For 146 years, the Royal Photographic Society Awards have been announcing the incredible works of many photographers around the world. Today, some of the most intriguing awards are for photojournalism, fashion, commercial, and young people. And quite frankly, the images are both stunning and inspiring. Here are some of the winners below!
All images used with permission by the Royal Photographic Society Awards. You can find the entire list of winners here. The text for the winners is provided by the RPS.
The RPS Award for Photojournalism (Samar Abu Elouf)
Samar Abu Elouf is a Palestinian freelance award-winning photojournalist, she covers events where she lives, including stories about gender, women’s and children’s lives, and the consequences of war. Since 2010, she has worked as a freelance photojournalist on assignment for Reuters, The New York Times, and other news outlets. Abu Elouf documented the 2018–2019 Gaza border protests, also known as the Great March of Return. She also worked with ZUMA Press to cover stories related to the COVID-19 pandemic for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and news agencies. In May 2021, on assignment for The New York Times, she covered the 11 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas that destroyed essential infrastructure and killed more than 230 people, including several of her own relatives.
The RPS Award for Editorial or Documentary Photography (Darcy Padilla)
Darcy Padilla is an associate professor of art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a member photographer of Agence VU’ in Paris. Known for her narrative photography, Padilla focuses on long-term projects that explore themes of struggle and the trans-generational effects of socio-economic issues.
The RPS Award for Fashion, Advertising and Commercial Photography (Campbell Addy):
Campbell Addy is a British-Ghanaian artist, photographer and director. Addy draws inspiration from his culturally diverse upbringing, this has informed an intricate discovery of the self and a unique eye. Since graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2016 Addy’s striking imagery has garnered him international success and awards including the 2021 Forbes 30
under 30 list and the British Fashion Awards in both 2018 & 19. His first monograph ‘Feeling Seen – the photographs of Campbell Addy’ debuted in 2022 to critical acclaim.
The RPS Award for Photography with Young People (Carolyn Mendelsohn)
Carolyn Mendelsohn is an artist and portrait photographer whose practice is rooted in telling stories and amplifying those quieter voices through co-produced portraits. She is recognised internationally for her portraits, and work with young people, including her portrait series, exhibition and book Being Inbetween, a series of portraits and stories of girls aged between 10-12. Carolyn founded Through Our Lens, ( initially responding to the pandemic and working with young people on zoom ) a workshop and mentoring programme that enables people to tell their stories through the medium of photography.