Unsplash Awards 2023
Celebrating the talent of the Unsplash community.
The time has come…Welcome to the 7th annual Unsplash Awards.🏆
The Unsplash Awards are a month-long celebration recognizing the powerful impact that Unsplash contributors have made through their generosity and artistry. Unsplash wouldn’t exist without the hundreds of thousands of artists who gift their work and push creativity forward every day.
We are so excited about this year's lineup of judges. From National Geographic to Harper's Bazaar — we have invited some incredible people to help choose the top image from each category.
As always, we try to find ways of making the Awards better for you and know that the Nature category is always in high demand. That's why this year, we have introduced two new related topics: Travel and Animals. Check out below what makes these three categories different (and the industry leaders who are judging each one!).
This year’s Awards
From now until October 31 at midnight PST, the Unsplash Awards are officially open for business. You can now submit your photos to 10 categories, all designed to bring out the best of Unsplash. And once the submissions come to a close, we’ve enlisted the help of some amazing judges to help select the featured images.
- October 1st — October 31st: Submissions open. To have your image featured in a category, go to unsplash.com/awards
- November 1 — November 10th: Submissions close and judges go through the selections for each category.
- November 20th: Announcement of featured photos. Finalists will be featured on the Unsplash Awards site, the Unsplash blog, and will be celebrated on our social media channels. All finalists will also receive an official badge on their Unsplash profile.
Ready to submit?
To submit to Awards, you simply head over to: unsplash.com/awards
- Select the category you’d like to participate in, tap the Submit button
- From there, you can either Submit a new image or Choose an image from your library. You can submit your Unsplash+ content to the award categories as well.
- If you’re choosing a photo from your library, only visuals submitted from December 1st, 2022 will be eligible for this year’s Awards.
Note: Any image from Dec 1st 2022 – Oct 31st 2023 that’s been curated into the 10 Awards Topics is automatically submitted to this year’s Awards. We will show the number of submitted images you have for each category under the ‘Submit’ button and in the pop-up modal. Have questions about the submission process? Head over to our FAQs for all the answers.
Unsplash Awards Categories
3D Renders
Blending technology and artistry, the 3D Renders category showcases digitally rendered creations that blur the lines between reality and imagination. From architectural visualizations to fantastical worlds, this category exhibits the limitless possibilities of digital craftsmanship.
Official Judge: Pablo Vazquez
Head of Design & Communications, Blender
Pablo is a 3D artist from southern Patagonia currently working at the Blender HQ in Amsterdam, where he created the animated series Caminandes and worked as a lighting artist in multiple Blender open movie projects. Currently, he is working on the Blender user interface, design, and communication of the Blender project via weekly live streams on YouTube.
Architecture & Interiors
Celebrating the artistry of spaces, this category recognizes exceptional photography that captures the essence of architectural marvels and interior designs. From sweeping cityscapes to intimate details, entrants showcase the beauty and functionality of built environments.
Official Judge: David Basulto
Founder & Director, Arch Daily
David Basulto is the Founder and Director of ArchDaily, and its global network of sites in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese. ArchDaily’s mission is “to improve the quality of life of the next 3 billion people who live in cities by 2050, by providing inspiration, knowledge, and tools to the architects who face this challenge.” David has served as jury for several awards, prizes and design competitions in Latin America, North America, Europe, and Asia. David has been chosen as one of Chile’s 100 Young Leaders, and received the National Award of Innovation for ArchDaily, by the Government of Chile.
Sports
From adrenaline-fueled moments of victory to the camaraderie among athletes, this category celebrates the captivating world of sports photography. Showcasing both intensity and emotion, photographers freeze-frame the essence of competition, highlighting the dedication and spirit that define sports worldwide.
Official Judge: Viviane Labelle
Concept Creator, Nike
Viviane Labelle is a French-Canadian designer & maker based in Portland, Oregon. She is currently working as a concept creator in the Innovation Kitchen at Nike where she creates original footwear concepts and dreams up the future of sports. In 2016 she obtained an ISPO award for a ski glove she created during her previous role as a soft goods designer. She graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Apparel Design from Université of Québec in Montréal.
Travel
Embark on a visual journey around the globe with this category, as photographers capture the essence of exploration and wanderlust. Through vibrant street scenes and immersive cultural experiences, the Travel category showcases the beauty and diversity of destinations near and far.
