“Toxic Lake” by Radek von Hirschberg. Overall Professional Winner.
“Poles across the country embraced winter swimming as their favorite pursuit. It became the ‘it’ thing to do among the Polish middle class. This was evident, for example, in social media, once flooded with selfies of people standing in cold water. Standing almost everywhere, like e.g. in Toxic Lake.”
Timeless and elegant, there's just something about black and white photography that captures the imagination. And the winners of reFocus Awards' 2025 Black & White Photo Contest remind us of the power of this creative choice. After evaluating submissions from photographers in 80 countries, an expert panel of judges has curated a stunning winners list by both professional and amateur photographers.
Radek von Hirschberg and Maria Ehrlich were singled out as the overall winners in the Professional and Non-Professional divisions, respectively. Von Hirschberg won for Toxic Lake, a fascinating look at the lengths that Poles are willing to go to take a dip, even in the dead of winter. Ehrlich, who is a hair stylist and makeup artist in addition to her photography work, won for her beautiful, casual portrait of a woman in Ghana.
In addition to the overall winners, exceptional photographs were honored across a wide range of categories in both divisions. From Travel and Photojournalism to Minimalism and Fine Art, the breadth of the categories allowed photographers to show the creative possibilities of black and white photography.
Scroll down to see our favorite professional and non-professional winners, and then head over to the reFocus Awards website to see the full gallery of winners and finalists.
These are the standout winners of the reFocus Awards 2025 Black & White Photo Contest.
“Nuerki” by Maria Ehrlich. Overall Non-Professional Winner.
“Girl with traditional hairstyle sitting in front of a house in Nima, Accra Ghana”
“How Beautiful You Are” by Aga Karmol. Winner, Non-Professional, Domestic Animals
“A Welsh Pony stallion admiring his own reflection in the mirror.”
“Alone In Silence” by Herri Susanto. Overall Professional Runner-Up
“Female Crowned Woodnymph, Ecuador” by Mark Gordon. Winner, Non-Professional, Wildlife
“The Cowboys of Cappadocia” by Ava Karmol. Winner, Professional, Travel
“Local Turkish ‘cowboys' maintain the last herd of semi-wild yilky horses, living in a vast valley of Cappadocia.”
“Black veil” by Mauro Matalone. Winner, Professional, Fashion & Beauty
Photographers in 80 countries submitted their best monochrome images for consideration.
“Geometry of Light” by Grit Meyer. Winner, Non-Professional, Minimalism
“The image ‘Geometry of Light' deconstructs existing forms and recontextualizes them. The modern design of Isozaki's architecture seamlessly merges with elements of Islamic architecture, while the human figure serves as a scale reference.”
“Fishermen's Dance Among Inle's Mangroves” by Xavier Ayme. Winner, Non-Professional, Travel
“Fishermen skillfully working the serene waters of Inle Lake, surrounded by lush mangroves, their traditional techniques blending harmoniously with the tranquil landscape.”
“Hanging Divers” by Jesper Bjarke Andersen. Overall Non-Professional 3rd Place and Winner, Non-Professional, Nature
“My approach to UV photography was the same as on land: using a small camera, without lights or flash, and shooting exclusively in black and white. (Leica Q2 mono). This photo was taken purely on instinct—framed in the moment, with no need for adjustment afterwards.”
“Ageless Portrait” by Asok Sengupta. Overall Non-Professional Runner-up
“Va, pensiero” (“Go, thought” from “Nabucco”) by Christian Basetti. Winner, Non-Professional, Fine Art
“Oh my homeland, so beautiful but lost. Oh, remembrance, so beloved, but so painful. Golden harp inspiring the great Poets. Why are you so silent and abandoning yourself to tears? Rekindle memories in our hearts. Tell us again about our glorious past!” Giuseppe Verdi inspires the Italian glory in decay.”
“West Bank & Jerusalem” by Michael Christopher Brown. Winner, Professional Photojournalism
“An Internal Odyssey” by Tzion Essel. Overall Professional 3rd Place.
Expert judges selected winners across Professional and Non-Professional Divisions.
“Symphony of Strings” by Jacquie Matechuk. Winner, Professional, Architecture
“Getting lost in the intricate symmetry of a modern cable-stayed bridge, transforming its structure into a mesmerizing display of geometric precision. An interplay of converging lines and curving forms creates a sense of movement and balance, evoking both architectural strength and delicate artistry.”
“Frost On My Windows” by Peter Jeschke. Winner, Professional, Nature
“Nature creates frost art in winter on my leaky old farmhouse windows. Ephemeral crystalline compositions form overnight, are lit by morning light diffracting
wondrously through the ice crystals, then the artwork disappears in the sun’s warmth. Occasional flat gray winter light lends itself to B&W.”
“North Uist Landscape” by Jens Winkler. Winner, Professional, Minimalism
“An abstract of the landscape on the island of North Uist, Scotland.”
“Alone Together” by Christine Walsh. Winner, Professional, Abstract
“Photographer Devin Yalkin.”
“Perfect balance of man and horse” by Beng Tiong Ng. Winner, Non-Professional, Domestic Animals
“Mongolian eagle hunters are Kazakhs who have a tradition of hunting on horseback. Man and horse are one mobile unit. At the Golden Eagle Festival, sports are held to show their skills. The contest to pick up coin bags at full gallop requires perfect balance for both man and horse.”
“The Shape of Light” by Eric Hagemann. Winner, Professional, Fine Art
“Orangutan: The Person of the Forest” by Venkatesh Kittur. Winner, Non-Professional, Fine Art
“Here, I am presenting a portrait of an Orangutan with deep, soulful eyes, reflecting both intelligence and sorrow. Their gaze speaks of a quiet plea for survival, haunted by the encroachment of deforestation and habitat loss, a silent struggle for existence and survival in a rapidly changing world.”
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