AAP Magazine Announces Winners of Prestigious Portrait Photography Competition.

AAP Magazine is excited to reveal the winners of its highly anticipated Portrait Photography Competition. Selected from a vast array of international submissions, these 25 talented photographers have showcased exceptional prowess in capturing the essence of their subjects through the art of portraiture.

Portrait photography is a powerful medium that conveys the depth and diversity of human experiences. This year’s winning photographs push the boundaries of traditional portraiture, presenting not just faces, but rich stories, emotions, and moments that resonate deeply with viewers.

From intimate, candid shots to meticulously composed studio portraits, this year’s winners exhibit an extraordinary range of styles and techniques. Their work captures the raw beauty of the human spirit, highlighting both individuality and our shared humanity.

More info: all-about-photo.com

Photography has long been a popular hobby for many. Once restricted only to those who could afford expensive cameras and film, now budding photographers have more tools at their disposal than ever before.

In fact, across Europe, many startups exist to help photographers hone their craft and explore their talents. Here, we look at the tools and startups helping more people fall in love with photography.

How Popular Is Photography In The UK?

Photography as an art form has been around for decades, with many artists using it as a medium of expression.

The Photographic Activities market in the UK was said to be worth around £1.4bn in 2023, with over 93,000 registered photographers and audio-visual operators driving the industry.

How Has Photography Changed Over Time?

Photography has massively evolved over the last two centuries. From techniques to develop film, to the variety of film available and even the developments of cameras themselves, the way we capture images is constantly changing.

But photography hasn’t just evolved in terms of imagery, it has also changed how we capture our lives.

Photography now plays a central role in areas like art, fashion, media and history. And with the evolution of the smartphone to include cameras, photography has never been more accessible.

Top Startups For Aspiring Photographers

MPB – Buy, Sell, Trade Cameras

MPB is a platform that allows photographers to buy, sell, and trade used camera gear.

With a commitment to trying to make the industry more sustainable, MPB is a more affordable way for photographers to upgrade their equipment. They ensure that each items is inspected before it goes on sale, making it a safe choice for both amateur and professional photographers.

Darkroom – Photo And Video Editor

Darkroom is an online photo editor, where photographers can easily manage and adjust their images through a personalised photo library.

It’s easy to use and makes professional grade tools more accessible, even fostering a community of photo lovers who can share their work online.

Meero – AI-Enhanced Photography

Meero uses AI to provide high-end photography for businesses.

The company helps businesses that need high-quality images for marketing, but can also be a great tool for any photographer looking to expand their roster of business clients. By automating parts of the editing process, Meero allows photographers to deliver consistent, professional results quickly.

PhotoRoom – AI Editor

PhotoRoom allows photographers to use the power of AI to edit the backgrounds of their photos.

The tool automatically removes and inserts custom backgrounds, making it perfect for anyone looking to enhance their images quickly and efficiently.

Lalalab – Print Your Photos

Lalalab is a photo printing service that turns digital photos into keepsakes.

Photographers can use Lalalab to turn their images into photo books, canvases and other products. The service is known for its high-quality prints and easy-to-use app, making it a go-to option for photographers looking to turn their photos into prints.

ImagenAI – AI Photo Editing

ImagenAI is an AI-powered photo editing software that helps photographers edit photos more quickly.

By learning a photographer’s style, ImagenAI can apply consistent edits to batches of photos, saving time and ensuring they all look the same. This tool is perfect for event and portrait photographers who take large volumes of images and need quick editing solutions.

Upwork – Freelance Photography Jobs

For those looking to turn their hobby into a passion, Upwork is a freelance platform that connects photographers with clients looking for photography services. From event photography to product shoots, Upwork can help photographers find the best opportunities to monetise their craft.

DuBOIS – For the Uplingers of DuBois, the sport of hunting and an overall love for nature is a family affair.

