Outstanding Maternity Award Celebrates Global Family Photography in 36th Season

The Outstanding Maternity Award has completed its 36th season, highlighting exceptional maternity and family photography from around the world. With photographers representing 15 countries, the competition continues to demonstrate the universal language of familial love through visual storytelling. This global representation underscores how family bonds transcend cultural boundaries and geographic distances, creating a shared human experience captured through the lens of talented photographers from diverse backgrounds.

This year's jury, comprising internationally acclaimed photographers Elif ES from Germany and Mariana Bontempo from Brazil, selected images that powerfully communicate familial bonds. Elif ES, a master's degree holder in International Photography, and Mariana Bontempo, whose work has been exhibited at prestigious venues like the Carrousel du Louvre, brought extensive expertise to the selection process. Their international backgrounds and professional accomplishments ensured that the winning selections represented both technical excellence and emotional depth in capturing family moments.

The winning photographs represent diverse cultural perspectives, capturing moments from pregnancy through everyday family life. Photographers from Portugal, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, the United States, Cyprus, India, Italy, France, Martinique, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Canada contributed to this global artistic dialogue. This geographic diversity highlights how family photography serves as a universal medium for expressing love, connection, and the human experience across different societies and traditions.

Founded in 2014, the award has spent a decade celebrating photographers who capture authentic, emotionally resonant family moments. Eliane Pellegrini, the award's founder with 12 years of international photography experience, emphasized the significance of cultural diversity in this year's submissions. The competition goes beyond a traditional photography contest, serving as a platform for photographers to showcase their work and reach broader audiences. By highlighting the nuanced, intimate moments of family life, the Outstanding Maternity Award continues to elevate the art of family photography on an international stage, demonstrating how visual storytelling can bridge cultural divides and celebrate shared human experiences.