Striking symmetrical portrait celebrating diversity wins Siena Creative Photo Award

White horse jumping
White Beauty – Winner of the Animals category (Image credit: Lurdes Santander)

The Siena Creative Photo Awards competition, dedicated to artistic and creative photography, has crowned Aesthetics from Africa as its overall winner. Taken by Chinese photographer, Frank Zhang, it features the Afro-American model Sonia Barbie Tucker wearing gold bangles and eyeliner, which pop against her dark skin and dark background. It's a stunning tribute to the concept of beauty that highlights global aesthetic diversity through a beautifully lit portrait. 

Photographers from 133 countries entered this year's competition, making it one of the most successful yet. All nine winning images from each category will be displayed at the I Wonder If You Can exhibition at the Magazzini del Sale in Palazzo Pubblico, nestled in the heart of Siena's iconic Piazza del Campo.

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Aesthetics from Africa – Overall winner (Image credit: Frank Zhang)

Among the category winners are Sound of Light and Glass, by Polish photographer Iwona Czubek, which shines in the Open Theme category. The Girl with the Spiky Hairstyle, by Italian photographer Giorgia Corniola, captivates audiences in the People category. Spanish photographer Lurdes Santander's White Beauty secures victory in the Animals category. German photographer Frank Loddenkemper's Capital Gate Tower Abu Dhabi claims the top spot in the Architecture category. 

The Cake Kid, by Steven Herrschaft, came out on top in the wedding category, while Australian photographer Peter Lik captured the beauty of a lavender field at sunset in Spirit of the Universe, coming first in the Nature & Landscape category. Dutch photographer Cheraine Collette submitted Spotless Elegance, winning the Advertising category, and finally Canadian photographer Alexander Sviridov's Human Skull challenges perceptions and takes the crown in the Fine Art category.

The Cake Kid – Winner of the Wedding category (Image credit: Steven Herrschaft)

Each of these winning images offers a unique perspective on the world, showcasing the incredible diversity of talent and vision in the field of photography. As the Siena Awards Photo Festival approaches, anticipation is building for a celebration of artistry and creativity that promises to captivate audiences from around the world.

The festival will feature major solo exhibitions by three renowned photographers including William Albert Allard, who will offer a retrospective on his remarkable 50-year journey as a writer and photographer for National Geographic. 

Brian Skerry, a celebrated photojournalist and film producer, will showcase his expertise in marine wildlife and underwater environments, while Gabriele Galimberti, an intriguing photographer from Arezzo, will delve into the intricate relationship between the United States and firearms. These three artists will join the two collective exhibitions from Siena Awards, featuring captivating photos and videos from around the globe.

The I Wonder If You Can showcase will run throughout the entire duration of the Siena Awards Photo Festival, which will take place from September 30 to November 19. Head to the Siena Creative Photo Awards website to see the complete winners gallery. 

You might also be interested in the best lenses for portraits, as well as these portrait photography tips, for pixel-perfect people pics. 

Hannah Rooke
Freelance contributor

Having studied Journalism and Public Relations at the University of the West of England Hannah developed a love for photography through a module on photojournalism. She specializes in Portrait, Fashion and lifestyle photography but has more recently branched out in the world of stylized product photography. Hannah spent three years working at Wex Photo Video as a Senior Sales Assistant, using her experience and knowledge of cameras to help people buy the equipment that is right for them. With eight years experience working with studio lighting, Hannah has run many successful workshops teaching people how to use different lighting setups.