İstanbul Photo Awards 2025 winners spotlight pictures as instrument of reality in instances of repression

• ‘Every photograph captured was not merely an image but an act of defiance against the imposed invisibility,’ says award-winning photographer Valentina Sinis on documenting Afghan girls

ISTANBUL

From war-scarred reminiscences in Georgia to defiant portraits of Afghan girls beneath Taliban rule, İstanbul Photo Awards 2025 winners highlighted the ability of pictures as each an ethical responsibility and a doc of reality in instances of repression and displacement.

İstanbul Photo Awards, organized by Anadolu for its eleventh consecutive 12 months, awarded 29 photographers throughout 10 classes. The alternatives have been constituted of roughly 22,000 submissions from all over the world, a testomony to the competition’s rising status, which has attracted entries from greater than 20,000 photographers globally since its inception.

Echoes of exile

Marylise Vigneau, winner of the Single Portrait 2nd Prize, captured a haunting picture symbolizing “the suffering of people displaced by imperialist wars and power games.”

Her portrait tells the story of Dzabuli Bendeliani, who fled Georgia’s Abkhazia area through the Georgian-Abkhaz warfare in 1992. “Diverse and interwoven stories form a fragmented, subjective portrait of a geographical and mental space,” Vigneau advised Anadolu.

“During their escape, her daughter dropped a doll, which Dzabuli quickly retrieved. This doll remains the only possession she has from her former life,” she stated.

She photographed Bendeliani within the corridors of Tskaltubo — a Soviet-era spa city now house to 1000’s of internally displaced folks — the place her topic has lived for 30 years.

“I chose (to apply with) this image because it holds the sorrow of time distorted by war. It speaks of childhood never fully lived, of old age steeped in silence, of a life unraveled before it could unfold. The encounter touched something deep,” Vigneau stated.

Working alone, Vigneau researched areas upfront and traveled to Georgia so as to add a brand new chapter to her long-term mission “It Was Forever Until It Was No More,” which explores post-Soviet identification throughout Central Asia and the Caucasus.

“Regarding my technique, it was simple—just my 28mm lens and natural light,” she famous.

‘Photographers preserve memory’

Reflecting on the position of pictures, Vigneau confused that “every moment captured with our cameras holds meaning. Documentary photographers protect and preserve memory through their work, extracting clandestine truths and bringing them to light,” she stated.

“A photograph endures as a document for the future, especially in these times marked by war crimes in places like Ukraine and Palestine,” she added.

She warned of the rising dangers posed by synthetic intelligence in visible journalism: “An image generated by artificial intelligence is the antithesis of photojournalism, which involves venturing into the field, confronting raw reality with a delicate balance of confidence and humility, and striving for objectivity,” Vigneau stated.

“AI has censorship but no ethics. It misses the crucial qualities that define photojournalism: empathy, trust, and understanding,” she added.

Vigneau discovered of her award “as the protests against the rigged parliamentary elections and the violence of the ‘Georgian Dream’ regime were nearing their hundredth day.”

She stated she was completely happy “to contribute to bring attention to Georgia’s long, ongoing struggle for independence from Russia.”

The French photographer additionally famous that the mission displays on political utopias, their corruption, identification and reminiscence, and other people’s independence and resilience.

Acts of defiance by way of the lens

Valentina Sinis, recipient of the Story Daily Life 1st prize, received for her collection “Were Afghan Women to Unveil Their Tales,” a mission that sought to doc the hidden lives of ladies beneath Taliban rule.

“Embarking on the ‘Were Afghan Women to Unveil Their Tales’ project was an emotionally charged and complex journey,” Sinis advised Anadolu.

“The preparation began long before setting foot in Afghanistan, involving meticulous planning to ensure the safety of both myself and the women I aimed to photograph,” she stated.

Each assembly needed to be organized with utmost discretion to guard the ladies’s identities. “The pervasive fear was tangible, yet many exhibited extraordinary courage in sharing their stories,” she stated.

Sinis famous that she met greater than 50 girls and ladies, every sharing tales of resilience within the face of harsh restrictions and protracted safety threats.

“The determination of these women inspired me to persevere. Every photograph captured was not merely an image but an act of defiance against the imposed invisibility,” she stated.

Sinis confused that she embraced a collaborative method and empowered the Afghan girls to have management over how their tales and pictures have been introduced.

“Recognizing that no outsider can fully grasp the nuances of such a complex culture, I believed it was essential for them to guide the narrative,” she stated, including that this method ensured their voices have been represented with dignity and respect.

Sinis stated that she aimed to seize “everyday moments that reflected their resilience and hope,” explaining that the mission required cautious planning, cultural sensitivity, and deep respect to authentically and safely inform their tales.

‘Each photo a silent cry that challenges oblivion’

The Italian photographer stated her mission was “a deeply personal endeavor” reflecting her dedication “to amplifying voices that often go unheard.”

“For the subjects, these images serve as a means to break the imposed silence, offering an opportunity to share their truths with the world. In a context where personal expression is stifled, each photograph becomes an act of resistance, a silent cry that challenges oblivion and demands attention,” she stated.

Sinis emphasised that documentary pictures carries “immense power and responsibility” in shaping societal perceptions and driving change.

‘Images of destruction, displacement, and despair in Gaza as visceral testimonies’

“In the context of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, this responsibility becomes even more critical,” she added,

Underlining that pictures possesses the distinctive capacity to seize uncooked, unfiltered moments that resonate universally, transcending cultural and linguistic limitations, Sinis stated: “In Gaza, images of destruction, displacement, and despair serve as visceral testimonies to the atrocities occurring.”

“These photographs evoke empathy, challenge prevailing narratives, and inspire action,” she famous.

She believes pictures can drive social change by “documenting and sharing stories that might otherwise remain unheard,” serving to to foster understanding, problem injustices, and encourage collective motion for a extra equitable world.

“In photojournalism, while technological advancements have provided sophisticated tools for capturing images, it is ultimately the photographer’s emotional intelligence that serves as the most powerful technology,” Sinis stated.

She emphasised that this capacity to sense and reply to feelings permits photojournalists to attach genuinely with their topics, capturing moments that resonate and inform compelling tales.

Winning İstanbul Photo Awards introduced her each pleasure and validation. “This recognition not only honors the stories of Afghan women but also amplifies their voices on a global platform,” she stated.

“It reinforces my commitment to documenting their resilience and struggles, highlighting the importance of visual storytelling in fostering empathy and driving social change,” she added.

Sinis famous the competition’s status and international recognition, saying she utilized to showcase her work internationally and contribute to visible storytelling.

She described the streamlined utility course of and general expertise as “very positive,” reflecting the Anadolu staff’s professionalism in organizing “such a significant event for photojournalists worldwide.”

İstanbul Photo Awards has grow to be a cornerstone of world photojournalism, celebrating the artwork of visible storytelling whereas shedding gentle on vital points worldwide.

This 12 months’s İstanbul Photo Awards contest is supported by Turkcell because the communication sponsor, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) because the abroad occasion sponsor, and Turkish Airlines because the airline sponsor.

More info on the successful images and jury members will be discovered at istanbulphotoawards.com​​​​​​​

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