the opening, along with guests from diplomatic circles, the media, the arts, and business.

Karagoz said photographs that capture life, injustice, and genocide can be difficult to look at, but “we must never look away.”

“These are photographs of dignity and truth, images that remind us of what makes us human,” he said.

Karagoz said photos confront viewers with reality.

“When we look at the photo of a mother in Gaza holding her lifeless child, we are not looking at politics -- we are looking at truth. An unbearable, undeniable, deeply human truth,” he said. “A photograph can be hope, it can be oppression, it can make us smile or cry. But above all -- as we have seen once again in Gaza -- it can be evidence of life, injustice, and genocide.”

He said the 11th edition of İstanbul Photo Awards continues to expand each year. The contest received 22,000 entries from around the world, with photojournalists capturing the human condition “with extraordinary clarity.”

EFE's Oliver thanked the photographers “who remind us, with their images, what happens when the world decides to look the other way,” and thanked Anadolu news agency for bringing the exhibition to Madrid.

Ambassador Ezberci said opening the exhibition in Spain carries “special significance.”

“Türkiye and Spain have been working together from the very beginning in the search for stability, security, and peace in Gaza,” she said. “We will continue our determined efforts toward a just and comprehensive peace based on a two-state solution. Strong pro-Palestinian sentiment in both Spanish and Turkish societies makes this exhibition even more meaningful.”

The exhibition includes images on social issues, sports, the environment, and daily life, and will remain open through the end of the month.

İstanbul Photo Awards 2025 traveled to Madrid after previous stops in Ankara, Istanbul, and New York.

This year’s İstanbul Photo Awards contest is supported by Turkcell as the communications sponsor, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) as the overseas event sponsor, and Turkish Airlines as the airline sponsor.

Contest to award $58,000 prize money in total, including $6,000 for Photo of the Year

pplications for İstanbul Photo Awards 2026, an international contest where the photos that set the world’s stage compete at the top level, opened on Nov. 13.

Organized by Anadolu for the 12th consecutive year, the contest aims to promote press photography globally.

Each year, around 20,000 images are submitted to İstanbul Photo Awards, which is widely seen as one of the world’s top photography contests.

Professional photographers, regardless of their press affiliation, are eligible to enter the contest provided their newsworthy photos were taken between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2025.

The contest features 10 categories, including Single News, Story News, Single Sports, Story Sports, Single Nature and Environment, Story Nature and Environment, Single Daily Life, Story Daily Life, Single Portrait, and Story Portrait.

Photographers may submit both published and unpublished work in all categories, with the responsibility to provide accurate personal and image details.

Distinguished jury

A distinguished, star-studded panel of jurors from the world of photography will select the winners in March 2026, evaluating each entry for technical skill, perspective, motion, and emotional impact.

The contest will distribute $58,000 in prize money in total, with the Photo of the Year awarded to the top image in the Single News category, which comes with a $6,000 prize.

First-place winners in each category will receive $3,000, while second and third places will get $1,500 and $1,000, respectively.

Applications can be submitted exclusively on the istanbulphotoawards.com website until Jan. 9, 2026.

Extensive information about the application conditions along with past winning photos, exhibition details, photo albums, and information on previous jury members are also available at the website.

Exhibition featuring striking visual stories from Gaza, East Africa, and Iceland open through Oct. 31at UN headquarters after they displayed at Blue Gallery for a week

The third exhibition of İstanbul Photo Awards 2025, an international photojournalism contest organized by Anadolu since 2015, opened on October 20 in New York. Following its shows in the Turkish capital Ankara and Istanbul, the winning photos are now on display at the Blue Gallery. The exhibition at Blue Gallery will be open through Sunday, Oct. 26 before moving to United Nations headquarters for a second showing.

The exhibition of İstanbul Photo Awards 2025, opened on 27 October at the UN headquarters with a ceremony.

The exhibition, hosted at the UN’s 1B Neck area, drew attendance from Türkiye’s UN envoy Ahmet Yildiz, Anadolu CEO Serdar Karagoz, Anadolu's Visual News Director Aykut Unlupinar, Anadolu’s Marketing and Business Development Director Erman Yuksel, Anadolu’s Communication and Brand Management Director Hazal Duran, as well as numerous ambassadors, diplomats, international representatives, academics, media professionals, and guests.

Hosting the event, Karagoz welcomed the attendees, saying: “Photographs capture moments that people look away from and freeze what others prefer to forget.”

He emphasized that photography speaks directly to the heart through a universal language in the digital age, where reality is lost. “Throughout history, journalists and photojournalists have carried this moral burden. They don't start wars, but they stand on the front lines. They don't cause suffering, but they document it so the world cannot say, ‘We never knew,’” he said.

