AAP Magazine has announced the winners of its 49th edition focused on black and white photography, with a captivating image titled 'Balance' claiming the top prize. The international competition showcased powerful monochrome photography from artists across 11 countries and three continents, celebrating the timeless impact and emotional depth of black and white imagery.
The winning photograph 'Balance' was captured by Dutch photographer Astrid Verhoef at the stunning Peninsula de Jandia in Fuerteventura, Spain. The artwork explores themes of human connection with nature, featuring figures that appear to dance between natural and artificial elements. Verhoef explained her artistic vision, stating that her work typically portrays figures lingering somewhere between the natural world and artificial elements that prevent true connection with nature.
"For all my artwork I'm exploring my relationship and connection to the natural world, usually portraying a figure that always seems to linger somewhere between the natural and an artificial element preventing her from truly connecting," Verhoef said. She described how this particular piece resulted from collaborative movement and dance, creating "a dance of balance showing a connection with each other as well as with the landscape."
The second-place winner, Italian photographer Antonio Denti, presented his series "Harder Lives," captured near Zagora in Morocco. The series documents souvenir makers working on the edge of the Sahara Desert, part of Denti's broader project called "Everything and Nothing." His work attempts to capture the essence of small lives against the backdrop of global economy and industrial revolution, focusing on a Moroccan village that has shifted from traditional subsistence living to global tourism.
Third place went to American photographer Lynne Breitfeller for her image "Stacy and Miss Kitty," part of her collection "People I Know." This portrait series, created in the early to mid-1990s, features friends, family, and acquaintances in both candid and performative settings. Breitfeller reflected on how these photographs help her visualize her early adult years and document how people move in and out of our lives.
The competition attracted photographers working across diverse creative spectrums, from documentary moments and fine art to experimental visual narratives. The selected images demonstrated mastery of fundamental photographic elements including shape, light, and shadow, while others explored personal stories, social themes, and human connections. Both film and digital photography were represented among the winners.
AAP Magazine emphasized that the winning works span a wide range of subjects and approaches, with some photographers focusing on technical mastery of monochrome techniques while others used black and white photography as a vehicle for storytelling. The diversity of the submissions reflected the global nature of the competition and the universal appeal of black and white photography.
All winning photographers will be featured in AAP Magazine's publication and showcased across All About Photo's international platforms, providing significant exposure to photography professionals and enthusiasts worldwide. The magazine noted that a total of 25 award-winning images were selected for publication, representing the highest caliber of contemporary black and white photography.
The competition continues AAP Magazine's tradition of celebrating photographic excellence while highlighting the enduring power of monochrome imagery to convey emotion, tell stories, and capture the human experience across cultures and continents.
