Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum attended the closing ceremony of the 15th edition of the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA), held at the Museum of the Future in Dubai.
Held under the theme ‘Family’, the milestone edition celebrated photography’s ability to capture human connections, preserve cultural narratives and tell stories that resonate across borders.
Attended by dignitaries and leading figures from the international photography community, the ceremony saw a total of $1 million awarded across the competition categories and Special Awards, recognising exceptional talent and achievements in photography from around the world.
The ceremony began with the UAE national anthem, followed by a welcome address by Ali Khalifa bin Thalith, Secretary General of HIPA, who expressed his gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, for his patronage of the award.
Bin Thalith said: “The theme of our 15th edition, ‘Family’, was chosen in line with the declaration of 2026 as the ‘Year of the Family’, reflecting the importance of strengthening family bonds, supporting social stability and instilling authentic Emirati values in future generations.”
He added: “As we mark our 15th anniversary, we are proud to announce that HIPA’s photographic archive has grown to more than one million images, contributed by an active community of over half a million photographers from 209 countries.
“HIPA has also organised more than 230 training programmes, benefiting over 10,000 photographers, establishing Dubai as the most influential centre for photography education in the Middle East, in line with the vision of His Highness the patron of the award, who continues to inspire us to pursue greater innovation and impact while strengthening cultural and artistic ties across the world.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the $200,000 Grand Prize to Bangladeshi photographer Pinu Rahman for a poignant image of a family sleeping within the concrete walls left standing amid the ruins of their home. The photograph was taken in the aftermath of a devastating fire that destroyed more than 1,500 houses in Korail, one of Dhaka’s most densely populated informal settlements. Against a backdrop of destruction, the image captures the enduring bonds of family and the resilience of those facing extraordinary hardship.
Special Awards
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also honoured the recipients of HIPA’s Special Awards, recognising individuals whose work has made a lasting contribution to photography, visual storytelling and the wider creative community.
The Appreciation Award was presented to Japanese photographer Kazuyoshi Nomachi, whose career spans more than five decades. His extensive body of work documents communities in remote regions and challenging environments, exploring their relationship with the land, their beliefs, spiritual traditions and everyday experiences. Internationally recognised for its artistic, cultural and humanitarian significance, his photography and publications have been described by the international press as ‘a valuable record of humanity and the land’.
The Content Creator Award was presented to Syrian photographer Dr. Ali Mohamad for his contribution to bridging advanced technology and the visual arts across the Arabic-speaking world. Through his work, he has made complex technological concepts more accessible to photographers and content creators, enabling them to explore new approaches to creative expression.
French photojournalist Véronique de Viguerie received the HIPA Photographer of the Year Award in recognition of her distinguished career documenting the lives of people affected by oppression, war and conflict. Through her photography, she has brought international attention to the experiences of individuals and communities living through some of the world’s most difficult circumstances.
Celebrating family through photography
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum honoured the winners of the ‘Family’ category, which invited photographers to explore the relationships, emotions and shared experiences that define family life.
Emirati photographer Hamid Obaid Al Ali won first place, followed by Saudi photographer Nawaf Alosaimi in second and Indian photographer Subhajit Datta in third.
New forms of creative expression
Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, honoured the winners of the ‘Dreams Through AI’ category, which explored the possibilities of artificial intelligence as a medium for artistic expression and visual storytelling.
New Zealand-based photographer Chi Hui Tang secured first place, followed by Chinese photographer Fan Ho Tsang in second and Colombian photographer Bernardo Hernandez in third.
His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Saif Alneyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, honoured the winners of the ‘Portfolio’ category, which recognises photographers for the depth, coherence and storytelling strength of a collection of images.
Palestinian photographer Yousef Alzanoon secured first place, followed by American photographer Brent Stirton in second and American astronaut and photographer Don Pettit in third.
Sports photography
His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation, presented the awards in the ‘Sports Photography’ category, recognising images that capture the intensity, emotion and defining moments of sporting competition.
Chinese photographer Hongbin Wu won first place, followed by Kuwaiti photographer Faisal Hamada in second and Russian photographer Kirill Kudryavtsev in third.
Diverse photographic perspectives
Her Excellency Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority presented the awards in the ‘General’ category, recognising photographers whose work demonstrates distinctive artistic perspectives and approaches to colour and black-and-white photography.
In ‘General – Colour’, Slovak photographer Filip Hrebenda secured first place, followed by Swiss photographer Franco Banfi in second and Italian photographer Ramiro Torrents in third.
In ‘General – Black and White’, Australian photographer Jono Allen won first place, followed by Indian photographer Barun Sarkar in second and Canadian photographer Thomas Vijayan in third.
Source: Emirates 24|7