The State of the World photography contest by Prix de la Photographie Paris (Px3) invites photographers to showcase uncensored stories highlighting critical issues from around the world.
The 33 selected photographers will feature in a curated exhibition in Paris and receive a $200 prize.
This year’s selection of images offer a poignant insight into the harsh realities communities and individuals face around the world from climate injustice, war, poverty, and other crises.
Hossein Farmani, Curator of the State of the World, shared his thoughts about the selection:
"I hope that these stories, captured through the lens of photographers, without manipulation or political bias, help you better understand the world we live in. I encourage you to share these images with those around you, in the hope that they foster compassion and appreciation for the shared values that unite us, rather than focusing on what divides us."
A full list of all the winners, and runners up can be seen on the website.
Drew Gardener, United Kingdom - Fine Art Photographer of the year
"The Culmination of 3 years of painstaking research of family trees and archives to identify photos of Black Civil war combatants then to trace and contact their descendants and persuade them to be the sitter in the recreation of the photograph of their forebear(with the descendant).
"The series was made possible by bringing the descendants together from all over the USA and carrying out the shoot in a daylight studio in New York, utilising a tintype camera.
"The series was the main centrepiece for the Black history month of the Smithsonian magazine with one of the images was used on the cover."
Patryk Jaracz, Ukraine - Press Photographer of the Year
The following project is an examination of the consequences of war in Ukraine through visual documentation of its impact.
"On the frontline war takes a direct shape of explosions and destruction resulting in hundreds of thousands of lost lives and once peaceful villages and cities turned into rubble. Millions of people were forced to flee their homes while millions are living under constant threat without access to water, gas or electricity. While the smoke in the aftermath of an explosion can be seen in the moment, pain and trauma may last for years or lifetimes to come."
Louis-Philippe Provost, Canada - Architecture Photographer of the Year
Last light of the day striking the Freedom Tower in Manhattan.
"Fine Art photographer Louis-Philippe Provost is inspired by architecture and travelling, sharing his passion through his creative work where he studies buildings and landscapes from new and different angles. In his unique style, he favors black and white to highlight the composition and contrast of his images."
Robert David Atkinson, United States - Book Photographer of the Year
"A Silent Witness to Beauty is a captivating journey through the lens and the imagination of photographer and author Robert David Atkinson. This unique collection combines black-and-white photographs with fictional narratives to offer a truly immersive experience. Through the intimate portraits of birds and other wildlife, each photograph and story invites you to pause and contemplate the beauty of nature in its rawest form.
"My personal work shown here is focused on recurring avian, landscape, and environmental themes, along with contrasting urban decay explorations.
I am a New York City-based commercial still life product/location photographer and videographer with a specialty and extensive expertise in watch product photography and video."
Anne Mason-Hoerter, Germany, Nature Photographer of the Year
"The environmental impact of climate change on the plant community is profound. As temperatures rise and weather patterns become more erratic, flowers face challenges in their lifecycle, from altered flowering times to habitat loss.
"This disruption affects the crucial role wildflowers play in ecosystems as primary sources of nectar and pollen for pollinators like bees and butterflies, essential for plant reproduction and biodiversity. This is a long term project to reconstruct plants affected by climate change based on my childhood memories of these plants.
"Anne Mason-Hoerter is a Canadian photographer who experiments with the combining of multiple image scans and digital images of food and botanics. She was captivated very early on by extreme photographic manipulation techniques as a photographic student at the Ontario College of Art in Canada. Still today, Anne is constantly in search for unconventional ways in which to present both food and Botanical imagery in a modern and original way."
If this has inspired you to take your own photographs, take a look at our guides to the best cameras for beginners, the best cameras for professionals, and the best travel cameras.