Kassie Uplinger said for as long as she can remember, she has enjoyed being in the woods. Her father, Dale Uplinger, got she and her brother, Hunter, into hunting at a young age. Since he was a kid himself, Dale has loved to hunt, something he shared with his father, who bought him a recurve bow at 12 years old.

Besides his favorite, turkey hunting, Dale enjoys fishing and other types of hunting, and has an interest in firearms, something Kassie shares with him. She recalled taking a hunter safety course around the age of 8 or 9 and starting out hunting small game. She also served on a local rifle team.

Hunting has just always been “a family thing.” When Kassie shot her first turkey in 2016, her brother and father were by her side.

“He enjoys teaching and helping people learn these kinds of things,” she said. “My dad is there for every adventure with us.”

A passion she shares alongside her father, Kassie says she loves the noises she hears while in the woods, like turkey gobbles.

“It’s so exciting,” she said.

Things slowed down for Dale in the last couple of years prior to having surgery in fall 2023. He wasn’t able to hunt as hard as he used to, said Kassie, which was a tough thing for everyone. He was afraid about not being able to hunt and return to work, both of which he has achieved since his surgery.

“He’s just happy to be hunting in the woods,” Kassie said, noting how rewarding it has been to watch Dale back in his full outdoor glory. “He lives for turkey season.”

One can just see the joy and excitement on his face when he’s doing what he loves, she said. In fact, he hauled a turkey out of the woods in Clearfield County in May of this year.

She also recalled when her brother shot a bear in October 2020, which of course, Dale was right there beside him for the photo and celebration. Although their mother is not a hunter, Kassie noted that she is a big supporter of the family’s passion for the sport.

The family’s love for nature doesn’t stop there. Kassie is an up-and-coming wildlife photographer in the area, having a particular passion for taking photos of elk. She won both the 2024 Straub Oktoberfest Bier Can Label Contest and the 2025 Keystone Elk Country Alliance (KECA) raffle calendar contest, both for striking photos of elk in the wild.

Photography is another hobby Kassie and Dale enjoy together. He still has a 35mm film camera, as well as one his father brought back from Germany when he served in the U.S. Army. Both of them take photos and videos during hunting season, she said, and Dale will drive her around to different locations for photography opportunities. She recalled seeing her first turkey fight this year, which she captured on video.

She enjoys seeing and capturing wildlife through different stages and seasons, such as when elk are shedding and in velvet. The Uplingers also enjoy following turkeys around to “get the full cycle.”

Kassie said her father has “a drive” to use everything his father passed down to him, something that he has carried on himself with his own children.

“My dad is my biggest supporter.”

Earth.Org is thrilled to unveil the exceptional winners of the 2024 Climate Crisis Photography Competition among more than 600 entries. Today, we celebrates the remarkable talent and vision captured by the winning photographers, whose shots highlighted beauty, fragility, and urgency of our planet’s environmental challenges. Join us as we embark on a visual journey, embracing the power of photography to inspire change and deepen our connection with the natural world.

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1. WINNER: ‘Best Overall’ (Md Shahadat Hossain, Bangladesh)

About the photographer

“I’m a professional cinematographer from Bangladesh, and photography is my cherished hobby. Filmmaking and photography have always fascinated mebecause they allow me to discover happiness and express myself, especially during times of depression. These creative outlets have brought immense joy and fulfillment into my life.”

About the photo

The photo captures women working diligently at a recycling factory. It was taken on a summer afternoon in Bangladesh.

“I decided to take this photo because I felt a deep sense of admiration for these women. They were contributing financially to their families and, unbeknownst to them, playing the role of true heroes by helping to save the environment through recycling. Their hard work and dedication inspired me to highlight their often overlooked contributions. To me, this photo represents the strength, resilience, and heroism of women. It symbolizes their crucial yet unacknowledged role in both their families and in protecting our planet. These women are the unsung heroes whose efforts in recycling are making a significant impact on the environment.”

