All About Photo Awards 2026: A Glimpse into the Winners
The 11th edition of the All About Photo awards – The Mind’s Eye – has unveiled its winning images, showcasing a diverse range of subjects from monk football to sperm whales. The 2026 winners share $5,000 in cash prizes, with first place awarded to Matt McClain.
First Place: Window to the Past
Matt McClain’s winning image, titled Window to the Past, captures an intern, Megan Day, 20, working in Margaret Hunter’s Millinery Shop at the Colonial Williamsburg history museum in Virginia. The photograph is part of a story exploring the life of US founding father Thomas Jefferson, a former resident of Williamsburg. As the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaches, the image offers a quiet, cinematic meditation on time.
Second Place: Obscura
Brooke Shaden’s Obscura draws inspiration from Plato’s cave allegory. The image explores identity in the digital age through conceptual self-portraiture, blurring the line between authenticity and performance.
Third Place: Celestial Ladies
France Leclerc’s Celestial Ladies captures women devotees of the Celestial church at the Benin-Togo border. The juxtaposition of their white hats and painted circles on a gray wall creates a striking visual.
Fourth Place: Tunisia
Javier Arcenillas’ Tunisia depicts a train sleeping in Cartago, evoking a sense of stillness and journey.
Fifth Place: Bringing Home the Birds
Beamie Young’s Bringing Home the Birds shows bird cages in Cuba, with birds being transported to a new home.
Other Notable Winners
- Dancing with Giants by Khaichuin Sim: A freediver meets sperm whales in an intimate ocean encounter.
- Hands that Feed the Sky by Tittu Thomas: A striking image of hands reaching upward.
- Young Monks Playing Football by Andrew Newey: Monks at Phugtal Gompa in the Himalayas relax after prayers.
- Cycling in the Dew by Wahyu Budiyanto: A macro photograph captures a cyclist reflected in dew drops in Indonesia.
- 75 York Road by Tebani-Slade: An urban existence captured in a single frame.
- Bus Ride to Heaven by Shrikanth R. Poojari: A magical sunset moment during a bus ride.
- In a Hurry by Gabi Steiner: A girl captured in the narrow streets of Harar, Ethiopia.
- They, by Them by Asako Naruto: A human outline emerges through fabric, exploring anonymity.
- Artistic Water Ballet by Lintao Zhang: Neutral athletes perform at the World Aquatics Artistic Swimming World Cup.
- Untitled by Kerry Faulkner: A scene from Santovenia home for the aged in Cuba.
- De Chirico by Gavin Libotte: Street photography in Sydney, Australia.
- Drawing by Driving by Jiri Kostal: A bored driver and an empty parking lot.
- Wheels by Herve Boutrouille: Big and small wheels in a single frame.
- The Weight of Creation by Md Tanveer-Rohan: Brick field workers in Bangladesh enduring physical demands.
- Mending Nets by Marie Kent: A woman mending a fishing net along the Thu Bon River, Vietnam.
These winning images reflect the creativity and diversity of contemporary photography, capturing moments of beauty, struggle, and wonder from around the world.
