“Etna’s Paroxysm” by Gianluca Gianferrari. Grand Prize Winner.
The world-renowned photography contest known as HIPA has revealed the winners of its latest competition. The theme, “Power,” invited photographers to explore strength, endurance, and force across natural and human-made environments. Thousands of artists from around the world submitted work for the chance to share in the contest’s $1 million prize pool. Italian photographer Gianluca Gianferrari earned the grand prize for his photograph of Mount Etna during an active eruption. He captured the scene at night, when glowing lava cut through the darkness. The image highlights the scale and intensity of nature without any human presence. Judges praised the photograph for its precision and its clear portrayal of environmental power.
Power also appears through survival and perseverance. Syrian photographer Hashem Dardowra won first place in the Power category with an image of a young boy standing among the ruins of conflict. The photograph centers on the subject’s expression rather than the destruction around him. This choice shifts the focus to human resilience and emotional strength.
Other photographers approached power through science and movement. Indian photographer Deepak Singh Dogra, for example, captured a detailed view of the sun’s surface. His image emphasizes the immense energy that sustains life on Earth. Meanwhile, Australian photographer Scott Portelli took third place with an underwater photograph of penguins swimming at high speed. Trails of bubbles reveal the force and efficiency of their movement.
Additional winners across color, black and white, and sports categories expand the theme further. Wildlife photographs focus on the physical presence and instinct. Landscape images highlight scale and natural forces. Sports photographs capture moments of peak exertion and control. Together, these works show power as both physical and emotional.
This year’s HIPA photography contest winners present power as a shared human experience. The selected images move beyond spectacle and focus on clarity, intention, and impact. Through nature, resilience, and motion, the photographers offer a global view of what power looks like today.
HIPA’s latest competition invited photographers worldwide to interpret power through nature, human experience, and motion, with a total prize pool of $1 million.
“Ultimate Power” by Deepak Singh Dogra. 2nd Place Winner, Power Category.
“Burden of Survival” by Ali Jadallah. 1st Place Winner, Portfolio Category.
Winning photographs focus on raw environmental energy, human survival, solar energy, and animal motion, showing power through endurance and physical force.
“The Rise of the Phoenix” by Hashem Dardowra. 1st Place Winner, Power Category.
“Time Will Tell” by Chris Fallows. 2nd Place Winner, Black & White Category.
“Victory and Defeat” by Vladimir Tadic. 1st Place Winner, Sports Category.
“The Madison” by Masatoshi Ujihara. 3rd Place Winner, Sports Category.
“Exploding Swell” by Edward John Grambeau. 1st Place Winner, Black & White Category.
Across all categories, the selected images present power as both physical and emotional, offering a global snapshot of strength in many forms.
“Jetstreams” by Scott Portelli. 3rd Place Winner, Power Category.
“Apex of Grace” by Ladislav Perenyi. 2nd Place Winner, Sports Category.
Ammar AlSayed Ahmed. 3rd Place Winner, Portfolio Category.
“The Flying Hatchet” by Jinhua Zhi. 2nd Place Winner, Color Category.
“The Lake Eye” by Marcin Giba. 3rd Place Winner, Color Category.
“Whispers of Light” by Marek Biegalski. 2nd Place Winner, Portfolio Category.
“Jungle Keeper” by Karine Aigner. 1st Place Winner, Color Category.
“Sunset Over the Sands” by Yousef Bin Shakar Al Zaabi. 3rd Place Winner, Black & White Category.
