Nice balls of fireplace win world's richest photograph competitors

Italian photographer Gianluca Gianferrari has gained the grand prize on this planet’s richest pictures competitors – the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Worldwide Pictures Award (HIPA).

His photograph is titled ‘Etna’s Paroxysm’ and reveals glowing volcanic rock being ejected from Sicily’s Mount Etna volcano throughout an eruption.

The prize pot of this prestigious worldwide competitors is an unbelievable US$1 million and Gianluca will go residence with US$200,000 [£152,000/AU$307,000] for this beautiful image.

The judges, who included panorama photographer Filip Hrebenda, nature photographer Armand Sarlangue and Ethiopian photographer Aida Muluneh, determined his photograph greatest met the transient of 2025’s version of HIPA, themed ‘Energy’.

The winner of the ‘Energy’ class was cited for exhibiting “the power of the human spirit within the face of adversity” and was a photograph captured within the aftermath of an airstrike in Syria’s Idlib province by Hashem Dardowra of the Syrian Arab Republic.

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‘Rise of the Phoenix’, winner of the Energy class. Picture description: Amidst airstrike wreckage, 14-year-old Khaled emerges as Syria Civil Defence (the White Helmets) frees him from the rubble. Rescue groups used energy drills, hand winches and acoustic probes to pinpoint the boy’s place and cut back the prospect of secondary collapse, as warplanes circle above. Regardless of noticeable head wounds, and a bloodstained bandage, Khaled manages a faint smile that alerts he’s responsive and defiant. (Picture credit score: © Hashem Dardowra)

HIPA held the annual awards ceremony for its fourteenth competitors season at Dubai’s Museum of the Future, one of many metropolis’s many iconic landmarks, and Digital Digital camera World was there.

Attended by main figures within the worldwide pictures group, the occasion additionally bestowed the Pictures Appreciation Award on American photographer Rick Smolan, accompanied by a money prize of US$100,000 [£76,000/A$153,000].

His work “exemplifies excellence, innovation, and a profound skill to inform the human story by means of the artwork of pictures,” stated HIPA.

The ‘Energy’ winners get to share a reduce of the competitors’s staggering US$1,000,000 prize fund – £760,000/A$1,533,000.

Whereas different worldwide photograph awards could be larger when it comes to the variety of photos submitted – greater than 87,000 images with a theme of ‘Energy’ had been entered by 50,000 photographers from around the globe – HIPA’s prize pot tops all of them.

View the winners of ‘Energy’, the 14th season of HIPA

Photograph titled Jungle Keeper, by Karine Aigner of the USA, winner of the General (color) category in the 14th season of the HIPA (Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award) photography competition. Image description: In Yasuni National Park, a majestic male jaguar prowls through a clay lick in the lush Amazon depths, its muddy paws leaving soft imprints on the mossy bank. In the humid gloom, the jaguar's spotted coat gleams against rugged rocks and shallow, rippling water. Even from over 100 feet away, its piercing gaze commands awe, a rare public appearance before quietly slipping back into the dense forest. — ‘Jungle Keeper’, winner of the Common (shade) class. Picture description: In Yasuni Nationwide Park, an imposing male jaguar prowls by means of a clay lick within the lush Amazon depths, its muddy paws leaving comfortable imprints on the mossy financial institution. Within the humid gloom, the jaguar’s noticed coat gleams towards rugged rocks and shallow, rippling water. Even from over 100 toes away, its piercing gaze instructions awe, a uncommon public look earlier than quietly slipping again into the dense forest. (Picture credit score: © Karine Aigner)

Photograph titled 'Exploding Swell' by Ted Grambeau of Australia, winner of the General (black and white) category in the 14th season of the HIPA (Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award) photography competition. Image description: On a Pacific reef, a massive swell surges, its waves crashing with unrelenting force. Spray erupts upward, curling in wild arcs before collapsing into the churning sea. The ocean's raw power is vividly displayed through this magnificent wave, a dream for surfers and a captivating subject for photographers. — ‘Exploding Swell’, winner of the Common (black and white) class. Picture description: On a Pacific reef, an enormous swell surges, its waves crashing with unrelenting drive. Spray erupts upward, curling in wild arcs earlier than collapsing into the churning sea. The ocean’s uncooked energy is vividly displayed by means of this magnificent wave, a dream for surfers and a fascinating topic for photographers. (Picture credit score: © Ted Grambeau)

Montage of four photographs from a series titled 'Burden of Survival', taken by Ali Jadallah of the Palestinian Territory, and the winner of the Portfolio: (story-telling) category of the 14th season of the HIPA (Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award) photography competition. Series description: For two years, the Gaza Strip has been engulfed by relentless destruction and death, with its people bearing the heavy burden of survival. Yet during the sacred month of Ramadan, they choose life, coming together to break their fast amidst the rubble. They hold on to a dream of a final photograph, one captured after the war, when homes are rebuilt and loved ones are reunited once again. — Images from the ‘Burden of Survival’ sequence, winner of the Portfolio (story-telling) class. Collection description: For 2 years, the Gaza Strip has been engulfed by relentless destruction and loss of life, with its folks bearing the heavy burden of survival. But through the sacred month of Ramadan, they select life, coming collectively to interrupt their quick amidst the rubble. They maintain on to a dream of a closing {photograph}, one captured after the battle, when properties are rebuilt and family members are reunited as soon as once more. (Picture credit score: © Ali Jadallah)

Photograph titled 'Victory and Defeat', taken by Vladimir Tadic from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the winner of the Sports category of the 14th season of the HIPA (Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award) photography competition. Image description: In a boxing ring, a referee grips the wrists of two teenage girls, one of them about to be declared the winner. As the referee raises the victor's arm, she bursts into a moment of pure euphoria, her face lit with joy and triumph, realising that months of training, sacrifice and termination have led to this achievement. Beside her, the defeated opponent is overwhelmed by disappointment. Her body language speaks volumes, a mix of exhaustion, heartbreak and the sting of coming so close. Yet, in that contrast between joy and sorrow, lies the essence of competitive sport. — ‘Victory and Defeat’, winner of the Sports activities class. Picture description: In a boxing ring, a referee grips the wrists of two teenage ladies, one among them about to be declared the winner. Because the referee raises the victor’s arm, she bursts right into a second of pure euphoria, her face lit with pleasure and triumph, realising that months of coaching, sacrifice and termination have led to this achievement. Beside her, the defeated opponent is overwhelmed by disappointment. Her physique language speaks volumes, a mixture of exhaustion, heartbreak and the sting of coming so shut. But in that distinction between pleasure and sorrow lies the essence of aggressive sport. (Picture credit score: © Vladimir Tadic)

Photograph of Karim Iliya from the USA, the Drone (video) category winner of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) 2025, collecting his trophy at awards ceremony in Dubai on November 11, 2025 — Karim Iliya of the USA, winner of the Drone (video) class, collects his trophy from His Excellency Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, the Minister of Federal Nationwide Council Affairs and the Chairman of the HIPA Board of Trustees. (Picture credit score: Niall Hampton / Future)

HIPA affords a variety of classes for photographers to enter, and submitting photos to the competitors is free.

Classes embrace shade and black and white (these are sub-categories throughout the standard ‘common’ class), portfolio (story-telling) and sports activities, whereas a brand new class to have fun excellence in video captured on a digicam drone was launched for this 14th season of the awards.