ZEISS Photography Award

"Seeing Beyond"

ZEISS, in coordination with World Photography Organisation, has decided that the 2020 competition to be the last iteration of the ZEISS Photography Award in its current format. This follows five years of a successful collaboration which, true to the motto – “Seeing Beyond”, we hope to revisit in the future.

We would like to thank all participants over the past five years for the outstanding work that we had the honour to review during the competitions. Above all, we would like to pay tribute to the photographers of the winning series:

Tamina-Florentine Zuch (2016)
Kevin Faingnaert (2017)
Nick Hannes (2018)
Rory Doyle (2019)
KyeongJun Yang (2020)

We would also like to thank our colleagues from the World Photography Organisation. We have been working together for a long time and we highly value them as a long-standing and trusted strategic partner. Together we have organised five great competitions that have inspired countless talented photographers from all over the world.

"Winning this award still feels like a dream, and I am glad not only because I’ve won, but also because now I know I’m not the only person who likes my images. I’m happy my photographs have been enjoyed by others, somehow they don’t seem as lonely anymore."

KyeongJun Yang, South Korea, Winner 2020

See the winner series of 2020 and read more about KyeongJun Yang

"I'm incredibly grateful for the ZEISS Photography Award because it provided me an opportunity to share the stories of my subjects with a global audience. Thanks to the award, my project was picked up by international outlets, and it really allowed me to share the photos with the world. I couldn't ask for anything more, particularly because my project features people who are often overlooked."

Rory Doyle, USA, Winner 2019

See the winner series of 2019 and read more about Rory Doyle

"After winning the ZEISS Photography Award, I got a lot of requests from international magazines, also the big magazines. There was a lot of international attention, all of a sudden. This award really stimulates you to do what you do, to continue working."

Nick Hannes, Belgium, Winner 2018

See the winner series of 2018 and read more about Nick Hannes

"Due to photo editors having seen my work through the news of winning the ZEISS Photography Award, my personal documentary work has since gone on to be printed in magazines and newspaper around the world. Winning the award helped secure more clients but, more importantly, my self-confidence as a photographer has certainly grown since the win."

Kevin Faingnaert, Belgium, Winner 2017

See the winner series of 2017 and read more about Kevin Faingnaert

"The ZEISS Photography Award was a great opportunity for me because it opened up windows to exposure of my own work where I alone would have never gotten by myself."

Tamina-Florentine Zuch, Germany, Winner 2016

See the winner series of 2016 and read more about Tamina-Florentine Zuch

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ZEISS Photography Award

"Winning this award still feels like a dream, and I am glad not only because I’ve won, but also because now I know I’m not the only person who likes my images. I’m happy my photographs have been enjoyed by others, somehow they don’t seem as lonely anymore."

"After winning the ZEISS Photography Award, I got a lot of requests from international magazines, also the big magazines. There was a lot of international attention, all of a sudden. This award really stimulates you to do what you do, to continue working."

"The ZEISS Photography Award was a great opportunity for me because it opened up windows to exposure of my own work where I alone would have never gotten by myself."