The winners of the 40th AOP Photography Awards, celebrating excellence in the creative photography and image-making industry, were announced live at an awards ceremony in London on the evening of Thursday 9 October 2025. It was part of the AOP Annual Showcase event, sponsored by MPB, this yearโs headline sponsor.
As the voice for photographers since 1968, this Association of Photographers’ awards programme recognises and promotes professional excellence, technical ability and talent at all stages of a photographerโs career. 2025 marks the Awardsโ 40th anniversary, reflecting the AOPโs commitment to celebrating every facet of the photography industry.
The gold and silver winners of all 10 broad ranging categories, plus Best in Commissioned Work, Best in Personal Work, Best in Moving Image, and the AOP Discovery Award presented exclusively to AOP Assistant Members, were announced alongside the 2025 AOP Open Award (sponsored by Fujifilm). Here, professionals and amateurs compete on equal terms.
The AOP’s Emerging Talent Awards (sponsored by WEX Photo Video), celebrate the best in the new wave of photographers and image makers, who have been practising their craft for under three years. The AOP Discovery Award is presented exclusively to AOP Assistant Members.
This year, the AOP introduced two new Industry Awards โ the AOP Production Award, and AOP Green Award (sponsored by MPB). The AOPโs diverse awards showcase the very best in original human-authored photography, and as the voice of photographers and image-makers since 1968, the AOP champions the rights of visual artists and campaigns tirelessly on issues of copyright, best practice, and professionalism.
Isabelle Doran, CEO of the Association of Photographers, says of the 40th AOP Awards:
โWith enormous thanks to our distinguished judges this year who had the impossible task of choosing our 40th AOP Photography Awards winners for such an auspicious occasion. Their selection has brought together an electrifying and provocative mix of still and moving imagery that illustrates such a uniquely personal perspective and how our photographers see the world around them. Itโs even more poignant in the digital age of AI we find ourselves in. Iโm thrilled to see that such strong visual storytelling lives on.โ
The 40th AOP Award winners are:
1. Documentary
Gold: Jack Margerison
Silver: Todd Antony
Factual / observational photography and short form film documenting real-life that informs or promotes ideals. Includes photojournalism and reportage photography. Judged by Simon Roberts (Photographer), Alya Al-Khatib (Head of Creative & Storytelling at Oxfam GB), and Josh Lustig (Deputy Picture Editor
Financial Times. Sponsored by Leica.
2. Environment
Gold: Sean Breithaupt
Silver: Greg Funnell
Photography and short form film where the overall situation or location is the primary focus of the image that covers outdoors, environmental and natural landscape photography. Judged by Joanne Coates Photographer), Matt Hocking FRSA (Creative Sustainability), and Jo Green (Global Director, AdGreen). Sponsored by EIZO.โ
3. Fashion + Beauty
Gold: Hugh Fox
Silver: Jack Eames
Photography and short form film that illustrates or promotes clothing or beauty products. Judged by Carla Guler (Photographer), Anna Foster (Founder & Creative Director, ELV Denim), and Linda Rodin (American Beauty Entrepreneur, Model and former Stylist). Sponsored by MOT Models.
4. Food + Drink
Gold: Henrik Knudsen
Silver: Martin Poole
Photography and short form film where food or drink is the primary focus of the image. Judged by Patrice de Villiers (Photographer), Avril Beavan (Series Producer, Optomen Television), and Luis Peral-Aranda (Art Director/ Prop Stylist). Sponsored by FreeLicensing by Pixray.
5. Lifestyle
Gold: Owen Harvey
Silver: Simon Winnall
Fictional / staged photography and short-form film reflecting lifestyle scenarios that illustrate or promote brands, corporations, products, and ideas. Judged by Isy Anderson (Photographer โ Photography By Anderson), Cara Swindell (Production Lead, New Commercial Arts), and Stephen McGilvray (Executive Creative Director, FutureBrand London).
6. Portrait
Gold: Todd Antony
Silver: Hugh Fox
Photography and short form film where the subject, human or animal, is the primary focus of the image. Judged by Pรฅl Hansen (Photographer), Joanna Moran (Photography Director, Empire), and Joe De Souza
(Creative Director, Wieden + Kennedy). Sponsored by Capture One.
7. Spaces
Gold: Yuki Sugiura
Silver: Dan Burn-Forti
Photography and short-form film where interior spaces and decoration, built exteriors and locations are the primary focus of the image. Judged by Taran Wilkhu (Photographer), Suzanne Imre (Brand consultant, former editor of interiors magazine, Livingetc), and Marianne Cotterill (Interior Stylist, Creative Director). Sponsored by Street Studios.
