Street Photography Awards 2024 — Meet the Winners!
It was interesting to view the submissions to this LensCulture competition. It is easy to spot the trends and the latest players in photography through the work... When that happens, I am interested. ”
picks
I liked this series as it showed me a sense of exploration which I had not seen before. This is a factor I am always looking out for—a new approach rather than relying on a familiar language . I hope Taewook Noh takes this to the next stage and continues this work.
This photo immediately stood out to me due to O’Shaughnessy’s unique ability to capture subtle repetitions and structured compositions. The image shows two women wearing identical outfits under an umbrella, while two other women in similar raincoats look on, creating a visually engaging scene. The presence of the American flag in the background adds a sense of place, enhancing the narrative within the frame. This brilliance in composition is a hallmark of the photographer’s work, which is both subtle and enjoyable to observe. The longer you look at her photographs, the more layers and details are revealed, making them truly fascinating and memorable.
New York Chinatown by Didier Vanderperre is a wonderful look at a neighborhood in New York that is slowly evolving away from the hustle and bustle of its former self for a host of reasons—the effects of the pandemic, gentrification, and the economy to name a few. While it still remains a tourist destination, his images remind us that a vibrant community still exists there.
The clean composition draws me into this photo, but its sense of moment is what makes me stay with the frame. The young girl and the woman are connected — they seem to know each other and the balloon literally joins their faces in the image — but immersed in their own worlds and thoughts. Timing and emotion are everything.
Andrei Furnea’s street photographs are especially rewarding for viewers who take time to soak in everything in the frames, since they almost always include small surprising details that add up to elevate the compositions. The photographer, in essence, trains our eyes to be more observant and to find delight in unlikely juxtapositions that occur quite naturally in public places. His sense of humor — and humanity — comes through in every image.
I was drawn to this series because so many of the pictures simply tickled my fancy. They show the kinds of things I’d also register and want to capture for myself. They zero in on an eclectic mix of street moments, recording the bizarre, the everyday but slightly absurd urban, human moments that many might overlook. I also like the visual consistency—how the distance from the subject (not too close and not too long) and the color palette ties everything together into a visually cohesive series.
A cityscape hugs the ocean in the background, creating a creamy and soft backdrop that enhances the foreground. Here, two individuals peacefully practice exercises for their well-being. One of them is engaged in a Hindu breathing practice, covering one nostril to inhale or exhale through the other. The light in the picture is beautiful, making the serene moment stand out as the man prepares to continue embracing vibrant city life.
Jones’ works attempts to transform the streets of his city, which he passes through daily, making the journey as important as the destination. His street photography is a practice of being in the moment.
The submissions this year were very diverse and included visual stories from around the globe. The competition was tough—a true testament that visuals remain a leading force in telling stories either through single images or a series. It’s wonderful to see so many visual storytellers interested in covering the world. ”
Our International Jury
Martin Parr is a British photojournalist, photobook collector, and documentary photographer. He is best known for his photographic projects which offer a critical examination of various elements of modern life, especially in suburban and provincial life in England.
In 1994, Parr became a full member of Magnum Photos. He has published nearly 50 books and has been featured in over 80 exhibitions around the world, including the Barbican Arts Center in London. Parr’s retrospective exhibit was chosen to be an important monthly display in 2007 for Photography Asia. He also received the Royal Photographic Society’s Centenary Medal in 2008 for his significant contributions to photography and an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal Photographic Society that same year. In 2008, Parr became Manchester Metropolitan University’s Honorary Doctor of Arts in acknowledgement of his contributions to the university’s school of art and also for his photography.
Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Carol Körting worked as a freelance photographer before studying photo editing at the Ostkreuz Schule für Fotografie in Berlin, Germany. She has served as photo editor for the renowned Leica Fotografie International Magazine (LFI) and its online platform for over a decade, during which time she has produced and edited countless photographic projects.
As a professional portfolio reviewer, Körting was part of a team of jurors at numerous photography competitions. In addition, she gives talks, workshops and presentations on photo editing.