‘Photojournalism pillar of democracy, dignity, and truth’

Karagoz underlined that the integrity of photojournalism should be respected not only as a profession but also as a pillar of democracy, dignity, and truth.

“A photograph may make us laugh or cry, but beyond emotion, it is often evidence, evidence of life, of oppression, and sometimes of genocide. As we have once again witnessed in Gaza, it is proof of what is really happening,” he added.

İstanbul Photo Awards, organized by Anadolu for its 11th consecutive year, awarded 29 photographers across 10 categories.

Karagoz noted that since its launch in 2015, nearly 20,000 photographers have submitted over 200,000 photos to the contest, and this year alone, the contest received 22,000 entries from around the world.

“As long as photographs reveal what the world chooses to ignore, there remains hope for truth,” Karagoz said, extending his gratitude to the sponsors for their support.

Yildiz emphasized the symbolic significance of hosting İstanbul Photo Awards exhibition at the UN, saying: “This event highlights the UN’s founding principles of peace, dignity, and respect for human rights, reminding us that behind every policy and decision are human lives and stories that are affected.”

He added that each photo in the exhibition reflects shared human experiences and stories of destruction and resilience.

“İstanbul Photo Awards not only honors outstanding photographers but also reinforces the bridge between heart and truth, humanity and hope, ideas that lie at the core of the UN,” Yildiz said.

‘Exhibition wonderful celebration of the craft, but also the importance’

Reuters News President Paul Bascobert was among those attending the ceremony.

Bascobert told Anadolu that he has always believed in the role of photojournalism in bearing witness to the truth, adding that photographers do not just take pictures, but also capture the context, emotion, and essence of what is happening and convey it to the whole world.

Calling İstanbul Photo Awards exhibition “a wonderful celebration of the craft, but also the importance,” Bascobert added: “You can see the great work, but you can also see the context and the emotion come through in these photos."

He noted that it was difficult to choose among the photographs. “I thought the pictures from Gaza are, of course, heartbreaking, and I think just really tell the story of the devastation that was there, and to bear witness to that is incredible.”

Bascobert said that the exhibition reflected a wide range of emotions, from “fun and interesting” frames to “very serious and very important” images.

Renowned photographers, including Wolfgang Schwan, Olga Fedorova, and Peter Hambrecht, were also among the attendees. Following the speeches, guests toured the exhibition and closely viewed the award-winning photos.

Carol Guzy, a four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist and jury member of İstanbul Photo Awards, an annual photojournalism contest organized by Anadolu, visited the exhibition showcasing the contest’s award-winning photographs at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

“It was stirring to walk through the UN exhibition in NY and view the powerful images of so many dedicated, courageous photojournalists,” Guzy told Anadolu.

She said that the images documented a vast range of the human condition, depicting the “horrors of conflict, exhilaration of sports and tender poignancy of everyday life.”

As a jury member of the contest since 2022, she emphasized that she is “consistently inspired and humbled by the quality of work.”

“Now more than ever, journalists face challenges and dangers in reporting, but their work is so exceptionally vital,” Guzy added.

The exhibit offers a compelling visual narrative of key global events, including Israel’s attacks on Gaza, devastating floods in East Africa, a volcanic eruption in Iceland, and athletes preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

It also covers powerful images depicting the struggles of Afghan women, survivors of Syria’s notorious Sednaya Prison, Brazilian surfers battling towering waves, and the dangerous journeys of migrants.

Following its shows in the Turkish capital of Ankara and Istanbul, the exhibition at the UN headquarters will remain open through Oct. 31.

This year’s İstanbul Photo Awards contest is supported by Turkcell as the communications sponsor, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) as the overseas event sponsor, and Turkish Airlines as the airline sponsor.

More information on the winning photos and jury members can be found at istanbulphotoawards.com.

‘Photography is not only a powerful medium for telling other people's stories, but also a window for communicating what I see through their eyes,’ says award-winning photographer Cristopher Rogel

‘Photography can foster feelings of solidarity, awaken awareness, and provoke public discourse,’ award-winning photographer Michael Pappas tells Anadolu

In an era dominated by rapid information flow, İstanbul Photo Awards 2025 winners in the Story Sports and Story Portrait categories stressed the critical importance of depth, truth, and cultural insight in photojournalism.

İstanbul Photo Awards, organized by Anadolu for its 11th consecutive year, awarded 29 photographers across 10 categories. The selections were made from approximately 22,000 submissions from around the world, a testament to the contest's growing prestige which has attracted entries from more than 20,000 photographers globally since its inception.

Culture in the ring

Cristopher Rogel won second prize in the Story Sports category for his photo titled The Junkyard, offering a rare anthropological glimpse into the violent yet culturally ingrained world of Mexican wrestling.

