THE WINNERS
Night Stories

A challenge focused on highlighting the significance of the narrative aspect in street photography. The night is a mysterious creature, leaving us to wonder about what we cannot see.

The purpose of this competition was to explore the mysterious essence of the night and its impact on how we perceive the hidden element. Using the medium of street photography, it aims to reveal the fascinating stories that emerge in urban landscapes at night, uncovering the concealed narratives that unfold in the darkness.

Natalia Suslova – FIRST PLACE

In the early 1970s, I discovered my love for photography when I first picked up a camera. As a self-taught photographer, I began with black-and-white film, developing and printing my photos in a darkroom at home with guidance from library books. Photography quickly became my passion, despite having no connection to my professional life as an engineer. As time passed, I transitioned from black-and-white film to color and from analog to digital cameras. I enjoy going out into the streets and capturing intriguing scenes as they unfold before my lens. The process is so captivating that I often marvel at the results on my computer, wondering how they came to be. My approach is instinctive, spontaneous, and free from the constraints of rules or formal techniques. Like this moment when I captured a photo of an airplane. It was a dark, rainy evening, and as I hurriedly climbed the boarding stairs with other passengers, I had no time to pause. However, I did stop for a second, pulled out my camera, took a couple of shots, and then continued on my way. Наталья Суслова

The image is flawless, capturing the anticipation of a journey that will span just one night. The subtle grey tones and impeccable composition draw the viewer in. The child's expression exudes wonder, mirroring our own feelings, and leaves us in awe of how the photographer managed to freeze this magical moment in time. It's as if she was perched on the aeroplane's wing, braving the wind to capture the perfect shot. (Batsceba Hardy)

That lone face in the window spoke to me of the excitement and expectancy of travel. (Keef Charles)

SECOND PLACES

Stefanie Waiblinger a German photographer from Hamburg – Craig Whitehead a British photographer based in Cambridge, famous as the sixstreetunder.

Stefanie Waiblinger - Absolutely surreal. The photographer's work presents a unique perspective that challenges us to expand our understanding of the place and the situation depicted. I perceive it as a thought-provoking experiment, evoking a sense of positivity and benevolence. (Batsceba Hardy)

Craig Whitehead – Intrigue, mystery, and the word "LOST." (Kevin Lim) – The shadow creates the story, giving the impression that there are two people. How many times have we seen these back doors in movies? (Batsceba Hardy) – But for the shadow giving the story away, this could be interpreted in a number of ways. Great use of light. (Keef Charles)

THIRD PLACES

Serra Kemmer Turkish photographer from Istanbul, Arturo Cañedo Peruvian photographer from Lima, Peter Kalnbach German photographer from Hamburg,

Rowell Timoteo Philippines photographer from the city of San Fernando, La Union, Catia Montagna Italian photographer based in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

Serra Kemmer - The transforming power of strobe light, a slice between fiction and reality. (Kevin Lim)

Arturo Cañedo – Great use of flash. Could be a still from a crime movie. (Keef Charles) Cañedo should receive an extra prize because many of his photos were placed in the Night competition, five in total. Additionally, two of his photos received more votes. The night is his battlefield (Batsceba Hardy)

Peter Kalnbach – The two white street lamps, casting their glow, seem to be walking alongside the mysterious figure in the hat, leading him towards an intriguing shadow. (Batsceba Hardy)

Rowell Timoteo - Her lone face in a sea of raincoats is imbued with solitude, isolation, and discomfort; it is layered and humanistic. (Kevin Lim)

Catia Montagna – With sumptuous b/w adding to the depth of the night and the dual storytelling, this is a superb image. (Keef Charles) – In the shadows, you can see a glimpse of mozzarella, which explains Totò's presence. This image also evokes a night filled with ghosts and peculiar encounters. (Batsceba Hardy)

FOURTH PLACES

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FOURTH PLACES 〰️

Catharina Lindgren, Vlad Liamzin, Sandor Rozsas, Roman Benovic, Lynne Kaplan, Guido Klumpe, Mikael Carlsson, Peter Dobozy

Vlad Liamzin: "Take care of your light" – The main symbol in this picture is the presence of light despite darkness; it seems like a battle between life and death. (Batsceba Hardy)

Sandor Rozsas - - Noir, solitude, and mystery. (Kevin Lim)

Roman Benovic - The scene may be innocuous enough but the light and colours lend a more ominous tone to the story. (Keef Charles)

Lynne Kaplan - Photos of street food vendors at night – not as easy as it looks. This one works. (Michael Kennedy)

Guido Klumpe – Only later do we realize that the only living being is the man walking below. A beautiful nighttime image of what I call our "fake world".

Catharina Lindgren - Imbued with intrigue and voyeurism. The ripped stocking is both implicit and explicit at the same time. (Kevin Lim)
The use of an image featuring a sex worker in action may come across as cliched. Perhaps incorporating colour c — Catharina Lindgren - Imbued with intrigue and voyeurism. The ripped stocking is both implicit and explicit at the same time. (Kevin Lim) The use of an image featuring a sex worker in action may come across as cliched. Perhaps incorporating colour could make it more impactful. (Michael Kennedy)

Mikael Carlsson – The window is bridge between inside and outside, offering unexpected connections through the watching eye.

Peter Dobozy - Gothic, mysterious, and reminiscent of a Friedkin movie scene. (Kevin Lim) – When all others are sleeping, there’s a restless soul here. An evocative image. (Keef Charles)

HONORABLE MENTIONS

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HONORABLE MENTIONS 〰️

Donski, Edita Sabalionyte, Uwe Schröder, George Koulouridis, Jh Park, Magda Fulger, André Bogaert, Vasileios Karafotias, Eduardo Storch, Philippe Herge, Gianni Olivetti, John St, Avi Nahum, Csaba Kis, Martin Agius , Lola Minister, Swee Hoe Lim, Rajib Singha, Paolo Zucchini, Don Scott, Jose Valencia, Gwen Julia, Grace Ho, Daniel Kashi, Per Olov Alfredsson, Aurélien Bomy, Ubo Pakes, Paul Coudrier, Bruno Lavi, Juancho Domínguez, Leonardo Cortina, Ilhan Sen, Abhishek Maitra, Catharina Lindgren, Lukasz Palka, Pepe Alvarez-Rogel, Niklas Lindskog, Tom Edward Roman, Patty DeJuneas, Pascal Colin, Mary Crnkovic Pilas, Raffaele Maglione, Ania Wojciechowska, Kenneth Nederskov Petersen, Bruce Saille, Charles Lafrance (Here the names of the previously mentioned photographers are not repeated, even if their photographs are shown with their names.)