International Photo Awards 2023: Curator’s Highlights (13 Pics)

"Since March 2022, Ukrainian communities have been stagnated by the atrocities of the Russian military invading the country with deadly merciless missiles, artillery, and bullets. But Ukrainians were not vanquished. Instead, they rise. Whether they are children whose dads died in battles with Russian troops, or elderly women who survived attacks in war-torn cities, Ukrainians face the pain with positiveness, bravery, resilience, persistence, and love, conquering the scars of the never-ending war that has taken countless lives across the Eastern European country."

"Farmers at the Floating Market in Borneo practice one of the most beautiful examples of how people value food and one another. Every morning before sunrise, local farmers embark on their wooden boats to trade with each other. They transform their boats into floating mini-markets, loaded with fresh products, spices, and cooked food. Witnessing the trader’s activities reminded me of a harmonious dance. Each component is important to the market system: the river, the boats, the traders, and the customers. Together they formed a beautiful connection – how they value their products and each other."

"Diversity in the animal world is crucial to maintaining ecological balance. Each species plays a unique role in its ecosystem. Preserving and protecting animal diversity is essential to ensure the survival and well-being of our planet."

"These are the more environmental portraits from the South Sudan project. Usually captured at sunrise or sunset when the Ankole-Watusi cattle were brought in or out of camp."

"As a photojournalist, I embarked on a mission covering the largest wildfires throughout Northern California over the last three years. Beyond the pursuit of harrowing visuals, the confluence of such colossal wildfires stands as a chilling testament to the urgency of our global climate crisis. Each wildfire I witnessed echoed the ominous truth that our planet is on a precipice, teetering perilously towards irreversible consequences. Through my lens, I sought to amplify the human toll and ecological devastation inflicted by these blazes, aiming to ignite a collective awakening."

"From the front lines of the war in Ukraine comes this compelling collection of images from world-class photojournalists that captures the humanity, perseverance, and determination of the nation's fight for freedom against all odds. Portfolios from some of the most respected photojournalists of our time: Carol Guzy, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Paula Bronstein, Pulitzer Prize finalist Justyna Mielnikiewicz, award-winning photojournalist Svet Jacqueline, award-winning photojournalist and 20+ other world-renowned photojournalists."

"Bangladesh, the world's largest delta, is a direct victim of global warming. Increased natural disasters like cyclones and oceanic tidal waves affect Bangladesh's coastal area. The coastal lowlands of this country have millions who, ironically, depend on the sea for their livelihood. As rising sea levels and unusually high tidal waves encroach the lowlands of Bangladesh, the coastal areas face increased salinity. Fishing communities in Bangladesh report that the availability of many local species has declined with the silting up of river beds, changes in temperature, and earlier flooding."

"As a mother of 4 boys, there are some days that it truly feels like I am raising cavemen. I call them my wild things, goober b**ts, and terd babies. They are everywhere, doing everything, ALL the time. I can barely keep up. It leads me to ponder all the ways humans started as primitive creatures and somehow we have evolved to what we are today. Our children are still born with the same primitive instincts to run, explore, and learn- but we try to contain them, and ourselves, to this unattainable idea of perfection. Women, especially, are born into these modern expectations of being beautiful."

"I want to tell a story about the Drag Queen lifestyle. The main part of their life is performance; I attended many shows and competitions to capture the best of it. Whether it’s beloved plays, costumes or adult performances, the ability to dress up and play characters is core to artistic expression."

"For a little over a year, I sought to acquire or borrow old photographs of Macau, captured in black and white, between 1930 and 1990, in various formats and then attempted to find the original locations of the old photos and superimpose them over their contemporary sites. The end result is a striking portrayal of just how much the city has transformed over the decades."

"The Queen is dead. The Royal sailors, not the elite corps, escort the coffin. The ancient ritual, so out of time, is surprisingly powerful. Like all rituals, made so that the people can see. See that the world stood the shock and is ready to enter the unknown smoothly, and peacefully. Everything flows around the ritual: the procession, the mighty army, the endless queue. People seem hungry for meaning and stability. Only behind their many eyes, as if peeking through somebody's windows, one can catch a hint of it: history's frightening turmoil, the cold wind of unstoppable change."

"The Anomium series is informed by the concept of Higonnet's "knowing child". At the heart of this work is the idea that childhood is a time of both innocence and wisdom, a window filled with innocence but burdened by the knowledge of a complex and unkind world. The objective is to position this series as an examination of this transitional phase, to evoke a sense of transformation that is at once haunting while retaining elements of this fading innocence, and to serve as a testament to the resilience and beauty of childhood in the face of the inexorable march towards maturity."

"'Playboys' is a collection of Yager's provocative images, documenting a notorious Los Angeles street gang, Playboys 13. Begun in January 1992; a year of rioting, gang warfare, and record gun deaths, the photographs span up until 2003. This historical body of work objectively explores the visual expression and culture of gangs, their humanity, and the bonds that keep them together, while also exposing the consequences of their decisions. 144 images, 260 pages. 32x22 cm hard cover. Published December 2022 by 550BC. Such intimate images were only possible to have been photographed from the inside."