30 Striking Photos From The Istanbul Photo Awards 2025 That Captured The World’s Attention

Brazil’s Gabriel Medina reacts after catching a large wave in the 5th heat of the men’s surfing round 3 in Teahupo’o, on the French Polynesian Island of Tahiti, during the Paris Olympic Games on July 29, 2024.

Lava flows across a road near Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula, Nov. 21, 2024. According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office, a new fissure erupted in the area, sending hot lava spewing into the air.

Bathed in the golden glow of a Kenyan sunset, an African bush elephant strides gracefully as a flock of red-billed queleas takes flight, capturing the harmony of life on the savannah. Photographed on Sept. 15, 2024.

A school of sardines off Moalboal in the Philippines performs a mesmerizing dance between order and chaos, as thousands of tiny fish move in synchronized harmony beneath the sea. More than just a migration, this phenomenon serves as a reminder of both the fragility and strength of marine ecosystems, where life forms collective patterns that blur our perception of individuality. Photographed on Feb. 1, 2024.

Amputations. Disfiguration. Brain damage. Their injuries are life-altering. Ruba Abu Jibba lost an eye to Israeli shelling in Gaza as she and her family fled approaching tanks, she recounts. Abu Jibba is one of many severely wounded Gazans who survived a war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. They managed to escape for medical treatment in Qatar. They are alive, though some question whether they still want to be.

The story of Simone Biles at the Paris Olympics. Biles led the US women’s team to gold in the artistic gymnastics team final, then added three more medals in the individual finals. With 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals, she stands as the most decorated gymnast in history.

An Afghan woman in a blue burqa holds a caged dove, a powerful image that reflects themes of restriction and hope. The cage suggests barriers, while the dove symbolizes the desire for freedom. Set against patterned wallpaper, the scene contrasts domestic enclosure with the desire for autonomy, offering a reflection on the complexity of Afghan women's experiences. Photographed on March 21, 2024.

In 2024, intense floods swept across East Africa, displacing thousands, crippling infrastructure, and leaving communities struggling to access essential resources. Kenya faced one of its worst floods in recent memory, the latest in a string of weather disasters driven by weeks of relentless rainfall linked to a changing climate. The disaster laid bare the region’s mounting vulnerability to extreme weather, claiming over 300 lives and displacing more than 55,000 households as murky waters engulfed villages, destroyed roads, and overwhelmed dams.

Traditional Greek attire reflects social status and identity, highlighting the evolving role of women. In rural areas, women wore practical clothing, while urban fashion showcased wealth. Black garments signified mourning, while wedding dresses symbolized fertility. Until the 20th century, 80% of women worked in agriculture, but industrialization shifted 60% to artisanal work. By 1920, only 35% of women were literate, but education introduced Western influences. By 1980, workforce participation had risen to 45%. Since 2019, the Mitos Project has brought traditional costumes into a contemporary context.

Traditional Greek attire reflects social status and identity, highlighting the evolving role of women. In rural areas, women wore practical clothing, while urban fashion showcased wealth. Black garments signified mourning, while wedding dresses symbolized fertility. Until the 20th century, 80% of women worked in agriculture, but industrialization shifted 60% to artisanal work. By 1920, only 35% of women were literate, but education introduced Western influences. By 1980, workforce participation had risen to 45%. Since 2019, the Mitos Project has brought traditional costumes into a contemporary context.

A Syrian man sells vegetables in front of a damaged tank in Homs on December 20, 2024. On Dec. 8, Anti-regime forces launched a lightning offensive that took Damascus, ousting President Bashar al-Assad and bringing an end to five decades of Baathist rule in Syria.

Amputations. Disfiguration. Brain damage. Their injuries are life-altering. Ruba Abu Jibba lost an eye to Israeli shelling in Gaza as she and her family fled approaching tanks, she recounts. Abu Jibba is one of many severely wounded Gazans who survived a war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. They managed to escape for medical treatment in Qatar. They are alive, though some question whether they still want to be.

Dzabuli Bendeliani was born in the Georgian region of Abkhazia during World War II. In 1992, when the Georgian-Abkhaz war erupted, she was forced to flee. During their escape, her daughter dropped a doll, which Dzabuli quickly retrieved. This doll remains the only possession she has from her former life. Like thousands of other internally displaced persons, Dzabuli settled in a sanatorium in Tskaltubo, a Soviet-era spa town where she would spend the next 30 years. Photographed on Oct. 16, 2024.

'Were Afghan Women to Unveil Their Tales' is a project that offers an intimate and respectful insight into the lives of Afghan women, highlighting the challenges they face in a harsh reality. Afghanistan today grapples with numerous issues, with one of the most severe being the erosion of women’s rights and freedoms. Since the Taliban retook control, over 70 laws have restricted women’s access to education, work, health care, and freedom of movement. Despite these conditions, Afghan women demonstrate remarkable inner strength, withstanding the pressures of an environment designed to hold them back.

In 2024, intense floods swept across East Africa, displacing thousands, crippling infrastructure, and leaving communities struggling to access essential resources. Kenya faced one of its worst floods in recent memory, the latest in a string of weather disasters driven by weeks of relentless rainfall linked to a changing climate. The disaster laid bare the region’s mounting vulnerability to extreme weather, claiming over 300 lives and displacing more than 55,000 households as murky waters engulfed villages, destroyed roads, and overwhelmed dams.

Haiti, the first black republic, is in turmoil, with armed gangs controlling much of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Rival federations, G9 and Gpèp, have joined forces, declaring a 'popular revolution' that led to the ousting of the prime minister in March 2024 following attacks on the airport and near the National Palace. Streets have become unsafe, and more than 60% of schools remain closed. The violence has displaced over 578,000 people, forcing them to seek refuge in makeshift camps where food, clean water, and essential medical care are in short supply.

'Were Afghan Women to Unveil Their Tales' is a project that offers an intimate and respectful insight into the lives of Afghan women, highlighting the challenges they face in a harsh reality. Afghanistan today grapples with numerous issues, with one of the most severe being the erosion of women’s rights and freedoms. Since the Taliban retook control, over 70 laws have restricted women’s access to education, work, health care, and freedom of movement. Despite these conditions, Afghan women demonstrate remarkable inner strength, withstanding the pressures of an environment designed to hold them back.

Traditional Greek attire reflects social status and identity, highlighting the evolving role of women. In rural areas, women wore practical clothing, while urban fashion showcased wealth. Black garments signified mourning, while wedding dresses symbolized fertility. Until the 20th century, 80% of women worked in agriculture, but industrialization shifted 60% to artisanal work. By 1920, only 35% of women were literate, but education introduced Western influences. By 1980, workforce participation had risen to 45%. Since 2019, the Mitos Project has brought traditional costumes into a contemporary context.

Every year, millions of Latin Americans embark on dangerous journeys to the United States, driven by the hope of a better future. In response to US pressure, Mexican authorities have tightened control over migration routes, but this has come at a significant cost. Mexican law enforcement faces widespread criticism for systematic abuses and its connections to criminal cartels that profit from smuggling and exploiting migrants. To evade capture, many migrants risk their lives aboard the freight train known as La Bestia — The Beast — in a desperate attempt to reach the US.

Violence as an Escape from Violence. Bloodied faces from shattered light tubes; scarred backs torn by falls onto thumbtacks; foreheads gashed by forks and barbed wire; euphoria, screams, beer, adrenaline. This is extreme wrestling at the Junkyard in Tultitlán, State of Mexico — one of the most violent areas in the metropolitan zone surrounding Mexico City, with 250 reported crimes per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the National Security System and the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).