Unsplash Awards 2022 Selections

The 6th annual Unsplash Awards have officially come to an end and it's time to celebrate the 12 finalists.

But before we kick that off, we need to say a massive thank you to everyone who took the time to submit an image. We love this time of year because it’s when we get to celebrate you. Whether you’re new to Unsplash or have been contributing for years, your creativity and generosity inspire us every day.

To this year's judges, who had the nearly impossible task of selecting the finalists, we couldn’t have done it without you.

And lastly, a special thank you to this year's sponsor, Bluescape, who has awarded each finalist with an annual subscription to Bluescape and a cash prize of $500 USD.

And now... it's time to recognize the finalists from each category and celebrate the creators behind each selected image.

3D

Finalist: Alex Shuper
Judge: Pablo Vazquez — Blender

"This entry stood out to me due to its storytelling, mix of organic and hard surfaces, all wrapped in a realistic lighting in an intriguing environment. I want to see what the rest of this world looks like."
— Pablo Vazquez

Shortlist:
8machine _
and machines
George C
HI! ESTUDIO
Luke Jones
Mo
Pawel Czerwinski
Philip Oroni
SIMON LEE
愚木混株 cdd20

Architecture & Interiors

Finalist: Yifei Wong
Judge: David Basulto — Arch Daily

"This photo is able to capture everything that architecture embodies, a domestic image where light, matter and context are present. The light and grain of the film produce a special atmosphere."
— David Basulto

Shortlist:
Abhishek Tiwari
Adam Borkowski
Charlie Harris
Danist Soh
Kévin Gachie
Malik Skydsgaard
Mathilde Langevin
Metin Ozer
Parrish Freeman
Thais Varela

Athletics

Finalist: Mark mc neill
Judge: Viviane Labelle — Nike

"This image caught my attention because it took me a split second to understand what I was seeing. The photographer’s creative use of shadow allows the viewer to use their imagination to picture the world outside of the frame. It’s beautiful, creative and simple."
— Vivane Labelle

Shortlist:
Andri Klopfenstein
Arthur Edelmans
Kajetan Sumila
Malek Bee
Marta Rastovac
Nathan Dumlao
Nathanaël Desmeules
Red Zeppelin
Reed Naliboff
Stephen Leonardi

Experimental

Finalist: Nantu DAS
Judge: Dr. Manel Torres — Fabrican Ltd.

"Nantu DAS' striking image captures a tender, deeply spiritual moment, in an exquisite composition heavy with mystery and glowing with a luminous palette."
— Dr. Manel Torres

Shortlist:
Alexander Ant
Anton Tkachenko
Bjorn Pierre
Isabela Drasovean
Klara Kulikova
Maxim Berg
Ruan Richard Rodrigues
Simone Hutsch
Tatiana Pavlova
Vinicius "amnx" Amano

Current Events

Finalist: Y S
Judge: Freddie Sloan — HELLO! Magazine

"When I look at this image, I feel happy. It makes me smile. It says to me that people should stand tall, express, and be proud of who they are, whatever sexuality, and that the world should come together, and see this too. It is an uplifting picture."
— Freddie Sloan

Shortlist:
Anita Cavalcanti
Imad Alassiry
Maksym Tymchyk
Malachi Owens
Max Zindel
Norbu GYACHUNG
Raphael Renter
Samuel Regan-Asante
Todd Trapani
Yana Hurskaya

Fashion & Beauty

Finalist: Simeon Asenov
Judge: Daniella Paudice — VOGUE Singapore

"I liked this image not only for the lighting but also because of the way the photography conveys the idea of motion. The visual allows you to completely appreciate the fashion statement whilst the mix of the sharp focus on the subject with the soft focus at the bottom it allows you to really feel the movement. I thought that was a very surprising and unique combination of its author's photographic skills and POV."
— Daniella Paudice

