First created in 2021, the Pictures of the Year, Asia competition is the annual hallmark event of POY Asia, an initiative committed to promoting Asia-based photographers and stories.
An official program of Pictures of the Year International, POY Asia was created by and for photographers working and living in Asia. Kay-Chin Tay of Singapore is serving as a Co-Director. Prashant Panjiar of India, Tanya Habjouqa of Jordan and Maye-E Wong, a Singaporean based in USA, are the Founding Advisors. POYi Director Lynden Steele is a Co-Director and will serve in a supporting role.
Inspired by POYi’s guiding principle of “Show truth with a camera,” POY Asia is committed to seeing the world from an Asian perspective.
The first competition in 2021 started with nine categories with the Photographer of the Year, Asia being the premier prize. In 2022, a new category — Recreational & Traditional Sports — was added.
As the world returns more and more to pre-pandemic ‘normalcy’, we decided not to have any COVID-19 categories in 2023.
In response to feedback from photographers in the region, we added five new categories in our third edition. They are Sports ActionGeneral NewsDaily LifeDaily Life Picture Story and Portrait Series.
Quick links to POY Asia competitions by year: 2024 / 2023 / 2022 / 2021
Competition

We are pleased to announce the results for Pictures of the Year Asia 2024 competition, which was judged 5 — 7 April 2024.

The 10 esteemed judges awarded the Photographer of the Year, Asia to Diego Ibarra Sánchez, a Spanish photographer based in Lebanon.

In addition, the judges also recognised 13 First Places, 33 Finalists and 25 Awards of Excellence in 12 categories.

Judging videos for POY Asia 2024 can be found at facebook.com/AsiaPOY.

The winners this year come from Bangladesh, China, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Palestine, Portugal, Myanmar, Russia, South Korea. Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and USA.

Modelled after the prestigious Pictures of the Year International (POYi), POY Asia was created in 2020 by and for photographers from Asia. POY Asia is an official program of POYi.

Inspired by POYi’s guiding principle of “Show truth with a camera,” POY Asia is committed to seeing the world from an Asian perspective.

Lam Chun Tung
Lam Chun Tung
Forough Alaei
Forough Alaei
Steven Lee
Steven Lee
Saiyna Bashir
Wan Chantavilasvong
Wan Chantavilasvong
Jessica Lim
Jessica Lim
Joshua Irwandi
Gülbin Özdamar Akarçay
Gülbin Özdamar Akarçay
Yuki Tanaka
Yuki Tanaka
Shuchi Kapoor
Shuchi Kapoor
Competition

Pictures of the Year Asia 2023

Sergei Stroitelev's winning portfolio includes Behind The Show, an essay looking at Arkhangelsk, a vast region situated in the North of Russia with the most number of abandoned villages in the country.

We are pleased to announce the results for Pictures of the Year Asia 2023 competition which was judged 7 — 9 April 2023.

The 10 esteemed judges awarded the 2023 Photographer of the Year, Asia to Sergei Stroitelev, a Russian photographer who also won First Place in Cultural Practices and Daily Life Picture Story.

In addition, the judges also recognised 9 other First Places, 22 Finalists and 30 Awards of Excellence in 12 categories.

The winners this year come from Bangladesh, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Nepal, Palestine, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, UK and Vietnam.

Modelled after the prestigious Pictures of the Year International (POYi), POY Asia was created in 2020 by and for photographers from Asia. POY Asia is an official program of POYi.

Inspired by POYi’s guiding principle of “Show truth with a camera,” POY Asia is committed to seeing the world from an Asian perspective.