Official Judge: Karin Mueller
Visuals Director, Conde Nast Traveller
Karin is Visuals Director at Conde Nast Traveller magazine UK and working across the CN Traveller Global Network. Originally from Germany and having made London her home in the late 90s, Karin has worked in print media / magazine publishing for 25 years for companies such as The Financial Times, Penguin Random House, Hearst, and projects for TATE Modern Art Gallery.
Experimental
The Experimental category invites photographers to push the boundaries of conventional photography. With innovative techniques, unique perspectives, and unconventional subjects, this category is a playground for artistic exploration and boundary-defying creativity.
Official Judge: Jed Tallo
Art Director, Jed Tallo Designs
Jed Tallo is known for his refined aesthetic, conscientious design and strategic problem-solving skills – balancing creative & business needs. He is experienced in elevating brand DNAs and successfully re-positioning them for a contemporary audience (such as retail rebrands or editorial redesigns). Specializing in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle sectors he has worked with L’Oreal Paris, Chanel, Bottega Veneta, ELLE Magazine, Condé Nast Traveller & Mackage.
Fashion & Beauty
In this category, photography becomes a canvas for artistic expressions of fashion and beauty. Through expertly composed images, photographers capture trends, styles, and personal statements, transforming models into walking works of art.
Official Judge: Sian Parry
International Luxury Picture Director, Elle, Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar
Siân Parry has been working in the magazine industry for 24 years. She has been Photography Director of Red, Marie Claire and You magazine and is currently Photo Director of Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and Esquire.
Film
Embracing the nostalgia and artistry of analog photography, this category pays tribute to the timeless beauty of film. Photographers capture moments with the rich textures, unique color palettes, and inherent imperfections that make film photography a cherished medium. From dreamy landscapes to intimate portraits, this category celebrates the enduring allure of capturing light on emulsion.
Official Judge: Karen Free
Marketing Manager, Analogue Wonderland
Karen Freer (she/her) is the Marketing Manager at Analogue Wonderland and has recently been running LGBTQ+ Photowalks around the UK. During the COVID pandemic, she founded LGBTQ+ Faces of Bristol — a portrait photography series that aimed to empower and create a more positive representation of the queer community in Bristol.
Nature
Nature's wonders take center stage in this category, where photographers capture the breathtaking landscapes, diverse flora and fauna, and mesmerizing natural phenomena that adorn our planet. From grand vistas to macro shots, these images transport viewers into the heart of the great outdoors.
Official Judge: Sarah Gardner
Director of Social Media, National Geographic
Sarah Gardner is the Director of Social Media at National Geographic based in Washington, D.C. She leads the team responsible for bringing the iconic brand’s storytelling to life across social platforms with a combined audience of more than 765M followers.
People
People are the focal point of this category, where photographers skillfully depict the human experience. From candid moments to formal portraits, this category showcases the myriad emotions, cultures, and stories that define us.
Official Judge: Josue Rivas
Founder, Indigena
Josué Rivas (Mexica and Otomi) is an Indigenous Futurist, creative director, visual storyteller and entrepreneur working at the intersection of art, technology, journalism, and decolonization. His work aims to challenge the mainstream narrative about Indigenous peoples, co-create with the community, and serve as a vehicle for collective transformation.
Animals
This category pays homage to the fascinating world of animals. Photographers capture the diversity, behavior, and beauty of creatures from across the globe, bringing the animal kingdom closer to the viewer's heart and lens.
Official Judge: Joe Dix
Global Head of Digital, WWF
Joe is an award-winning marketing & communications leader with a demonstrable track record producing and delivering strategies and projects in an international NGO setting. In his current role, Joe’s impact spans the globe; working with teams in over 90 countries, delivering content and digital experiences to a combined following of over 40 million people, and collaborating with partners that include Netflix, Google, Facebook, the United Nations, World Economic Forum, and Apple.
Photo of 2023
We’ve teamed up with 10 community panelists to create a collection that represents 10 of the most impactful images on Unsplash from 2023. And now, we’d love to hear from you. Vote for the image that resonates most with you, and the one with the most votes will be selected for the Photo of the Year Award.
Vote for Photo of 2023 →Head to unsplash.com/awards to submit images to the seventh edition of the Unsplash Awards.
Thank you to our Judges
Thank you to Crucial for sponsoring this year's prize.
Crucial is sponsoring the prize for this year’s Unsplash Awards. The winner in each category will receive $500 USD to use at crucial.com.
For more than 25 years Crucial has been a leader in storage and memory products for PC and Mac products. Crucial.com can help you find your next upgrade or portable SSD with tools like the Crucial Advisor and Crucial System Scanner.
