The Siena International Photo Awards 2022 have been announced, with Greek photographer Konstantinos Tsakalidis as overall winner
(Image credit: Dan Winters)
Winners of the Siena International Photo Awards 2022 have now been announced, and images from the 12 categories will be on display
from October 1 till November 20 at the Siena Awards Festival.
This year's overall winner was Greek photographer Konstantinos Tsakalidis for his shot "Woman from Evia." The shot is both dramatic and disturbing, capturing the desperation of an 81-year-old woman, Greek photographer Konstantinos Tsakalidis, as flames get closer to her house during a forest fire. The image, which was taken in the summer of 2021, was selected from thousands sent by photographers from around the world.
The images will be on display in Sienaalong with the winning photos of the Creative Photo Awards, Drone Photo Awards, and the solo exhibitions of Danish Siddiqui – an Indian photographer sadly killed in 2021 while documenting the conflict between the Taliban and Afghan troops.
Kritsiopi Panayiota, 81-years-old, reacts as a wildfire approaches her house. Amid the hottest and most long-lasting heatwave in the last 30 years, with temperatures reaching 47°C, hundreds of forest fires broke out across the country, severely hitting Greece’s second largest island (Image credit: Konstantinos Tsakalidis)
Each of the 12 categories also had an overall winner. In the Fascinating faces and Characters category, the winning subject was “Angelina Jolie and Bees,” taken by American photographer Dan Winters for an earlier National Geographic piece.
The portrait (above) was taken to promote the actors's involvement in World Bee Day as part of the "Women for Bees" program. According to the press release, "Angelina Jolie's body was sprinkled with the queen bee pheromone and the actress remained motionless for 18 minutes without ever being stung."
Photographer Dan Winter also entered several other famous faces into the category, including an environmental portrait of Barack Obama (below). An exhibition of his work will feature at the Siena Awards Festival.
The winning images in the Siena International Photo Awards are as diverse as they are stunning and thought-provoking. We'd highly recommend looking at all the winners and categories on the website, but here are a few of our favorites.
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"It is said that buildings are lifeless subjects. However, as an architectural photographer, the author thinks it is exactly the opposite. The title of this image tells a different story: the one of a polka-dot building with a smiling roof. The moon completes the face of this brick Joker" (Image credit: Muhammad Almasri)
With the shot "Joker Smile" taken in Dubai, Jordanian photographer Muhammad Almasri was first in the Architecture & Urban Spaces category.
"Dressed like a detective from past times, a gentleman is passing through a cloud of underground steam rising from beneath East 37th Street. In the background, skyscrapers and ancient buildings complete the picture." (Image credit: Michael Kowalczyk)
"Shot for New York Magazine Cover as President Obama was preparing to leave the White House towards the end of his second term. His figure is fierce and solid, while he’s looking out the window of his eight-years-long residence." (Image credit: Dan Winters)
"Priest Aregawi Wolde Mariam looks down at a dry river valley below an ancient church in Tigray. A perilous, vertical ascent with a sheer drop of hundreds of meters takes visitors to the entrance. Local people however ascend with ease, instinctively reaching the foot-holds moulded by steps of pilgrims for thousands of years." (Image credit: Natalia Mroz)
"The green Kerala grassland is endless, and the undulations of the mountains look like the waves of the sea, cascading and reaching into the distance. The evening sun was highlighting the curves, creating a contrast between light and shadows, when two herdsmen steered their horses up the ridge, like surfers." (Image credit: Weimin Qi)
"Peak Kosmos is the name of the mountain on which this graceful pine tree grows. This tree has become a natural landmark of the Novy Svet reserve. Next to it incredible views of the beauty surrounding the mountain open up" (Image credit: Yuriy Stolypin)
"A beautiful snow leopard triggers a DSLR camera trap high up in the mountains of the Indian Himalayas. The snow leopards are some of the most difficult large cats to photograph in the wild" (Image credit: Sascha Fonseca)
"Morning calm at the lonely island, just after sunrise and before the world wakes up. Only the photographer and a lone heron fishing at the island’s edge were present to enjoy the moment" (Image credit: Aya Okawa)
"A Maldivian Anemonefish hiding within its host Magnificent Sea Anemone" (Image credit: Andy Schmid)
"What happens when we change our perspective, our angle of vision is always fascinating. Often we realize only then what hidden beauty awaits us. Especially looking down, a reduction to line, colors and shapes is achieved: this makes new perspectives possible" (Image credit: Peter Plorin)
"Sofia, a Nenets matriarch, the last nomadic people in Russia. The woman sits proud, with her face marked by time, in the center of a traditional tent, the Chum. On a relatively warm November night, temperatures get to -25°C outside and -18°C inside: meaning fur is not really optional" (Image credit: Marios Forsos)
"Angela Merkel, former German Chancellor, is bitten while feeding Australian Loris. Merkel was on a farewell tour in her constituency. She has been German Chancellor for a total of 16 years. The author tried to catch Ms. Merkel surrounded by the colorful birds like a symbol for the different parties" (Image credit: Georg Wendt)
Lauren is a writer, reviewer, and photographer with ten years of experience in the camera industry. She's the former Managing Editor of Digital Camera World, and previously served as Editor of Digital Photographer magazine, Technique editor for PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, and Deputy Editor of our sister publication, Digital Camera Magazine. An experienced journalist and freelance photographer, Lauren also has bylines at Tech Radar, Space.com, Canon Europe, PCGamesN, T3, Stuff, and British Airways' in-flight magazine. When she's not testing gear for DCW, she's probably in the kitchen testing yet another new curry recipe or walking in the Cotswolds with her Flat-coated Retriever.
