CARL DOGHOUSE | 1st PLACE

MARIA BOTTLED | carldoghouse.com

Carl Doghouse is a portrait photographer based in the heart of London. For as long as he can remember, he has been driven by an insatiable urge to capture the true essence of people through his lens, a deeply personal mission. Throughout his journey, he has had the privilege of connecting with individuals from all walks of life. Each person he photographs carries their own unique story, and he considers it a great honor to help them share that story with the world through his photography. In his work, he has developed a style that blends classic techniques with a modern touch. His focus is on creating portraits that stand the test of time while still feeling vibrant and alive. Whether it’s a formal headshot or a candid moment, his aim is to capture the authentic spirit of his subjects in every frame.

SALVATORE MONTEMAGNO | 2nd PLACE

THE AGE OF UNCERTY | salvatoremontemagno.wixsite.com/salvatoremontemagno

Salvatore Montemagno was born in Gela, Sicily, on January 4, 1962. Since 1984, he has lived in Montichiari (BS). He has been taking photos for more than 30 years. He still remembers when he took his first photo with a reflex camera, a Cosina CT1, lent to him by a work colleague in Rome, from the window of their office. It was a very banal photo, but for him, it was very important. It marked the zero point of a great passion that has never abandoned him since then. He still has that photo.

However, it has only been a few years since he started studying and developing his photos. The encounter with digital photography was year zero for him. Being able to have total control over his shots in post-production opened the doors to a new and wonderful world. It was what he had been waiting for. For Salvatore, photography is the externalization of internal images. He has no claim, intention, or desire to document reality. He loves to interpret reality or, rather, he likes to give “his version of the facts,” trying to express it artistically and hoping to succeed. He is a winner of various national and international photography competitions as a non-professional. He was awarded “New talent of the year” at the “Moscow international foto awards 2021 – mifa” and twice, in 2022 and 2023, as “Discovery of the year” at the nd awards in London. He also won at the urban photo awards 2023 and the “Creative siena awards 2023.”

MARIËTTE AERNOUDTS | 3rd PLACE

I AM WATCHING YOU | marietteaernoudts.nl

Mariëtte Aernoudts began her photographic journey 14 years ago, initially focusing on portrait photography to capture the unique personalities of subjects. As her interests developed, she shifted to telling stories through images. The challenges of the pandemic led her to explore nature photography in an abstract and mystical way, adding a new artistic dimension to her work. Mariëtte’s dedication has earned her recognition in national and international competitions, including a 5-month exhibition in Tuscany, Italy.

LUCA IANELLI | HONORABLE MENTION

IDENTITÉ

Luca Ianelli is a 23-year-old art director, photographer, and filmmaker. He is a student at the Penninghen school in Paris. He discovered art through his Nonna (Italian for grandmother), who was an amateur painter, and he was always in her studio drawing and creating with her. He discovered dance at the age of 2, but also dabbled in drawing, graffiti, and photography, as his parents used to buy him little disposable cameras when they went on vacation. “I’ve always been a creative bulimic, but I came to the ‘digital arts’ rather late because I was epileptic until I was 10, which prevented me from looking at screens.” Luca Ianelli was able to collaborate fairly quickly with luxury brands such as Lancôme, Prada, L’Oréal Paris, and Valentino. Then with the Festival d’Automne in Paris and the Montpellier Danse Festival in the cultural world. His work was exhibited at Milan Fashion Week in 2023, in Arles in 2024, and at the ImageNation Paris event.

Luca focuses on the subtle details that reveal the intimacy of solitude. His aim is to create images that evoke a sense of emotional resonance, touching on both the beauty and the pain that accompany this loneliness. The facial expressions and gestures captured reveal the interiority of the characters, giving them a palpable depth and humanity. Luca Ianelli’s photographs invite viewers to explore their own feelings, to contemplate isolation in an introspective way. He seeks to provoke reflection on the human condition and reveal the hidden beauty that lies at the heart of solitary experience. By blurring the boundaries between intimacy and universality, Luca attempts to offer a powerful and moving vision of solitude, reminding viewers that solitude can be both a suffering and a source of revelation and personal growth.

ALAIN SCHROEDER | HONORABLE MENTION

SINKING HOPES | alainschroeder.myportfolio.com

Belgian photojournalist Alain Schroeder has been working in the industry for over four decades. First as a sports photographer in the 80s, then shooting books and editorial pieces in art and human stories. In 2013, he uprooted his life, trading-in his shares in Reporters (a Belgian photo agency), to pursue life on the road with a camera. He now travels the world shooting stories focusing on social issues and people. He has won many international awards including Nikon Japan, Nikon Belgium, TPOTY, Days Japan, Trieste Photo, PX3, IPA, MIFA, BIFA, PDN, the Fence, Lens Culture, Felix Schoeller, Istanbul Photo Awards, Siena, POYI and World Press Photo.