Unveiled the winners of the 15. edition of URBAN Photo Awards 2024

Bangladeshi photographer Sanchayan Chowdhury with the shot “Eid Journey” is the  Photographer of the Year URBAN Photo Awards 2024, chosen by the president of the jury Harry Gruyaert among all the first ranked in the Streets, People, Spaces and Creative categories in the Single Photos section.

The Winner was announced and awarded live at the URBAN Photo Awards ceremony, Saturday 26 October at the Auditorium of the Museo Revoltella, as part of the eleventh edition of Internationl Photography Festival Trieste Photo Days.

Sanchayan Chowdhury – Eid Journey

Here is the complete comment from Harry Gruyaert, President of the Jury and of URBAN Photographer of the Year:

I would have liked to take this picture myself, that’s why I chose it. I know the situation in Indian transportation; it’s something unbelievable. The picture looks perfect, it’s hard to believe. Everything is so well-placed; the composition is beautiful. They things move and this person going into the window,I love it and I wish I had shot it myself, which is why I chose this image.

The winner of the Projects & Portfolios section is Polish photographer Krzysztof Bednarski with “La Vida Lenta”, selected by Adam Pretty.

Here is the complete comment from Adam Pretty, President Commission Projects & Portfolio:

I love the stillness, calmness and overall mood this work gives me. I was really influenced by the work of painter Jeffrey Smart when I started my photographic journey and this takes me back to my love of painting.  I really appreciate the graphics, composition and the shapes and all the elements, light shadow all working together. That for me is what makes a great photograph, it is a moment captured with a number of combined elements, almost working backwards starting with a blank canvas that is the scene or background and waiting for the subjects to hit their marks and create the perfect composition and blending of all the elements.

Paul Gadd, designated juror of the URBAN Book Award section, has awarded STEEL, SEA AND SORROW by italian photographer Maria Pansini.

Here is the complete comment from Paul Gadd, President Commission URBAN Book Award:

Maria Pansini’s Sea, Steel, and Sorrow captures the complex and tragic relationship between industrialization and human life. Her work delves deeply into Taranto’s identity, revealing both the city’s historical grandeur and the deep scars left by industry. This documentary serves as an important reminder of the need for balance between development and nature, resonating far beyond Taranto itself.

2024 was a year rich in new prizes and categories:

• the URBAN Zine Award – a section dedicated to printed projects in zine format
• the Special Prize for Artistic Sensitivity, a prize for the most artistic Single photo personally chosen by Giorgio Celiberti
• and The Patricia D. Richards Legacy Award – dedicated to the U35 authors from the Projects and Portfolio section.

The first edition of the URBAN Zine Award was given to italian Nadia Marmondi with “Divenire” , selected by Federica Berzioli. 

The Artistic Sensitivity award went to Marie-Laure Vareilles and “AVATAR’S MOUNTAIN PAINTER…” – from the Creative Single Photo Section.

Marie-Laure Vareilles – AVATAR’S MOUNTAIN PAINTER…

Ekatarina Frolova is the Winner of the The Patricia D. Richards Legacy Award with her portfolio “Young Cuba”.

The URBAN Press Award prize was won by Max Cavallari with his project Drowned Choice – the italian photographer took home also the title as “TPD Best Author”.

Awarded was also the selected author for the prize-exhibition at the Sartorio Museum Mauro Zorer with “JUNE 22, 1944 – THE CHILDREN’S MARCH”.

The winner of this second edition of URBAN Photo Arena, a section dedicated to young photography talents under 35, is the Indian photographer Subhran Karmakar with his photo “Leap of Faith“.

Subhran Karmakar – Leap of Faith

URBAN Photo Awards 2024 / Final Ranking