“I was amazed by the level of violence, as well as the place where the fights took place. It was surreal. I was interested in understanding how a spectacle of that nature was visited by entire families, including children,” Rogel told Anadolu.

He views wrestling as an integral part of Mexico’s cultural fabric, approached from a deeper, more reflective lens. “Violence to escape the daily violence faced by the inhabitants of this country, which has been plagued by different types of violence for generations,” he said.

To visually capture this intensity, Rogel used artificial lighting “to emphasize the action and the audience's faces,” while selecting a color palette inspired by the dystopian atmosphere of the location.

Depth amid digital whirlwind

“I believe that photography is not only a powerful medium for telling other people's stories, but also a window for communicating what I see through their eyes,” Rogel said.

Reflecting on the current state of journalism, he noted the challenges posed by the immediacy of digital media, saying: “Those of us who work in this field struggle with the immediacy of ordinary people who transmit images of what's happening in front of them like a whirlwind to feed digital platforms, often lacking in depth.”

“That's why I think it's important that we as professionals make an effort to delve deeper into the stories we want to tell,” he said.

Winning İstanbul Photo Award was a milestone for Rogel. He described receiving the news as “a joy for me, not only because I share the stage with colleagues I greatly admire, but also because my work can have a global reach.”

Threads of identity

Greek photographer Michael Pappas, who received second prize in the Story Portrait category for Mitos – The Thread of Greece, described his work as a dialogue between tradition and modernity.

“The word mitos—meaning ‘thread’—is not just symbolic of fabric and clothing, but also of memory, identity, and continuity,” Pappas told Anadolu, underlining his immersive approach that involved traveling to communities preserving ancestral costumes and stories.

“The natural environment and local architecture are not just backdrops but active elements that dialogue with the subjects, reinforcing the sense of place and belonging,” he said.

His project embodies a desire to “preserve the authenticity and beauty of folk art while offering a modern, renewed approach to tradition.” For Pappas, traditional clothing is more than material, it is “a carrier of cultural heritage and personal identity.”

Stressing that the image holds a significant place in his career, Pappas said he chose it for the contest submission as it makes a statement “about the role of photography as a tool for preserving and revitalizing tradition.”

‘Preservation of truth’ behind the lens

Pappas emphasized the profound responsibility borne by photographers, saying: “The responsibility of photography is immense, as it has the potential to shape opinions, influence public perception, and inspire action. As a photographer, there is a duty to represent the truth with respect and sensitivity, as misrepresentation or distortion of reality can lead to misjudgments and consequences.”

“Through the portrayal of individuals and situations, it can foster feelings of solidarity, awaken awareness, and provoke public discourse,” he added.

Addressing technological impact, Pappas acknowledged both its opportunities and risks. “Technology has revolutionized photography and, by extension, photojournalism,” he said, adding that speed also has become “crucial in documenting events, and photography can have an immediate impact on society.”

He warned that the easy accessibility of cameras and editing tools risks overwhelming audiences and compromising authenticity. “The rapid development of image-editing tools presents new ethical challenges for photojournalists,” Pappas noted, emphasizing that despite these changes, “the most important thing remains the preservation of truth and respect for the image and its subject.”

“Technology should be used as a tool to enhance storytelling, not to distort it,” he added.

Winning the contest was “a moment of great joy and emotion for me,” Pappas said, highlighting the recognition as “a confirmation of the effort I put into my craft” and a reminder “of the importance of photography as a means of expression and communication.”

“Beyond the personal satisfaction, I believe this award provides my work with the opportunity to reach more people and contribute to the dialogue surrounding cultural heritage,” he said.

“The contest has become one of the most significant international photography awards,” he emphasized, adding that it holds great value for him, “as it acknowledges my dedication to capturing Greek tradition in a modern and unique way.”

İstanbul Photo Awards has become a cornerstone of global photojournalism, celebrating the art of visual storytelling while shedding light on critical issues worldwide.

This year’s İstanbul Photo Awards contest is supported by Turkcell as the communication sponsor, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) as the overseas event sponsor, and Turkish Airlines as the airline sponsor.

More information on the winning photographs and jury members can be found at istanbulphotoawards.com.

'Photography continues to be the purest and most powerful language of truth,' says Anadolu CEO Serdar Karagoz

Anadolu opened the second exhibition of its international news photography contest, the İstanbul Photo Awards 2025, with a reception Friday that was hosted by the Turkish news agency's CEO Serdar Karagoz.

The exhibition, which follows a debut in Ankara, features 139 images by 29 award-winning photographers. The works are displayed at the Dolmabahce Art Gallery, part of the Türkiye's National Palaces’ Palace Collections Museum.  