Shortlist:
1MilliDollars
Aliya Amangeldi
Chimenem Leo
Hüseyin Kılıç
Leonid Shaydulin
Reed Geiger
Sergey Vinogradov
Shimo Yann
Viktor Zhulin
Waz Lght

Film

Finalist: Bryan P.M
Judge: Karen Freer — Analogue Wonderland

"This is my favourite photo because it fits with the nostalgic feel of film for me. I grew up near southend-on-sea so a lot of my childhood was spent by the seaside on these types of fairgrounds. The colours of this emulsion are also perfect for this type of photo. For me, it all takes me back to my childhood."
— Karen Freer

Shortlist:
Barbare Kacharava
Documerica
Ivana Cajina
Jack Ramsay
Jaric Swart
Krišjānis Kazaks
Lawrence Chismorie
Lawrence Chismorie
Vlad Patana
VLADISLAV BOGUTSKI

Food

Finalist: Юлія Вівчарик
Judge: Sana Javeri Kadri — Diaspora Co.

"This image encompasses great technique, detailed staging, and a very impressive concept, which makes it hard to understand how the shot was pulled off! It turned an everyday task, such as pouring your coffee, into a total masterpiece."
— Sana Javeri Kadri

Shortlist:
Edward Howell
George Dagerotip
Lucas Calloch
Mathilde Langevin
Monika Grabkowska
Olivie Strauss
Raphael Renter
Seval Torun
Svitlana
vishwajeet nishad

Nature

Finalist: Zetong Li
Judge: Josh Raab — National Geographic

"This image has a softness to it created by the texture of the clouds, giving it an almost dreamlike quality. The trees in the foreground and the elevated vantage point provide a unique perspective. The gradient of colors from deep blue to light orange draw the viewer's eyes across the image. Overall, the end result is nice to look at."
— Josh Raab

Shortlist:
Adrian Dascal
Anders Drange
Colin Watts
eberhard 🖐 grossgasteiger
iuliu illes
Jeferson Argueta
Jonny Gios
op23
Vahe Ohanian
Vitaly Otinov

People

Finalist: Marcos Paulo Prado
Judge: Jed Tallo — Jed Tallo Studio

"This beautifully captured image is a poignant reminder of how sporting events (large and small) bring many communities and people together. While altinha is not quite the same as football, it is still a reminder of those friendly connections made around any game of ball. The image has a lot of hallmarks of Neoclassical painting compositions such as the groupings of three, emotive body language, ball placement, and dramatic lighting. Remarkable for a captured image, creating an overall sense of anticipation and excitement that is palpable."
— Jed Tallo

Shortlist:
Dibakar Roy
Erik Torres
Faruk Tokluoğlu
Kajetan Sumila
Leonid Shaydulin
Malek Bee
Max Ovcharenko
Michiel Annaert
Nguyen TP Hai
Tom Morbey

Street Photography

Finalist: Jerrin James
Judge: Emma Davidson from Dazed

"There is something intriguing about the juxtaposition of a melancholy character all alone on a bright sunny day. It makes me want to learn more about him. Where's he headed? Or where is he coming from? Beautiful shot."
— Emma Davidson

Shortlist:
Andreas Dress
Fabio Verhorstert
Fuad Sarkar
Josh Hild
Klara Kulikova
Malik Skydsgaard
Marcus Ganahl
Moritz Spahn
Polina Kuzovkova
Ryunosuke Kikuno

Photo of 2022

We asked the community to vote for the image they thought was the most impactful photograph of the year. The votes are in, and the image that resonated most was this one by Leandra Rieger where nature reflects the supernatural.

Shortlist:
Eugene Golovesov
Ilia Bronskiy
Jeferson Argueta
Marco Aurélio harter
Ruslan Zaplatin
Sasha Matic
Vadim Sadovski
Yana Hurskaya

Thank you again to everyone in the community for supporting the sixth edition of the Unsplash Awards.

↪ Discover all the finalists and shortlisted photographers

Special thanks to our Judges and Sponsor