Australian photographer wins at world images awards with ‘barefoot volcanologist’ picture | Photography

The earth was rumbling beneath Elle Leontiev’s toes, the air thick with volcanic fuel and ash. Before her, Phillip Yamah stood barefoot on an exploded lava bomb. His shiny silver lava swimsuit contrasted the darkish, smouldering backdrop of Mount Yasur – one of many world’s most energetic volcanoes on the Vanuatu island of Tanna.

Adding rigidity to the scene, the Australian photographer was taking pictures totally “blind”. The electrical energy at a close-by village had shorted her Sony A7 III screens and digital interface, forcing Leontiev to rely solely on the beep of her autofocus sensor to seize the second.

That technical leap of religion paid off. On Thursday, the ensuing surreal portrait of the “barefoot volcanologist” had Leontiev named the Open Photographer of the Year on the 2026 Sony world images awards.

Selected from a pool of over 430,000 submissions throughout greater than 200 nations and territories, the open class celebrates the only finest picture of the previous 12 months.

Speaking with the Guardian after the gala ceremony in London, Leontiev stated profitable the award was life-affirming, noting its true worth lies within the worldwide platform it supplies for her topics.

“What makes it especially meaningful is the ability to elevate the stories of others,” Leontiev stated. “At the heart of my work is the desire to illustrate dreamlike states and highlight social issues. This award feels like a moment where those stories are being seen and valued globally, not just my own practice.”

For Yamah, who was born and nonetheless lives on the base of Mount Yasur, that story is one in all deep, lived experience. Despite having no formal {qualifications} because of restricted entry to larger training and price, he has spent years learning Mount Yasur.

“He proudly showed me the Haos Blong Volkeno museum he had set up for his community, including a lava suit that was gifted to him for exploration by visiting researchers,” Leontiev stated. “I knew I had the opportunity for a special environmental portrait and a unique chance to elevate the story of an underdog in the world of volcano science.”

Yamah’s native information is very wanted. He has educated with famend French volcanologist Thomas Boyer and guided quite a few worldwide analysis groups, National Geographic expeditions and public figures like Will Smith to the crater’s edge.

His moniker, the “barefoot volcanologist”, comes from his behavior of exploring the rugged volcanic terrain with out footwear, a necessity, given his measurement 20 toes make discovering becoming footwear almost inconceivable.

Leontiev’s path to capturing the award-winning shot was serendipitous. Originally on a documentary project masking girls’s rights in Vanuatu and Fiji, she took a detour to Tanna. She spent every week immersed within the day by day lifetime of Yamah’s neighborhood, constructing belief and collaborating in native ceremonies earlier than trying the portrait.

“In that moment, I felt such a privilege to honour his life story,” Leontiev recalled of the shoot on the ash plains. “For me, the image is less about the spectacle of the volcano and more about the quiet authority and presence of Phillip’s relationship with it. It is about knowledge, the pursuit of dreams, coexistence, cultural knowledge, and respect for nature.”

Yamah’s personal dream is for his son to attend larger training and grow to be Vanuatu’s first formally recognised volcanologist. Moved by his ambition, Leontiev teamed up with film-maker Guillaume Beaudoin to launch a crowdfunding campaign, which has already raised important funds to assist Yamah’s household realise this purpose.

With 15 years of expertise, Leontiev describes her visible fashion as sitting between wonderful artwork and documentary storytelling. In an period more and more dominated by synthetic intelligence, she says a visible file of humanity that’s grounded in actuality is extra essential than ever.

“As AI blurs the line between what is real and what is constructed, there is a growing value in imagery that is human, real, and rooted in lived experience, presence, and truth,” she stated. “AI can reduce cost and fill certain gaps in the marketplace, but it cannot replace authenticity or our human desire to connect with others.”