Beautiful black and white shot of boys fishing wins 9th Xposure International Photography Awards

A superbly executed photo of boys fishing near Inle Lake in Myanmar took the top prize in the 9th Xposure International Photography Awards.

Commended for a "masterful interplay of light, movement, and narrative", Pyaephyo Thetpaing's photograph shows five boys pulling fish from the lake, working as a team and clearly enjoying themselves.

'The Fishing Boys' was judged the overall winner in this prestigious international photography competition, which takes place towards the end of the Xposure Festival, a seven-day event that celebrates the power of visual storytelling from around the world.

Visitors to the festival, held at Aljada, Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, had the opportunity to view more than 2,500 pictures in over 100 galleries, attend talks and workshops – and network with a large community of fellow creatives.

Two days before 2025's event concluded with a panel discussion between legendary documentary photographers Don McCullin and James Nachtwey, the finalists of the Xposure International Photography Awards assembled in the festival's main auditorium for the big reveal.

The prizes were awarded by His Excellency Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, and Her Excellency Alya Al Suwaidi, Director of SGMB.

View the 9th Xposure awards category winners

Nature and Landscapes category – 'A Dangerous Addiction' by Lakshitha Karunarathna (Sri Lanka): "A Sri Lankan elephant scavenges a waste site, highlighting the impact of poor waste management on an island hosting 10% of the world’s Asian elephants. Drawn by easy meals and starchy food, elephants often frequent dumps, showing the troubling consequences of human habits on wildlife."

Mobile phone category – 'Fishermen' by Aung Chanthar (Myanmar): "Two fishermen fish under rays of light filtering through the small forest. The serene moment, filled with natural beauty, was captured perfectly with a mobile."

Portraiture category – 'The Dancer' by Antonio Aragon (Spain): "Ivan, an 8-year-old disabled boy, joyfully dances in his wheelchair at the Orione Center. After long rehabilitation and surgeries, he awaits a new orthosis that will help him move beyond the 'floor.' This marks the start of his hopeful journey toward a brighter, more independent future."

Sports category – 'African Football' by Isa Ebrahim (Bahrain): "A boy plays with a ball made from cloth and plastic bags on a dirt field in the Dassanach tribe in the Lower Omo Valley of Ethiopia."

Street category – 'Nobody Expects The Spanish Inquisition' by Mary Crnkovic (Croatia): "I had always wanted to go to Seville for Semana Santa and finally managed to this year. In this photo, I first saw the girl on the window and then the nazarenos coming by. Luckily, my camera was ready to take the shot."

Night photography category – 'Doom' by Marian Kuric (Slovakia): "Photographing the volcano was fun, but at the same time, it was dangerous. The valley turned into complete devastation within just a few days."

Junior category – 'Guardians Of The Hive' by Rithved Girishkumar (United Arab Emirates): "I captured a close-up of bees guarding their hive entrance, clustered and alert. Their vigilant posture and intricate faces, coupled with the rough texture of the hive, highlight the teamwork and resilience of these tiny creatures. This scene beautifully showcases their dedication to protecting their colony and the natural intricacies of their daily routine."

Architecture category – 'Nordic Elegance' by Shyjith Ondencheriyath (United Arab Emirates): "This architectural gem at the Finland Pavilion, Dubai Expo, embodies Nordic minimalism with its sleek white façade and clean lines. Blending modern innovation with natural simplicity, it reflects Finland's commitment to sustainability and technology in a strikingly elegant design."

Manipulation and AI category – 'Open Question' by Alena Ivochkina (Russian Federation): "Constantly exploring new ideas, I often escape into a fantasy world. My 'head on a string' symbolizes the link between reality and imagination. This photo combines a self-portrait and a landscape I captured, merged through manual collaging in a photo editor – entirely without AI."

The 9th Xposure awards ceremony

Pyaephyo Thetpaing, overall winner of the 9th Xposure International Photography Awards, collects his trophy from His Excellency Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (pictured, left), and Her Excellency Alya Al Suwaidi, Director of SGMB (right).

The panel of judges featured photographers Giles Clarke, Wiktoria Michałkiewicz, Kerstin Hacker, Maria Mann and Essdras M Suarez. They appeared on stage during the awards to offer expert commentary on the winning submissions.

Before and after the ceremony, Xposure Festival attendees could get up close to the work of the finalists in a dedicated gallery space off one of the venue's entrances – this was one of more than 100 large galleries at Xposure.

With plenty of space on each display to enjoy a large number of framed prints from both Middle Eastern and global photographers, Xposure is surely one of the best places in the world to enjoy and appreciate the power of visual storytelling.

Keep up to date with future festival developments and timings via the Xposure website.