28 Award-Winning Photos From Society of Photographers’ Photographer of the Year 2025

Jeremy Gray

A red fox stands on seaweed-covered ground, mouth open and eyes focused as it prepares to catch a crab that is mid-air in front of it.

The Society of Photographers, founded in 1988, has unveiled the winners of its 2025 Photographer of the Year competition, including three outstanding top photos of the year plus an array of excellent category winners.

The 2025 edition of the competition attracted nearly 6,000 entries across 28 categories, showcasing the diverse talent of The Society of Photographers members.

“Demonstrating outstanding skill, narrative depth, and execution, this bold and distinctive image emerged as a clear standout and generated animated discussion among the judges,” the judging panel said.

Four fluffy chicks of different colors perch closely together on a thin, bare branch with pinecones, against a white background. One chick hangs upside down, while the others stand upright.
Photographer Therese Asplund was named “Photographer of the Year” for this image, which also took top prize in the “Pet Portraits” category. | Image credit: Therese Asplund / The Society of Photographers’ Photographer of the Year 2025

Alongside category winners, the judges also selected top three overall photos, with photographer Therese Asplund taking home top honors for her image of birds, which also won the “Pet Portrait” category.

A red fox stands on seaweed-covered ground, mouth open and head tilted up, catching a crab mid-air above its mouth. The background is blurred, focusing on the fox’s action.
Cecilie Steudal, 2nd Place and “The Natural World — Wild Animals” category winner. | Photographer of the Year 2025

In second place overall is Norwegian photographer Cecilie Stuedal for an exceptional photo of a red fox snapping at a crab in mid-air. This photo won the “Natural World — Wild Animals” category.

Rounding out the top three is British photographer Terry Donnelly, whose image, seen below, took the top prize in the competition’s “Documentary” category.

A rescue worker in a helmet and red suit sits inside a helicopter at night, using a tablet. City lights and a large hospital complex are visible below, reflected on the helicopter window.
Terry Donnelly, 3rd Place and “Documentary” category winner. | Photographer of the Year 2025

All the other category winners are featured below.

A stylish light blue sneaker is suspended mid-air, dramatically surrounded by splashing water, set against a teal background, highlighting the shoe’s texture and dynamic movement.
Neil Shearer, Advertising Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
Modern building with curved and straight sections, illuminated by soft, colorful streaks of light against a dark, dramatic sky. The lighting creates a futuristic and abstract atmosphere.
Tim Wilde, Architecture Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A black and white portrait of a young girl with long, light hair and freckles. She has light eyes and an expression of calm curiosity, gazing directly at the camera against a dark background.
Gemma Harte, Children Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
An elderly man wearing a vintage military uniform and cap sits facing forward with hands clasped, gazing intently. Dark, neutral background highlights his thoughtful expression and decorated jacket.
Eleanor Whibley, Commissioned Portrait Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
Two shirtless men stand close together, facing each other intimately. One wears an open red shirt and jeans, showing a large eagle tattoo on his chest. The other wears light pants. They appear to be about to kiss.
Heidi Margocsy, Boudoir and Beauty Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A person in a long, form-fitting black dress, wide-brimmed hat, and gloves leans dramatically backward, holding a handbag with dripping paint against a plain white background. Their face is partially shadowed and painted with dark lines.
Cat Brown, Creative Portrait Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A monkey sits on tangled electrical wires and a utility pole, gripping the cables, with trees and a cloudy sky in the background. The image is in black and white.
Shiva Mehta, Environmental Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A military attack helicopter flies toward the viewer with large explosions and thick, dark smoke filling the background.
Gary Neville, Events Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A woman in a white outfit with Princess Leia-style hair poses against a dark background, holding a French bulldog wrapped in a brown towel in her lap.
Jane Thomson, Family Group Portrait Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A ballerina’s legs shown from the front, one foot in a pointe shoe and en pointe, the other bare with visible scars and bruises. She wears a white tutu, and the background is dark, highlighting her legs and feet.
Michael Hayes, Illustrative Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A woman with long brown hair wears a black baseball cap and a partially open black leather jacket, exposing her chest. She looks to the side against a dark background.
Lauren Evans, Fashion Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A blurred image of several white birds with yellow beaks in flight against a blue background, capturing a sense of fast motion and energy.
Arne Bivrin, In-Camera Effects Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
An older man wearing a flat cap, light blue shirt, gray trousers, and brown shoes sits on a wooden chair, smiling with his hands folded over his knee in front of a dark, textured background.
Jane Thomson, Individual Portrait Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
Close-up of a moth's fuzzy face and segmented antennae against a vibrant pink and orange gradient background. The moth shows detailed textures and colors, with large black eyes and fine hair on its head.
Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra, Macro Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A pregnant person with long hair and tattoos poses seated on a draped stool, one hand on their belly. They wear sheer clothing and are surrounded by dried ferns against a muted brown backdrop.
Sandra Vaskyte, Maternity Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A dense crowd of fans wearing red celebrate outdoors with flags and red smoke flares, while one person sits atop a traffic light above the crowd.
Terry Donelly, Media and Press Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A black and white photo of a giraffe taken from behind, showing its long neck stretching upward and its head turned slightly to the side against a plain white background.
Katie Brockman, Monochrome Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
Black and white photo of a newborn baby with a nasal tube, peacefully sleeping and curled up in the gentle, supportive hands of two adults against a black background.
Laila Villebeck, Newborn Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A pair of sunglasses and Beats headphones being struck by a splash of water, captured in mid-air against a black background, with droplets and waves spreading outward.
Anna Aimen, Open Avant-Garde Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A rugby player in white dives to score a try while a player in red attempts to tackle him. The stadium is packed with spectators watching the intense moment near the sideline.
Terry Donnelly, Sport Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A massive wave crashes dramatically against a breakwater, dwarfing the small lighthouse standing on the pier, with water spraying high into the cloudy sky. The image is black and white.
Lorraine Finney, The Natural World — Landscapes Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A close-up of five tiny stalked fungi with round tops growing on a brown surface, set against a blurred green background. The fungi have yellowish and dark, textured heads.
Angi Wallace, The Natural World — Botanical and Fungi Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A small white house with a red roof sits by a calm lake, surrounded by dark pine trees, with a few autumn-colored trees glowing in the background. The house and trees reflect in the still water.
Mark Scicluna, Travel Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
A dog pulls on a leash, trying to lead a person who is sitting on the edge of a rocky cliff under a dramatic sky, with darkness on the left and light on the right.
Katie Brockman, Visual Narrative Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025
Two people wearing traditional Japanese attire and holding large paper umbrellas walk in falling snow. The background is dark, highlighting the contrast with their clothing and the snowfall.
Seiji Nishimori, Wedding Winner | Photographer of the Year 2025

The Society of Photographers of the Year 2025 also named various special category award winners, all of which are featured on the society’s website.

Image credits: The Society of Photographers’ Photographer of the Year 2025. Individual photographers are credited in the image captions.

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