2. WINNER: ‘Climate Action’ Category (Katherine Cheng, Hong Kong)

About the photographer

“I am a documentary photographer and videojournalist based between Canada and Hong Kong. Having always been drawn to understanding our world, the multitude of perspectives within it, and the driving forces behind our actions, I pursued International Relations and Critical Development during my studies. Throughout my life, I’ve experienced the power of photographs as portals to the lives of others, transcending geography, history and language. Ever since then, I’ve been seeking to merge the two, exploring how the visual medium can be used to communicate inner worlds, bridge gaps and spur social change. In the past decade, I’ve been especially focused on themes of climate change, geopolitical trajectories and cultural identity, as humanity navigates an uncertain future. Most recently, my work has been published in the Washington Post, Globe and Mail and The Narwhal.”

About the photo

The photo documents a shoreline oil spill clean-up research project at the Experimental Lakes Area in Canada.

“Comprised of 58 small, pristine lakes, freshwater scientists have spent the last half-century bringing their laboratory experiments to the ecosystem level, in the world’s largest outdoor experimental freshwater research facility of its kind. From studying algae blooms to coal-fired power plant mercury and microplastics to pharmaceutical waste, these lakes have offered researchers concerned about the future of freshwater an opportunity to test theories and seek potential solutions. For Canada, which has 7% of the world’s renewable freshwater, these experiments represent both the growing urgency to address such challenges and an opportunity for the world to collaborate on such a borderless issue. I sought out the Experimental Lakes Area as I was captivated by the decades-long research being conducted on its premises that has translated to real-world policy changes, and how it was able to bring together the threads of so many freshwater stories into one.

The photo represent a need for us to look at the issues of climate change on a wider scale, as well as collect concrete examples of those who are in search of potential solutions and tackling root causes. The scale of the climate crisis can be overwhelming, and I believe that such an approach is necessary for us to fully grasp the full scope of challenges that face us today and ask what steps we’ll have to take next.”

RUNNER UPS ‘Climate Action’ Category

3. WINNER: ‘Wildlife in Peril’ Category (Katherine Cheng, Hong Kong)

About the photo

The photo was taken during the 2023 annual bird layout by FLAP Canada in Toronto, Canada.

“For almost 30 years, the non-profit organization has been focused on keeping birds safe from colliding with glass windows. From helping injured birds, tracking collision data, and raising awareness, the small organization has sought to help migratory birds navigate modern cities such as Toronto, where towers of glassy skyscrapers mirroring the sky have formed makeshift mazes. During the peak of bird fall migration in North America, an estimated 4 billion birds will navigate these built environments as they travel southward to their wintering grounds – symbolic of how the intertwined urban-natural environment continues to transform. I first came across the work of FLAP Canada many years ago, and was intrigued by the work that they did and how they showcased it. I felt that it was an incredibly impactful way to illustrate the unseen effects that humans have on our world, and how we might change it moving forward.”

RUNNER UPS ‘Wildlife in Peril’ Category

Featured image: Earth.Org Photographer Amish Chhagan.

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The 2025 Earth.Org Photography Competition is coming soon. Check out our website and social media channels and subscribe to our newsletters so you don’t miss out on our updates!

If you would like to become a part of our global movement and mission, consider becoming an Earth.Org photographer. Earth.Org’s official photographers and their content will be regularly featured in our articles and our Instagram and Facebook posts. There is no financial commitment. When we post one of your photographs, we will inform you and ask you to repost the article or post on your Instagram story. Interested? Fill out this short form.

“Teaching Youth To Shoot With Cameras Not Guns” is a program created by Duane C. Fernandez Sr., founder of Hardnotts Photography LLC and a photojournalist for the Daytona Times. Fernandez’s summer photography sessions have been held at the African American Museum of the Arts in DeLand for the past 10 years during the museum’s summer program. Fernandez’s sessions are continuing this summer on Fridays with youngsters learning the art of photography and creating their own images.

