Press Release 2025 - Minimalist Photography Awards

Press Release - Minimalist Photography Awards 2025

The Minimalist Photography Awards is proud to announce the winners of its seventh edition. With more than 2,600 entries and over 7,000 images submitted from photographers across 50+ countries, the 2025 awards once again highlight the remarkable creativity and vision within contemporary minimalist photography.

This year’s title of Minimalist Photographer of the Year has been awarded to Alexandros Othonos for his moving series “Threads of Memory’s.” In this project, Othonos transforms vintage family photographs with delicate thread interventions, creating a powerful meditation on memory, time, and nostalgia. By stitching into these images, he invites viewers to reflect on the emotional weight carried within old family albums—where absence, history, and intimacy are intertwined. His series resonated deeply with the jury, standing out as a profound example of minimalist visual storytelling. For this achievement, Othonos receives the Grand Prize of €2,000.

Quote from Milad Safabakhsh, Founder:
“This year, the Minimalist Photography Awards reached a milestone, with more than 2,600 entries and over 7,000 images submitted worldwide. At a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly entering creative fields, these numbers affirm that photography remains vibrant and continues to inspire artists globally. The winning works of 2025 show that minimalist photography is not only alive, but has become a fundamental language of visual storytelling.”

In addition to the cash award, winners of the 2025 competition will be featured in the annual Minimalist Photography Awards book, presented in an international exhibition, and published across partner media platforms with a combined reach of more than 1 million followers.

The seventh edition of the Minimalist Photography Awards featured 12 categories, judged by a distinguished panel of industry experts:

Sylvia Janschek – Owner & Director of Sylvia Janschek ART Gallery

Matthias Weissengruber – Member of the board of the Guild of Austrian Photography

Leon Boch – Art Director of Galerie am Lindenplatz

Milad Safabakhsh – Founder of Minimalist Photography Awards

Jury Reflections:

Leon Boch, Art Director of Galerie am Lindenplatz and a member of the 2025 jury, shared his thoughts on this year’s submissions:

“It was a pleasure to serve as a juror for this year’s Minimalist Photography Awards. The overwhelming number of submissions from around the world not only highlights the international appeal of the competition but also, more importantly, underscores the enduring relevance of minimalist visual language in contemporary photography. I was particularly impressed by the quality of the work: clear compositions, subtle details, and powerful ideas that demonstrate just how much expressive force can be achieved through reduction. Each image had its own character and offered a fresh perspective. A big thank you to all the artists who made this inspiring exchange possible through their contributions.”

Behind-the-Scenes at the Judging Stage:

Category Winners:

Abstract:

1st Place: Tommi Viitala – When The Angels Cry
2nd Place: Gianfranco Bove – Blooming
3rd Place: Paul Lehane – Graceful Curves

Aerial

1st Place: Nicolas Ferri – Laços
2nd Place: Marcin Giba – Third Eye
3rd Place: Sebastian Wohlfeil – Suðurland

Architecture

1st Place: Geoffrey Goddard – Sentinel Ghost
2nd Place: Yevhen Kostiuk – Shapes of Pools
3rd Place: Noel Clegg – Capanne

Conceptual

1st Place: Alexandros Othonos – Threads of Memory’s
2nd Place: Laura Lewis – It’s Complicated
3rd Place: Robin Williams – Boy

Fine Art

1st Place: Robert Bolton – Dream Land
2nd Place: Bruin Feskens – Mrbrown
3rd Place: Larisa Schubert – Grace in the Dark

Landscape

1st Place: Martin Rak – Art of Winter
2nd Place: Kalle Saarikko – Whirl
3rd Place: Alexandre Brisson – Dreamscape of Etosha

Long Exposure

1st Place: Nick Green – The Shy Fishermen
2nd Place: Carsten Velten – Misty Venice
3rd Place: Richie Johns – Branching Out

Night Photography

1st Place: William Shum – Window in the Sky
2nd Place: Kotomi Sakai – Orbit
3rd Place: Axel Görlach – Hiding II

Open

1st Place: Renzo Cicillini – Evening Peace
2nd Place: Luca Menotti – Feet
3rd Place: Florian Wurzinger – Swan

Photomanipulation

1st Place: Jerad Armijo – Lands of Transition
2nd Place: Rupert Höller – Walking in the Sun
3rd Place: Sven Kennessen – A Captain’s Pilot Project

Portrait

1st Place: Giuseppe Gradella – Past Present
2nd Place: Ramona Zordini – Experimental Portrait 6
3rd Place: Ernesto Fiorentino – Mrs Shadow

Street

1st Place: Selaru Ovidiu – Together
2nd Place: YongSeok Chun – Crosswalk
3rd Place: Ole Arnt Thomsen – Blurry Man

About Minimalist Photography Awards:

Minimalist Photography Awards is an international platform that celebrates the power of simplicity in photography. The awards bring together talented photographers from around the world who transform ordinary moments and spaces into extraordinary works of art through minimalism. Each year, the competition honors creativity, vision, and the ability to see beauty in restraint—whether through form, color, light, or composition.

By recognizing both emerging and established photographers, the awards not only showcase stunning images but also promote a deeper appreciation for minimalist aesthetics. The mission is simple yet profound: to prove that less can truly be more, and that silence, space, and simplicity can speak louder than complexity.

A full list of all winners and honorable mentions can be viewed on the Winners Gallery page of the Minimalist Photography Awards website.

The Minimalist Photography Awards sincerely thanks all participants and supporters. Your passion and commitment to the art of minimalism inspire and sustain the success of this annual celebration.

General / press questions → info@minimalistphotographyawards.com

Interview requests / media inquiries → Editor@minimalistphotographyawards.com