2026 Global Photography Awards Reveals Photographers of the Year and Category Winners

September 25, 2026

Contact: Tyler K. | Executive Vice President of Programs and Marketing

Global Photography Awards 

Email: tyler@iaaawards.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2026 Global Photography Awards Reveals Photographers of the Year and Category Winners

(INTERNATIONAL – September 25, 2026) The Global Photography Awards, presented by the International Awards Associate (IAA), has announced its 2026 winners, recognizing professional, amateur, and student photographers whose work demonstrates outstanding visual storytelling, technical execution, and creative perspective.

The competition received more than 6,000 entries from over 40 countries, representing achievements across editorial, architecture, nature, people, black-and-white, fine art, commercial, and other fields of photography.

Leading the results are Megumi Murakami of Japan, named Professional Photographer of the Year, and João Coelho of Portugal, named Amateur Photographer of the Year. Seven photographers also received Category Winner of the Year titles across the professional and amateur divisions.

2026 Global Photographers of the Year

Megumi Murakami received the Professional Photographer of the Year title for “Sacred Fire Ritual,” entered in Editorial Photography – Religious. The series documents a 1,200-year-old Shinto ritual at Toba Shinmei Shrine in Japan, capturing the devotion and physical risk involved as participants enter a burning structure to retrieve sacred ropes representing the months of the year. Murakami will receive a $5,000 cash prize and the 2026 Maia statuette.

João Coelho was named Amateur Photographer of the Year for “Plato’s Cave,” entered in Editorial Photography – Feature Story. The series follows laborers dismantling a stranded ship under difficult conditions, using its dark and confined interior to examine hardship, isolation, and the hope attached to their work. Coelho will receive a $3,000 cash prize and the 2026 Maia statuette.

Category Winners Across Global Photography

Alongside the two highest titles, the following photographers received Category Winner of the Year titles as the highest-scoring entries within their respective fields:

Professional Category Winners

• Architecture Photography: “Hong Kong Modern Mosaics” by Derry Ainsworth

• Editorial Photography: “Beneath the Toll Road: The Final Evening at KM 17” by Lucky Rangga

• Nature Photography: “Monolith: Sigiriya from Above” by Derry Ainsworth

• People Photography: “Heritage Written in Skin” by Paul Bride

• Black & White Photography: “Lord of the Flies” by Mats Andersson

Amateur Category Winners

• Editorial Photography: “River of Life” by Jan Grodza

• Nature Photography: “Papyrus” by Alejandro Murillo

• People Photography: “Fading - the last of their kinds” by Philipp Schmieja

The Category Winners of the Year each receive a $100 cash prize.

“Photography earns its impact when an image gives viewers a reason to stop, examine, and understand something more clearly,” said Thomas Brandt, spokesperson for IAA. “The 2026 winners achieve this across subjects ranging from sacred tradition and human labor to architecture, nature, culture, and wildlife. Their recognition reflects both what they chose to document and the discipline with which they brought those stories forward.”

The complete list of 2026 winners and their recognized works is available at globalphotographyawards.com.

Evaluated by an International Photography Jury

Entries underwent blind evaluation, with identifying entrant information removed during judging. Professional submissions were evaluated separately from amateur and student work.

The international jury brought together established photographers, visual artists, commercial specialists, and photography educators. All entries were evaluated according to originality, storytelling, technical execution, visual impact, and overall impression.

Call for Entries: 2026 New York Photography Awards

Entries remain open for the 2026 New York Photography Awards, a sister program welcoming professional, amateur, and student photographers worldwide, with winners to be announced on December 11, 2026. 

Complete submission information is available at newyorkphotographyawards.com.

About the Global Photography Awards

The Global Photography Awards is an international competition recognizing the stories, creative decisions, technical ability, and individual perspectives behind exceptional photography. Presented by the International Awards Associate (IAA), the competition welcomes professional, amateur, and student photographers from around the world.

Website: globalphotographyawards.com

Media Partner: Muse.World