The 40th AOP Photography Award winners have been announced, marking four decades of recognising the very best in photography.
This year’s ceremony, held in London on 9 October 2025, showcased a diverse mix of still and moving imagery, highlighting both technical talent and creative storytelling across commissioned, personal, and emerging work.
In a modern world where AI-generated images are increasingly common, the AOP’s focus on "original human-authored photography" is more relevant than ever. As Isabelle Doran, CEO of the Association of Photographers, explains, "Their selection has brought together an electrifying and provocative mix of still and moving imagery that illustrates such a uniquely personal perspective and how our photographers see the world around them. It’s even more poignant in the digital age of AI we find ourselves in. I’m thrilled to see that such strong visual storytelling lives on."
The awards reflect the full spectrum of professional photography, from documentary and fashion to portraiture, sport, and experimental projects. This year also marked the introduction of two new industry awards: the AOP Production Award, celebrating excellence in production, and the AOP Green Award, recognising environmentally responsible practice.
The category winners are as follows:
Documentary
Gold: Jack Margerison
Silver: Todd Antony
Environment
Gold: Sean Breithaupt
Silver: Greg Funnell
Fashion + Beauty
Gold: Hugh Fox
Silver: Jack Eames
Food + Drink
Gold: Henrik Knudsen
Silver: Martin Poole
Lifestyle
Gold: Owen Harvey
Silver: Simon Winnall
Portrait
Gold: Todd Antony
Silver: Hugh Fox
Spaces
Gold: Yuki Sugiura
Silver: Dan Burn-Forti
Sport
Gold: David Clerihew
Silver: Tom Parker
Still Life + Object
Gold: James Day
Silver: Jonathan Knowles
Project
Gold: David Clerihew
Silver: Sebastian Nevols
Best in Show – Personal / Non-commissioned
Winner – Tom Parker
Best in Show – Commissioned
Winner – James Day
Best in Moving Image
Winner – Lewis Khan
AOP Discovery Award
Winner – Ruben Davies
AOP Open Award
Gold: Owen Harvey
Silver: Jerome Mass
AOP Emerging Talent Award
Gold: Jack Currie
Joint Silver: Ruben Davies
Joint Silver: Safa Malik
Martin Evening Excellence in Digital Retouching Award
Winner – Kai Bastard – Bad Start Studios / now Rock Paper Scissors
For photographers, winning an AOP Award is about more than accolades; it’s also about visibility, credibility, and recognition from peers. Julia Fullerton-Batten, multiple AOP Awards winner, reflects on the significance, "I’ve been entering the AOP Awards every year since I was an assistant, and I can say with 100% certainty that it’s had a huge effect on my career. In a world where we’re all bombarded with imagery and there seem to be thousands of new photo competitions, it’s never been more important to stand out and to know which competitions are worth entering. For me, it’s always going to be the AOP Awards; it’s the real deal, it’s judged by my peers, and it gets my work seen by the people that count."
The awards program continues to champion creativity across every facet of photography. From documentary photographers capturing the realities of our world, to stylists, portraitists, and commercial creatives shaping contemporary visual culture, the AOP Awards celebrate the human imagination at its best.
Forty years on, the AOP Awards remain a benchmark for professional excellence, proving that despite technological shifts, photography is, and will always be, about the people behind the camera. See the full winners gallery on the official AOP Awards website.
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