For more information about the photography sessions, contact Fernandez at duane.fernandez@yahoo.com.

To mark the launch of this new drone photography book by leading pro photographer Fergus Kennedy, Digital Camera magazine is running a photo challenge over the next three months – send us your best drone photo and you could win a copy of the book worth $17.95/£12.99! You can read our four-part drone photography series in Digital Camera magazine, in issues 283-286.

To be in with a chance of winning, just tag your best drone photo #dcmdronechallenge on Facebook or Instagram.and follow us on @digitalcameramag. 

Editing should be kept to a minimum, and Generative AI is not to be used in any entries. 

The next winner will be judged by the Digital Camera team on July 20, and will be contacted shortly afterwards. Good luck, and we’re looking forward to seeing your shots!

Terms & conditions

A. RELEASE FROM LIABILITY

Digital Camera Drone Challenge is being organized and managed by Digital Camera magazine. The Drone Challenge is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or [X]. By taking part in this contest, you agree to a complete release of Facebook, Instagram, Threads or [X] from any or all liability in connection with the contest.

B. ENTRY PROCEDURE

Entry is open worldwide to drone photographers of all skill levels and styles. Digital Camera Magazine will validate all entries and will determine, at its sole discretion, whether each artwork meets the entry criteria detailed herein for acceptance as an entry into the contest. Entries that are offensive, overly sexualized, mutilated, incomplete, illegible, inaccurate, forged, irregular in any way, or otherwise not in compliance with the official rules will also not be considered for the contest. AI should not be used in creating the photography. The opening and closing date and time for entries will be indicated on www.digitalcameraworld.com. Any entries posted using the monthly theme hashtag after the monthly deadline will be disregarded and will not be considered for the contest.

C. PHOTO SELECTION PROCEDURE

Once the monthly deadline has passed, the Digital Camera Magazine team will pick the winning photo. We (Digital Camera Magazine) have the final say if entries have met the criteria of the brief associated with the monthly contest. The selected photographers may be contacted to gain permission to use their photo to be printed in the magazine, we cannot pay for the use of the photo. Photographers in question will need to agree to the Digital Camera Magazine/Future plc non-exclusive licence terms below before we can print any photographic work.
In consideration for Future promoting you and/or the Material as agreed, you grant Future and its licensees a non-exclusive, irrevocable license to use the Material in print and digital publications and on all Future websites (including related, branded social media pages). Any reuse of the Material in the formats set out above shall be in the same context for which the Material was originally supplied. You warrant that you own or have the right to license the Material to Future and that Future’s use of it in accordance with this email does not infringe any intellectual property or proprietary rights of any third party. You agree to indemnify Future against all and any loss, damage, or costs sustained by Future arising out of any third party claim that the Material when used in accordance with this email infringes the Intellectual Property of a third party.

D. DATA PROTECTION

The data (real name, email) that is provided by the selected photographers when they submit their work will be held by Digital Camera magazine. Submitted photographers’ data will not be shared with or sold to any external parties or commercial entities.

E. COPYRIGHT

Digital Camera magazine bears no responsibility for any copyright infringement committed by individual artists. The competition’s aim is solely to inspire participants to produce original photos centered around a shared theme. Inquiries concerning specific pieces created for the contest should be addressed directly to the respective photographers. Photographers retain full copyright ownership of the photos submitted to the Drone Photo Challenge or Digital Camera Magazine at all times.

F. AI USAGE

AI will not be allowed in our Drone Photo Challenge. It should not be used at any stage of the photography process. Photographers that have used AI will not be picked to be featured in the magazine.

G. OTHER

Digital Camera magazine reserves the right to modify the Terms & Conditions/Rules of the contest at any time, including during and after the Photo Challenge has been launched each month. By taking part in this competition you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions, the competition rules at: www.futureplc.com/competition-rules/ and collection of personal data in accordance with Future’s privacy policy at: www.futureplc.com/privacy-policy/.

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