Sandra M. Stevenson is an award-winning Writer / Visual Editor / Curator in the photography department at The Washington Post. As a Deputy Director of Photography, she manages a team of picture editors who work on International, Climate, and Health + Science.
Prior to joining The Post, Sandra was an associate deputy director of photography at CNN, where she managed picture editors who curated the home screen, edited stories and newsletters, as well as special projects.
Maura Friedman is a senior photo editor at National Geographic where she collaborates with photographers on stories across print, digital, and social video.
She has served as a juror and reviewer for organizations including American Photography, Visa Pour L’Image, the New York Times Portfolio Review, the Indian Photo Festival, and more.
Previously, Maura worked as lead photo editor at the Urban Institute, a multimedia reporter at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, and an independent visual journalist producing photo and video stories across the Southeast United States.
Gulnara Lyabib Samoilova is an American photographer with 45 years of experience in documentary, street, and fine art photography. She graduated from the International Center of Photography in 1994 and worked as a staff photo editor and photojournalist at the Associated Press, 1994-2003.
Throughout her career, Gulnara has received numerous awards for her photographs, including first prize from World Press Photo. Gulnara's work is part of collections at the Museum of the City of New York, Houston Museum of Fine Arts, and New York Historical Society.
She is the founder of Women Street Photographers, an online and in-person global community, as well as an artist residency in New York City. Additionally, she is the author of the best-selling book 'Women Street Photographers' (2021, Prestel) and a portfolio book ‘Daydreaming’ (2023, Peanut Press). With her vast experience and expertise, Gulnara has organized and curated over 30 successful exhibitions in four continents, including the groundbreaking Women Street Photographers and Leica Women Foto Project Festival in New York City. This three-day event features group and solo exhibitions, grants, panel discussions, seminars, talks and photo walks. In addition to her curatorial work, Gulnara is also an inspirational speaker, guest judge (Lens Culture, Lucie Photo Book Prize, UNESCO) and portfolio reviewer ( Arles Les Rencontres de la Photographie and PhotoNola).
Hideko Kataoka is a photo editor and curator.
Hideko was appointed director of photography at Newsweek Japan in 2001. As such, she oversees and directs photography for the magazine's printed and digital editions and special issues. In 2004, she created the 'Picture Power' section, a weekly photo essay that captures underreported topics from around the world.
Hideko has been a lecturer in photojournalism and documentary photography at Tokyo Polytechnic University since 2013 and a member of the External Review Committee at Tokyo Photographic Art Museum since 2016. She participates in portfolio reviews and has served as a juror at international photography festivals and competitions, such as World Press Photo, FotoFest, and many others. She is also the founder and director of Miiraii Creative.
Johanna has worked with books and photography at Thames & Hudson for more than 35 years in various roles including book and book cover designer, picture editor, art director, Design Director leading the substantial in-house design team and as a commissioning editor for various photography and popular culture titles.
Some of her favourite commissioned titles for Thames & Hudson include Street Photography Now by Sophie Howarth and Stephen McLaren, Made in Dublin by Eamonn Doyle, the sadly out of print but highly sought-after Cardiff by Dark by Maciej Dakowicz, and Hong Kong Front Door Back Door by Michael Wolf. A book of her own street photography Columbia Road (in the UK) After the Flower Market (in the USA) was published by Hoxton Mini-Press.
When not making books or helping others do the same, Johanna is an active member of the photography and design community, being one of the original founders of Offspring Photo Meet: London’s Portfolio Reviews and festival. She has been a judge for the Sony World Photography Awards. A juror for D&AD Next Photographer, and also Head of the Jury for book design. She has reviewed portfolios at numerous international photo festivals including Houston FotoFest, Fotografiska Stockholm, Format International Photography Festival, Derby and Arles Rencontres.
Jim Casper is the editor-in-chief of LensCulture, one of the leading online destinations to discover new contemporary photography from around the world. As an active member in the contemporary photography world, Casper loves to meet with photographers and talk about photography. He curates art exhibitions, publishes books, conducts workshops, serves as an international juror, nominates photographers for key awards, and is an advisor to arts and education organizations.
