YEVHEN KOSTIUK | 1st PLACE

JUMP! | 1x.com/ievkos

Yevhen Kostiuk is an enthusiastic self-taught Ukrainian photographer from Kharkiv, whose passion for photography has evolved significantly over the years. At the moment, he is ambassador at 500px.com, curator at 100asa.com and a member of the international agency Amazing Aerial, specializing in aerial photography. His work primarily focuses on aerial photography, offering a unique perspective of the world by transforming familiar scenes into extraordinary visions from above.

Currently, most of his photos are done in style he calls “Fine Aertial” – Fine Art taken with a drone (aerial). The distinguishing features of this style include a contrasting color palette, geometric forms, minimalism, and playing with shadows. His portfolio also extends to landscape and architectural photography, showcasing his versatility and keen eye for detail. He has received awards in many prestigious international photography competitions, including the title “Aerial Discovery of the Year” at the reFocus Awards World Photo Annual 2023, gold medals in the reFocus Awards Color Photography Contest 2023 and Black&White Photo Contest 2023, gold medalist in the Chromatic Photography Awards 2023, 1st Prize winner in Urban Photo Awards 2024 etc. He is the holder of the Bronze Camera Award 2023 and the Silver Camera Award 2024 from the Federation of European Professional Photographers and is among the World’s Top10 FineArt Photographers’23 according to the OneEyeland.com photography platform

MAXIM SHEMETOV | 2nd PLACE

UNTITLED | maximshemetov.com

Maxim Shemetov is a professional photographer based in Moscow, Russia, with over a decade of experience working as a staff photographer for Reuters news agency. Though he started out studying architecture, his passion led him to switch gears and dive into photography as his true calling. His main interests lie in documentary storytelling, environmental issues, and sports photography. Throughout his career, Maxim has covered a wide range of stories across the former Soviet Union and around the world. His portfolio includes reports from Oymyakon, the coldest inhabited place in the Northern Hemisphere; coverage of FIFA World Cups; space launches at the Baikonur Cosmodrome; the Olympic Games in Tokyo; multimedia project about permafrost thaw in Russia’s polar regions; and deadly earthquake in Turkey. “It’s a mystery for me how I learned photography, because I didn’t do anything in particular to study it” – he says.

SUSANNE MIDDELBERG | 3rd PLACE

SUSANNE | susannemiddelberg.nl

Susanne Middelberg is a German photographer known for her powerful and emotionally rich portraits, which explore themes of vulnerability and human complexity. After initially studying modern dance at the Higher School for Arts in Arnhem, she transitioned into photography, graduating in 1998 from the Academy for Visual Arts. Middelberg has since established a career as a freelance photographer, specializing in portrait and theater-dance photography. Her work often captures the dualities within people—strength and fragility—and she believes that showing vulnerability in her subjects fosters connection and understanding. Middelberg’s photographic style is described as “intense, honest, and picturesque,” and she is particularly inspired by the human condition. Her approach focuses on revealing the layers of personality in her subjects, aiming to touch viewers through this emotional depth. She has received numerous awards for her work, including prizes from The Canon Master, the Monochrome Awards and the Px3 Prix de la Photographie Paris. In addition to her portraits, Middelberg has been commissioned for various projects, including work for theater posters. She has exhibited her work in galleries across the Netherlands and internationally, including in New York and Boston. Her projects have earned her a solid reputation in the photography world, winning accolades like the MUSE Photography Awards for her “Daylight” series, where she emphasized natural light and raw emotion to portray her subjects.

MARYNA KOSTIUKEVYCH | HONORABLE MENTION

A MERMAID | marykos.com

Maryna Kostiukevych is an acclaimed Ukrainian photographer based in Geneva, Switzerland. With a background in animal behavior studies, she imparts a distinct viewpoint to her photography, beautifully and powerfully portraying the emotions and characters of her subjects. Maryna has gained multiple awards and recognitions, and her work has appeared in digital and print publications across the globe. She is committed to crafting poignant, emotionally resonant images that narrate stories and stir feelings. Maryna specializes in contemporary fine art photography, dramatic portraiture, animal photography, and corporate and event photography.

KLAUS LENZEN | HONORABLE MENTION

FAN MARCH |  klauslenzenphotographie.com

Klaus Lenzen (born 1953) is a retired banker and living near Duesseldorf, which is located in the western part of Germany. His photographic journey began ten years ago. Lenzen’s photographic subjects are primarily minimalist photographs. In contrast to his minimalist images, he sometimes make an excursion into the creation of large-format, colourful pictures. Several of his pictures were awarded at international Photo awards. For example: Sony World Photography Awards, Open Category Winner 2018 and 2021, also shortlisted at the Professional Competition 2023.