The Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) has successfully completed the judging process for its Thirteenth Season, themed 'Sustainability'. Seven internationally renowned judges presided over this year's competition, which attracted a diverse array of submissions across five main categories: ‘Sustainability’, ‘General’, ‘Portfolio’, and ‘Short Videos for Social Media’ and ‘Sports Photography’.

The Secretary General of HIPA, Ali Bin Thalith emphasised HIPA’s commitment to excellence, stating, “Our Board of Trustees constantly adopts advanced approaches to identify the finest photographic talent and experiences that aligns with our themes. We focus on this practise continuously to ensure a comprehensive understanding of each photographer’s skills and knowledge.  The diverse backgrounds of our judges, shaped by various cultures and civilisations, further enhance our selection process, allowing us to refine our criteria and maintain the highest standards."

HIPA Thirteenth Season Judges:

CHRIS JORDAN | United States

Chris Jordan is an internationally acclaimed artist known for exploring the darker side of consumer culture. His work walks the fine line between beauty and horror, abstraction and representation, the near and far, the visible and invisible. Through his art, Jordan challenges viewers to confront both external realities and the inner complexities of their collective choices.

In his latest projects, Jordan shifts toward a new direction - highlighting the transformative power of beauty as a source of hope and inspiration in today’s world.

Jordan's photographs and conceptual works have been exhibited globally, with his most recent solo retrospective in Seoul, South Korea. He has published four books and received numerous accolades, including the United Nations Green Leaf Award, the Sierra Club’s Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography and the Prix Pictet Commission Prize in Paris. His ground-breaking film ‘Albatross’, which tells the moving story of birds on a remote Pacific island suffering from plastic pollution, resonated with a worldwide audience.

Through his interviews on radio and television, along with speaking engagements and school visits across the globe, Jordan continues to spread his message of beauty and hope to an ever-growing international audience.

HIDEKO KATAOKA | Japan

Hideko Kataoka is a photo editor, curator and educator. Since 2001, she has served as the Director of Photography at Newsweek Japan, where she launched the acclaimed ‘Picture Power’ section in 2004, a weekly photo essay series focusing on underreported global issues. This year marks its 20th anniversary.

In addition to her editorial work, Hideko has been a lecturer in photojournalism and documentary photography at Tokyo Polytechnic University since 2013. She has also been a member of the External Review Committee at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum since 2016. Her expertise is highly in demand globally, having participated in portfolio reviews and served as a juror for prestigious competitions including World Press Photo, Visa Pour l'image and the Sony World Photography Awards. Hideko is also the Founder and Director of ‘Miiraii Creative’; further expanding her impact on the photography world.

YANNIS KONTOS | Greece

Yannis Kontos is an award-winning photojournalist with over 25 years of experience in the international editorial industry and a professor at United Arab Emirates University. He holds a PhD in Documentary Photography and an MA in Photographic Journalism.

Yannis has covered wars, conflicts and major global events in more than 50 countries; from Palestine and the Middle East to Western Sahara and Sierra Leone, and from North Korea and Indonesia to Iran and Saudi Arabia. Notably, he extensively reported on the Kosovo War (1999), the war in Afghanistan (2001) and the Iraq War (2003); contributing to major outlets like Time, Newsweek, The New York Times Magazine and the British Sunday Times.

His work has been recognised by 20 prestigious international awards including First Prize in the World Press Photo Competition. His photographs have been published in hundreds of publications and in the covers of Time, The New York Times, The Sunday Times, Le Monde and L’Express. He is represented by Polaris Images.

Yannis is also the author of two books, ‘Possible/Impossible: Aporia’s and ‘North Korea: Red Utopia’, using his photography to amplify the voices of the marginalised and inspire change.

DANIEL SANNUM LAUTEN | Norway

Daniel Sannum Lauten is an accomplished photojournalist and Editorial Director from Oslo, Norway. His passion for photography began at age 15 with the local newspaper Romerikes Blad, and by 2001, he was working for major Norwegian dailies Dagbladet and VG, as well as the international news agency AFP.

Currently serving as Editorial Director at TV 2 Sports Norway, Daniel specialises in sports photography, political coverage, and visual storytelling. His career has taken him around the world, covering high-profile sporting events such as the Tour de France, numerous international football competitions including the Champions League and FIFA World Cup, as well as several Ski World Championships and the Olympics. His portfolio features extensive work in ski jumping, alpine skiing and football.

Daniel has also worked closely with political figures, including Norway's former Prime Minister and current NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg.

Over the years, Daniel’s photography has earned him numerous accolades, including 1st place for Sport Action at the China International Press Photo (CHIPP) in 2013, and multiple honours at the Norwegian Picture of the Year Awards.

FLORIAN SCHULZ | Germany

For over 25 years, Florian Schulz has combined his passion for nature photography with a commitment to conservation. His stunning images have sparked entire conservation campaigns, making him a driving force in environmental movements. Florian’s work captures the beauty of wild places while advocating for large-scale conservation efforts to protect some of the planet’s last remaining wilderness areas.

His images have appeared in prestigious publications like National Geographic, GEO, The New York Times and BBC Wildlife. Florian is also the author of several books, including ‘Yellowstone to Yukon - Freedom to Roam’ and ‘To the Arctic’. He has won numerous awards including the ‘Environmental Photographer of the Year’, the Sierra Club’s ‘Ansel Adams Award’ and several awards from the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

Florian’s cinematography has been nominated for a BAFTA and an Emmy. His recent work includes the IMAX film on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, crucial in campaigning for its protection. As a Director of Photography and Cinematographer, he collaborates to create breath-taking sequences for prominent clients like BBC, Netflix, Apple TV and Disney+. Florian lives between Alaska and Baja California with his wife (Emil Herrera-Schulz) and sons, continuing to inspire through his extraordinary storytelling.

FRANCESCO PACIENZA | Italy

Born in Cosenza, Italy, Francesco Pacienza is a renowned photographer known for his exceptional command of movement and light. Although he initially pursued higher education, Francesco soon left his studies to follow his passion for photography.

After attending the European Institute of Design, where he specialised in fashion and jewellery photography, Francesco refined his mastery of light under the guidance of four-time Oscar-winning cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro. Today, he continues to share his expertise as a teacher.

Francesco’s work has earned international recognition, with numerous awards, exhibitions, and publications highlighting his extraordinary talent. His distinctive style, characterised by his skilful use of light, gives his images a captivating and unique quality.

In addition to his photography, Pacienza has authored several books on photographic techniques, including the 2020 comprehensive guide to underwater photography titled ‘Behind the Lens’.

PATRICK SMITH | United States

Patrick Smith is a Staff Photographer with Getty Images, based in Baltimore, Maryland, covering news, sports, and feature stories in the Baltimore-Washington region and beyond. A Maryland native, he travels extensively, capturing compelling images for some of the world's largest brands and media organisations.

Patrick has documented many of the most prestigious global sporting events including the FIFA World Cup, Summer and Winter Olympics, Wimbledon, The Masters, Ryder Cup, Super Bowl, Stanley Cup Finals, World Series and many others.

His exceptional work has earned recognition from esteemed institutions such as the Pulitzer Prizes, Pictures of the Year International, the Sony World Photography Awards, World Sports Photography Awards and the National Press Photographers Association.

He currently resides in Baltimore with his wife and two children.