Bold, poetic, tender and political: AAP reveals winners of Women photography contest

Left: A doll in a pink polka dot dress carries a globe and a suitcase, set against a vintage wallpaper background with furniture, Right: A girl wearing a patterned headscarf and a decorative necklace, set against a blurred background. The photo is in black and white.

In recognition of the indispensable role of women in photography, All About Photo Magazine celebrates those who shape the photographic landscape. Now, the winners of the AAP's 46th edition on the theme of Women have been announced.

The photographic industry is still a male-dominated field, but the history of photography shows the remarkable contributions of women. Caught between traditional gender roles and creativity, their work was often overlooked and underappreciated.

One famous example is Vivian Maier, the French-American street photographer whose works were discovered after her death. Through her street photography, she crafted an archive of life in Chicago and New York during the 1950s and 1960s.

The female gaze and visions in the field of photography often center around identity, society, intimacy, and resistance. As AAP highlights, their challenging perspectives on conventions redefined beauty and expanded the language of photography itself.

In the 46th edition, the focus was clearly set on womanhood and was explored by over 1,700 submissions from photographers from 16 different countries across 5 continents.

Diverse photographic approaches - portraiture, documentary, fine art, and conceptual photography - created a thought-provoking collection of untold stories.

While this edition was centered on women, AAP welcomed creative voices from photographers and artists of all genders. Among the 25 winning images, 17 were created by women.

So, what does it mean to be a woman today? Let’s explore the 25 unique photographic works that offer rich perspectives on this subject, portraying womanhood in all its complexity.

Winner Gallery

(Image credit: Grace Weston, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Valentina Sinis, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Patricia McElroy, Courtesy All About Photo)

Merit Award Gallery

(Image credit: Michele Zousmer, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Piotr Skubisz, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Chris Yan, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Takayuki Tobita, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Anqi Hu, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Bahrudin Bandic, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Anja Bruehling, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Sandra Hernandez, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Marika Poquet, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Nathalie Rubens, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Markku Lahdesmaki, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Andrea Bettancini, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Ingetje Tadros, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Vicky Martin, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Susan Friedman, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Caesar Lima, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: A'ja Dotson, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Jennifer Baron, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Susanne Middelberg, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Robert Moran, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Alena Solomonova, Courtesy All About Photo)

(Image credit: Martina Holmberg, Courtesy All About Photo)

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The winning works are showcased on All About Photo Winners Gallery and are also published in the printed edition of AAP Magazine #46 Women.

For more inspiration, browse the best photography awards and contests. If you want to know more about winning techniques and visual languages, take a look at our 'Why Shots Work' series. Here we analyze outstanding images and discuss what it takes to create award-winning imagery.