War beyond statistics

“Photography continues to be the purest and most powerful language of truth,” Karagoz said at the opening.

He noted that photography is one of the most powerful tools of testimony in the modern age, particularly in documenting human stories from war and crisis zones and in shaping collective memory.

“The frames you see here today are not just photographs but notes written into history, fragments of memory preserved for the future. Today, in Gaza, in Ukraine, and in other parts of the world, we are witnessing very precious testimonies through these photographs.”

Referring to the winning photo of this year’s competition, Karagoz said it answered the questions “What do we remember? What do we refuse to forget?”

“The image, taken in Gaza by photographer Saeed Jaras, depicts parents embracing the lifeless bodies of their children killed in Israeli airstrikes.

“This photo was chosen by the jury as the best of 2025. Looking at it, we understand that war is not statistics. It cannot be told by numbers alone. Each frame, each moment is a human story,” he said.

He recalled that the previous winning entries also portrayed the realities of war, including Mohammed Salem’s photo in 2024 and Sergey Kozlov’s in 2023.

“When we look at international photo contests, we see that the most powerful images often come from war, conflict, and crisis zones. Despite knowing the pain they represent, we cannot turn away.

“These photographs capture human conditions, emotional stories, and social fractures in a profound way,” he said.   

Photography as a witness to history

Karagoz said photographs have shaped human history.

“In the 19th century, Roger Fenton’s images from the Crimean War brought war to the public eye for the first time. In the 20th century, photographs from the Vietnam War bore witness to pivotal moments in history.

“Today, technology has advanced, but one thing remains unchanged: photography continues to be the most direct and powerful language of truth.

“The photos you see here are not just images — they are notes for history, fragments of memory for the future. Whether from Gaza, Ukraine, or elsewhere, these photographs serve as records of history and collective memory.” 

Anadolu's global role in photojournalism

Highlighting Anadolu's global operations, Karagoz said the agency employs photojournalists in 135 countries and produces more than 6,000 pieces of content daily, including 4,000 photographs.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Anadolu has distributed more than 200,000 photographs and 15,000 videos from Gaza to the international media.

He noted that Anadolu’s images exposing the use of hunger as a weapon in Gaza reached the front pages of global outlets.

“One of those photos, taken by Anadolu photojournalist Muhammed El Yakubi, appeared on the cover of The Guardian Weekly under the headline: ‘We are dying slowly, save us.’ Hundreds, even thousands of newspapers and websites carried those images. That message reached billions,” he said.

He also mentioned Anadolu's publication Kanit (Evidence), documenting war crimes since Oct. 7, as well as the forthcoming volumes Sanik (Defendant) and Tanik (Witness), along with a documentary version of Kanit screened in the UK Parliament, Qatar, and several US states. 

Turkiye's Communications Director Burhanettin Duran at  'İstanbul Photo Awards 2025' exhibition

Global recognition of the İstanbul Photo Awar

More than 2,000 photographers applied to the 2025 competition with around 20,000 photos, from which an international jury selected the winners.

“This contest has now become one of the most important competitions in the world,” Karagoz said, stressing Anadolu’s pride in hosting such a global platform.

Anadolu's Visual News Director Aykut Unlupinar provided attendees with details about the works on display. Guests also received an album featuring the award-winning photographs.

Among the awardees, Iranian photographer Hootan Babapourvajari, who won third place in the portrait category, said he was honored that his photo could be seen worldwide.

“For photographers, the best thing is to show their work to people everywhere. In my photo, you see an Afghan woman who survived an acid attack by her husband when the Taliban returned to Afghanistan in 2021,” he said.

Jury member Ahmet Sel noted that the competition, now in its 11th year, has grown into a major global event.

“What started on a smaller scale is now a contest recognized across the world in the field of photojournalism. Despite global media crises, photojournalism remains meaningful, vital, and indispensable,” he said.  

Exhibition open until Sept. 7

This year’s competition received nearly 22,000 submissions from photographers of 114 nationalities.

The exhibition allows visitors to see striking images from around the world, including Israel’s ongoing strikes on Gaza, devastating floods in East Africa, volcanic eruptions in Iceland, athletes of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Afghan women’s struggles for survival, survivors of Syria’s Sednaya Prison, Brazilian surfers battling massive waves, and the perilous journeys of migrants.

The İstanbul Photo Awards 2025 is supported by Turkcell as communication sponsor, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency as overseas events sponsor, and Turkish Airlines as partial transportation sponsor.

Award-winning works across news, sports, nature and environment, portraits, and daily life can be viewed at istanbulphotoawards.com.

The exhibition will remain open at the Dolmabahce Art Gallery until Sept. 7.