The recipients of The Royal Photographic Society Awards for 2025, the world’s longest running photography prize, have been announced. The RPS is a world-leading photographic community, made up of accomplished artists, dedicated academics, hobbyists, and seasoned professionals The society aims to inspire people through its innovative exhibitions, its award-winning RPS Journal, and its highly respected awards and events.
The RPS Centenary Medal
The RPS’s most prestigious honour — The RPS Centenary Medal — has been awarded to Susan Derges in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the art of photography. Derges is based in Devon, UK, and creates photographic artwork exploring nature, often without a camera, using the landscape itself to create her imagery. Her work has been widely exhibited and is held in photography collections across the world.
The RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography
The RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography is given to Senegalese photographer, Omar Victor Diop. Working initially on photographic landscapes, Diop then moved into fashion photography. His personal practice focuses on fine art portraiture, including self-portraiture. He has been exhibited widely internationally.
Reflecting the science of photography, The RPS Progress Medal in the science of photography is presented to David Malin who developed new techniques to support astronomical photography, allowing for greater detail to be seen. The ‘Malin 1’ galaxy, the largest known spiral galaxy, was named after him.
One of the most significant curators and writers on photography, Charlotte Cotton receives The RPS Award for Photography Curatorship, Criticism or Research. Cotton has had a significant impact on photography through her exhibitions and publications. Her book, The Photograph as Contemporary Art (2004) is in its fourth edition and available in fourteen languages and is considered a key text in charting the rise of photography as an undisputed art form in the 21st century.
Among the new RPS Honorary Fellows is the UK photographer and educator Richard Billingham, best known for his 1996 book, the acclaimed Ray’s A Laugh, a stark documentation of his parents and wider issues of class and poverty.
Background to the RPS
Now in its 147th year, the Royal Photographic Society Awards are the world’s longest running and most prestigious photography honours, dating back to 1878. The Awards recognise individuals working across both still and moving image.
Rather than rewarding a single image, the RPS Awards celebrate the photographers and recipients themselves — highlighting significant achievements and showcasing new and emerging talent in categories ranging across photography genres and applications. These include: moving image; new media; science and imaging; education; publishing; and curation.
Comments on judging the RPS Awards
Sir Brian Pomeroy CBE ARPS, Chair of the judging panel, comments: “While the 2025 RPS Awards recipients reflect the diversity and breadth of the international photographic community, they are all united in celebrating photography’s unique capacity to challenge societal perceptions and make complex issues both relatable and urgent.”
Simon Hill CPhot HonFRPS, RPS President, comments: “The Royal Photographic Society Awards are a powerful expression of how we, as one of the oldest photographic societies in the world, recognise and celebrate achievement across the full diversity of photographic practice. Each year, we shine a light on individuals and teams whose work exemplifies creativity, innovation, technical mastery, and a deep commitment to sharing knowledge and experience.
This year’s awardees reflect the extraordinary breadth of photography and moving image today; from those pushing artistic and scientific boundaries to those educating, publishing, and volunteering in ways that strengthen and sustain our community. Together, they demonstrate how photography continues to evolve as both an art form and a means of understanding the world around us.
Through these Awards, our Society honours those who inspire our members and the wider public through their imagination, expertise, and generosity, and who embody the Society’s enduring mission to promote excellence and celebrate the power of photography in all its forms.”
Work from the winners
The RPS 2025 Award recipients
The complete list of RPS 2025 Awards Recipients is as follows and is available with additional information and images on each recipient here. The awards are given across three pillars:
- The Art of Photography & Moving Image
- The Science of Photography & Moving Image
- The Knowledge and understanding of Photography & Moving Image
| The Art of Photography and Moving Image | |
| The RPS Centenary Medal | Susan Derges HonFRPS |
| The RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography | Omar Victor Diop |
| The RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of Photography (under 30 years) | Tami Aftab |
| The RPS Award for Achievement in the Art of the Moving Image | Mónica de Miranda |
| The RPS Award for Editorial or Documentary Photography | Raghu Rai |
| The RPS Award for Photojournalism | Amak Mahmoodian |
| The Science of Photography & Moving Image | |
| Progress Medal and Honorary Fellowship | David Malin FRPS |
| The RPS Award for Scientific Imaging | Anand Varma |
| The RPS Award for Imaging Science | Professor Sabine Süsstrunk |
| The RPS Award for Environmental Responsibility | Ragnar Guðni Axelsson |
| The Knowledge and Understanding of Photography & Moving Image | |
| The RPS Eastlake Medal and Honorary Fellowship | Vivienne Gamble |
| The RPS Award for Photography Education | Janice McLaren |
| The RPS Award for Photography with Young People | Juliette Buss |
| The RPS Award for Photography Curatorship, Criticism or Research | Charlotte Cotton |
| The RPS Award for Photography Publishing | 10 × 10 Photobooks (Olga Yatskevich, Russet Lederman (co-founders) |
| The RPS Award for Social Impact | Jaskirt Dhaliwal-Boora |
| Honorary Fellowships awarded for the Art, the Science, and the Knowledge of photography | |
| Rhiannon Adam | Richard Billingham |
| Martin Oeggerli | Eileen Perrier |
| Janine Wiedel | Marc Wilson |
About The Royal Photographic Society:
The Royal Photographic Society (The RPS) is an educational charity with an international membership. Founded in 1853, when photography was in its infancy, the objective of The RPS is to make the art and science of photography more widely available and is committed to bringing photography to everyone.
Today, The RPS is a world-leading photographic community, made up of accomplished artists, dedicated academics, hobbyists, and seasoned professionals The RPS aims to inspire people through its innovative exhibitions, its award-winning RPS Journal, and its highly respected awards and events.
The RPS helps photographers create images through its educational programmes, qualifications, and its public initiatives; it seeks to connect photographers through specialist groups and its UK and international communities. Membership is open to everyone.
| More | |
| The Royal Photographic Society | Royal Photographic Society: Browse 165 years of photographic history with no charge |
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