8. Sport
Gold: David Clerihew
Silver: Tom Parker
Photography and short form film where sport or fitness activity is the primary focus of the image, includes sports fans and venues. Judged by Hy Money (Photographer), Sara Rose (Director of Brand and Creative, Manchester United), and Megan Williams (former News Editor, Creative Review). Sponsored by LaCie.
9. Still Life + Object
Gold: James Day
Silver: Jonathan Knowles
10. Project
Gold: David Clerihew
Silver: Sebastian Nevols
A long-term photographic project on a singular subject that portrays a narrative, illustrated in a series of 10โ20 images, or short form film. Judged by Thomas Dworzak (Photographer, Magnum Photos), Carl Palmer (Pictures Lead, Channel 4), and Brett Rogers OBE (Former Director of The Photographersโ Gallery, London). Sponsored by Genesis Imaging.
11. Best in Show Personal / Non-commissioned
Winner: Tom Parker, Sports Category
A specific award celebrating inspirational personal work from among all 2025 eligible finalist entries. Judged by Roberta Genovese (art professional specialising in cultural strategy, partnership, development, and art prizes).โ
12. Best in Show Commissioned
Winner: James Day, Lifestyle Category
A specific award celebrating inspirational commissioned work from among all 2025 eligible finalist entries. Judged by Kirstie Johnston (Creative Production Partner).
13. Best in Moving
Winner: Lewis Khan
A specific award celebrating inspirational moving work from among all 2025 eligible finalist entries. Judged by Colin Barr (BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning Executive Producer/Director, Creative Director โ Factual & factual Drama).
14. The AOP Discovery Award
Winner: Ruben Davies
Part of the main AOP Photography Awards and with the โsame judges, the Discovery Award is a way of singling out โand encouraging Assisting Photographer members.
The AOP Open Award
Gold: Owen Harvey
Silver: Jerome Mass
The Open Award is open to everyone โ both professional and amateur โ and is about championing exquisite imagery with no categories or restrictions. Judged by Robert Fairer, AOP Accredited Photographer; Melissa Terrelonge, Senior Manager, Netflix UK; Julie Cook, Executive Producer / Production Lead; John Cross, Artist Management, CRXSS.
The AOP Emerging Talent Award
Gold: Jack Currie
Joint Silver: Ruben Davies and Safa Malik
Celebrating the very best in the new wave of photographers and image makers. Judged by Todd Antony, Award-winning AOP Accredited Photographer and Director; Francis Augusto, AOP Accredited Photographer; Kate Congreve, Producer, Mother London; and Lucille Flood, Content Producer and Commissioner.
The Martin Evening Excellence in Digitalโ Retouching Award
Winner: Kai Bastard โ Bad Startโ Studios / now Rock Paper Scissors
Spanning both photographic stills and โshort-form film, recognising outstanding โwork in digital retouching and post-production. Launched in 2023, this award โis for an individual or team which excelsโ at digital retouching in either still or movingโ image. Judged by Gandee Vasan, AOP Accredited Photographer; Matt Brewin Representing I Am Retouching, 2024 AOP Martin Evening Award Winner; and Ruth Clapp, Senior Retoucher, Roo Clapp.
Other AOP 2025 Award Winners
About the AOP Awards:
The 40th AOP Photography Awards comprises ten individual subject categories, plus additional Awards for Best Commissioned and Best Personal work, which are considered by key industry figures from all the selected finalists.
Katie Thompson, Head of Marketing UK & Ireland at MPB, the Awardsโ headline sponsors, says, โWe are proud to continue our longstanding collaboration with the AOP, having supported their celebration of photographersโ work for several years now. The AOPโs dedication to protecting and guiding visual storytellers is a cause we deeply share at MPB, and we look forward to working with them again this year as we strive to make photography accessible for all.โ
Julia Fullerton-Batten, multiple AOP Awards Winner including Silver Winner 39th AOP Photography Awards, enthuses, โIโve been entering the AOP Awards every year since I was an assistant and I can say with 100% certainty that itโs had a huge effect on my career. In a world where weโre all bombarded with imagery and there seems to be thousands of new photo competitions, itโs never been more important to stand out and to know which competitions are worth entering. For me, itโs always going to be the AOP Awards; itโs the real deal, itโs judged by my peers, and it gets my work seen by the people that count.โ
The many awards presented by the AOP in its calendar reflect the organisationโs focus on human creativity and professional practice and are an unmissable opportunity to be seen by leading commissioners and names in photography.
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| AOP Association of Photographers | MBP Headline Sponsor |
| Winnersโ galleries for each category of the 40th AOP Photography Awards can be seen here (please use the password – VtTpSbFwg) |
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