“Awarding the prestigious title of Photographer of the Year to a distinguished group of artists who use the camera as their creative medium,” reads the main page of the 1839 Awards, the organization behind the annual contest.
The 2024 edition of the competition attracted entries from 77 countries, making it the most diverse and expansive group of participants to date. This year’s reFocus Awards celebrate creativity, technical skill, and the captivating art of visual storytelling. Each winner exemplifies the unique spirit of photography, inviting viewers to appreciate their mastery of the medium.
To learn more about the winning images and photographers
Photographer Of The Year – Event: Hybrid Solar Eclipse And Maasai Warrior By Eugen Kamenew
Hybrid Solar Eclipse is a very rare astronomical event. I found a Maasai, Peter Ekai Nakua, who agreed to collaborate with me on 3 November 2013. We experienced 16 seconds of totality. A fleeting surreal moment. This picture was created as a tribute to our friend Geoffrey Ekai Lowa.
Eager to dive deeper into the thought-provoking image, we contacted. Named International Discovery of the Year by the 2024 reFocus Awards, the photographer shared the fascinating story behind her award-winning photograph: “Swallow was born from a desire to explore illness—both physical and mental—and the challenge of existing in a body or mind with special needs. At the time, I was going through intense waves of anxiety and I felt a deep sense of misunderstanding and lack of awareness around me. So, this personal experience, together with being aware that we live in a system that struggles to accommodate vulnerability, influenced the creation of the image.”
International Discovery Of The Year: Swallow By Tania Barrenetxea
The number of people struggling with mental health conditions have been rising steadily in the last decade. This image was created in a period of my life when I was struggling with anxiety and an all-consuming feeling of emotional overwhelm.
Photographer Of The Year – Domestic Animals: Echo Of Light By Fleur Scholte
Samoyed Nanuq beneath sun rays in the forest.
The girl’s gaze, refracted through the water glasses in Barrenetxea’s image, is truly captivating. We were curious to uncover the message or emotion the photographer intended to convey through the subject’s expression. Here’s what we discovered: “The distortion caused by the water-filled glasses symbolizes the fragmented reality experienced during episodes of high anxiety. I wanted to visually convey how anxiety can feel. I believe my gaze carries that tension, reflecting both vulnerability and resilience.”
Discovery Of The Year – Wildlife: Three In One By Girish Jamadagni
Photographer Of The Year – Travel: Honey Hunters Of Nepal By Andrew Newey
High in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal Gurung honey hunters gather twice a year, risking their lives to harvest the honey from the world’s largest honeybee. For hundreds of years, the skills required to practise this ancient and sacred tradition have been passed down through the generations.
The photographer also shared insights on the role of photography in raising awareness about mental health: “We are living in a complex era where, on one hand, conversations around mental health are becoming more open, and the long-standing taboo is beginning to break. At the same time, this growing awareness highlights how common mental health challenges are in our society. I believe art, including photography, has a unique power to open conversations about complex subjects, such as mental health. It gives us the ability to connect with people on an emotional level, bypassing barriers, fostering understanding and raising conversations that may otherwise go unspoken. So I believe it has an important role.”
Photographer Of The Year – Sports: Underwater Multiverse By Gabriel Holguín
In this underwater photograph, Colombia’s Underwater Hockey team emerges as ethereal figures, blurred at the surface. They resemble superheroes navigating a parallel universe, their dynamic movements creating a surreal, otherworldly scene in the aquatic realm.
It definitely is one of the best sports photos I’ve ever seen, but I prefer comic books anyway. Also love the “superhero” comparison in art form, rather than as a complaint about some astronomical contract dollars.
Discovery Of The Year – Sports: Dancer In The Light By James Whittlesey
This a pow wow dancer doing the spotlight dance at the Stillwater Pow Wow in Redding, California.
The last question we asked focused on how Tania’s Swallow was received when it reached a broader audience. Barrenetxea shared: “The response to Swallow has been moving. Many viewers have shared personal stories and interpretations. This dialogue—the exchange between the artwork and the viewer’s personal experience—is one of the most rewarding aspects of sharing my photography. It reaffirms the idea that vulnerability is an essential bridge between individuals.”
We also had the opportunity to speak with another award-winning photographer from the contest. This time, we were eager to learn more about the fascinating image. Its creator, shared the inspiration behind capturing this surreal and dynamic moment featuring the Colombian underwater hockey team: “I think almost all underwater photos are surreal simply because of the fact that they are taken in a world to which we have to adapt. My inspiration, or what moves me, is the athletes. Accompanying the processes of the Colombian underwater hockey team in its different categories is always very fulfilling. Being able to bring visibility to this aquatic sport, in which our country is a reference, is very important to me.”
International Photographer Of The Year: Bath Time By Pepe Manzanilla
Photographer Of The Year – Fine Art: Gathering Of Snails By Annemiek Muller-Rijnaard
When asked about the biggest challenges he faced while photographing underwater—especially in a high-energy sports environment—Gabriel responded: “Underwater, everything is a challenge: the light, the movement, framing the subjects, looking through the viewfinder, and all of this while holding your breath and shooting exactly at the moment you think it’s right—and boom, you have it. As for the moment, it’s a very action-packed sport. The women were in their final practices for the World Cup in Malaysia that day, and the atmosphere was very lively—lots of energy, enthusiasm, and the best attitude, which is reflected in the image we captured.”
