Photographer of the Year, Asia
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[ PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR, ASIA ] This premier category is open to all photographers — independent, agency, wire service, or newspaper photographers. Please submit 10 to 50 images per portfolio consisting of at least two stories. Single images are optional. Each participant is allowed to enter only one portfolio. All images must be taken in 2023.
Judges for Photographer of the Year, Asia
Quick links to award categories: Spot News / Portraits / Nature & Environment / Recreational & Traditional Sports / Sports Action / General News / Daily Life / Daily Life Picture Story / Portrait Series / Issue Reporting Picture Story / Cultural Practices / Photographer of the Year, Asia
Quick links
Photographer of the Year, Asia
Diego Ibarra Sánchez
Independent
Spain/Lebanon
Diego Ibarra Sánchez, 1982, Spain Diego Ibarra Sánchez is a renowned Spanish documentary photographer, filmmaker, and educator who is based in Lebanon. His work primarily focuses on in-depth, long-form visual storytelling, and he is known for taking a critical stance on the use of images in contemporary society. He believes that photography should do more than simply provide a window into the world’s events; it should provoke questions and reflections. Diego has been a contributor to THE NEW YORK TIMES since 2012 and has published his stories in various newspapers, magazines, and TV channels, including France 24, Revista 5W, CNN, Der Spiegel, NZZ, Diari ARA, UNHCR, and UNICEF, among others. His journey as a visual storyteller led him to spend a year in South America in 2006, where he honed his storytelling skills. After returning to Spain, he worked for the Catalan newspaper Avui for two years. In 2009, he made a significant move to Pakistan, where he developed a compelling body of work centered on Pakistan and extended his travels to countries like Afghanistan, Bahrain, Libya, Nigeria, and Tanzania. In 2014, he left Pakistan and has been based in Lebanon since, while continuing to travel and work to portrait how war affects education around the world. Diego’s dedication to highlighting the impact of war on education dates back to 2012. In 2022, he published his first photo book titled “The Phoenician Collapse,” which explores the crisis within a crisis in Lebanon and serves as a visual testament to the country’s challenging times. The book was produced by FOTOEVIDENCE and the Jalón Ángel Archive (UNIVERSIDAD DE SAN JORGE), curated by photo editor SARAH LEEN, featuring a foreword by Amin Maalouf and texts by Ethel Bonet. Diego Ibarra Sánchez has received numerous accolades and awards for his outstanding work in the field of documentary photography and visual storytelling.
Finalist
Marina Sycheva
Independent
Russia
Marina Sycheva is a documentary photographer and documentary film director from Russia. She is based in Moscow, Russia. She studied in Saint Petersburg University of Cinema and TV, faculty of documentary film-making. Graduated from the school of contemporary photo “Docdocdoc”, class of Mikhail Domozhilov. She is interested in social themes, war and world crisis, and projects, that raise the issue of the struggle for equality of women and LGBTQ+. Marina’s films were on Russian film festivals. Her photos were exhibited at group exhibitions and published in the media, such a “Meduza” and “Republic”. Winner of Global Peace Photo Award (2023), finalist of Blurring the lines (2023), Pictures of the Year Asia 2023 (Award of Excellence in Portrait Series category), and College Photographer of the Year 77 (Award of Excellence in Team Picture Story category).
Finalist
Darya Aslanyan
Independent
Russia
A photojournalist and photo editor at “Takie Dela”, Russia, Moscow. Award of Excellence in Local photographer of the year category 2024, a finalist of POY Asia 2023 (portrait series category), winner of Photographic international photocontest “Direct look” 2016, 2018, 2021, finalist of World Report Award 2018, Italy. Her works have been published in Takie Dela, Cherta, Novaya Vkladka, Glasnaya. In her work, she focuses on social problems, examines historical and political processes in Russian society, and researches social, cultural and economical problems of the remote Russian regions.
Finalist
Sergei Stroitelev
Independent
Russia/Germany
I am a Russian born freelance photographer and visual artist. My photographic practice primarily focuses on the exploration of the issues of modern society. With the help of different visual languages and forms I look at the problems of identity of minorities, prejudice on the basis of race, religion, gender and sexual orientation, issues of ecology, consequences of the conflicts and natural disasters. I often execute very personal photographic projects exploring my very own inner demons, past and family. I am the awardee of the number of international contests such as: NPPA Best of Photojournalism, Bartur Photo Awards, Pictures of the Year International, Pictures of the Year Asia, Istanbul Photo Awards, Direct Look Photocontest, Luis Valtuena Humanitarian Photography Award and many more. I left Russia on the 4th of March 2022, after the start of the war in Ukraine. I was working with non-state controlled publications so it was unsafe for me to stay in the country due to the war censorship. I am currently based in the South of Germany as a political migrant.
