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Some portraits don’t just show faces—they hit you. They make you pause, zoom in, and feel something real. That’s exactly what the 23 award-winning portrait photos from the 2025 Chromatic Awards deliver. This year’s winners prove that color photography isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about emotion, mood, and storytelling that sticks with you long after the scroll.
The Chromatic Awards has built a global reputation for celebrating photographers who know how to use color like a language. Open to both professionals and amateurs, the competition attracts artists from all over the world—each bringing personal stories, cultural depth, and raw emotion into the frame. These winning portraits range from quiet, intimate moments to bold, high-impact visuals that practically vibrate with feeling.
What makes this collection special is how human it feels. You’ll see eyes that tell entire life stories, lighting that mirrors inner turmoil, and colors that amplify joy, grief, resilience, or vulnerability. Some images whisper. Others shout. But none of them feel staged or hollow. Every portrait feels intentional, honest, and deeply personal.
Beyond the creative glory, the Chromatic Awards also put real support behind artists. Professional category winners receive $2,000, while amateur winners take home $1,000, helping photographers invest back into their craft. Add global media exposure and magazine features, and it’s clear why this competition matters.
These 23 portraits aren’t just award-winners—they’re emotional time capsules. They remind us why portrait photography still matters in a hyper-digital world: because a single face, captured honestly, can say more than a thousand words.
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#1. 1st Place winner: "Lynette, acid attack survivor" by Erberto Zani, Italy
"Lynette, 27, was attacked with acid when she was three. One evening, she and her sisters were gathered in the house, sitting on the carpet for dinner. Two masked men came through the door throwing some buckets full of acid at the group of women who got up by clicking leaving only Lynette on the floor, too small to move quickly. The main suspects of the attack fell on Lynette’s stepmother, who seems to have harbored a grudge against her daughters and wanted to eliminate them. Soon after the attack she was arrested, but managed to bribe the guards and remained in jail for a little while and has since disappeared."
#2. 2nd Place winner: "Woman" by Francesco Depierro, Italy
"A powerful portrait that explores the expressive power of the human face through sharp contrasts and a delicate use of color. The direct, penetrating gaze captures attention, while the red and burgundy makeup emphasizes emotions of vulnerability and power. The soft, even light delicately shapes the features, creating a balance between realism and pictorial abstraction. A single curl of hair, arranged almost sculpturally on the forehead, introduces an element of originality and imperfection that breaks the symmetry and brings the image to life. The result is a portrait that does more than simply represent, but invites us to question the identity and emotional intensity hidden behind the woman’s gaze."
#3. 3rd Place winner: "Scent of Austin" by Ziesook You, United States
"Broqpa is the name of a small village in Nepal. Ziesook first learned of it from a TV documentary, The Last Empire. Ziesook was moved by what she learned about a small village located at the end of the Silk Road in Nepal named Broq-pa. In Broq-pa, the symbolic meaning of flowers is very special. In the Nepalese culture, flowers symbolize love, happiness, and appreciation for God. Broq-pa’s women are committed to growing flowers in their garden and decorating their hair with flowers every day."
Honorable Mentions
#4. "A Dream in White" by Frank Janßen, Germany
"Every woman dreams of this: to wear a wedding dress once in her life that far exceeds all expectations. The glow in Annika’s eyes says it all about her dream in white…"
#5. "Abyssal fish" by Ann Banasiak, Poland
"This photo is my self-portrait from the Dream Figures series. Dream figures is a term borrowed from process oriented psychology (processwork). The figures represent parts of the psyche, they appear in the ‘Dream’ level – the second level of experiencing reality. The figures don’t have to be people; they are often symbols, objects, animals or phenomena. The figures often emerge unconsciously, but by working with them, one can experience them consciously, become them, or understand and include them in to the whole of psyche."
#6. "Adriana" by Samuel de Román , Spain
"Samuel de Román (Burgos, Spain)"
#7. "Benjamin Gijzel" by Susanne Middelberg, Netherlands
"Benjamin Gijzel, Actor"
#8. "Bolghieri" by Radek von Hirschberg, Poland
"Photography connects the world of facts with the universe of emotions. It reconciles the mind with the soul, and through it, I follow the path of continuous development."
#9. "Bram Legerstee" by Susanne Middelberg, Netherlands
"Bram Legerstee, Actor"
#10. "Chinese style wedding photography in water" by Yao Yuan Shang, Taiwan
"I experimented with shooting a new type of wedding for Chinese-style brides in water, trying to create a new visual experience. In addition to having unforgettable beautiful memories with the newlyweds, I also created a new style of wedding photography and enjoyed the wonderful fun of photography creation. The works will also be planned to be displayed in advertisements to make people stunning."
#11. "D-I-S" by Andreas Boldt, Austria
"D-I-S explores the fragile architecture of identity through the lens of Dissociative Identity Disorder. The image visualizes the fragmentation of the self — the struggle between visibility and concealment, control and surrender. By binding and distorting the face, the portrait becomes a metaphor for the human mind’s ability to protect itself from unbearable memory. The sterile composition contrasts with the emotional turbulence beneath the surface, revealing beauty in psychological complexity. It invites viewers to question where the boundary lies between protection and loss of self."
#12. "Day of the Dead – Painted Face" by Gary Landry Jr., United States
"Woman in her Dia de los Muertos face paint and costume poses during a street festival celebration."
#13. "Fighter" by Nicole Bernard, Germany
"In Serbia, students are protesting against corruption. From a series of portraits, this one uniquely combines the strength and vulnerability of young people who, despite defamation and threats from the government, have the courage to stand up for the future of their country."
#14. "Inward Gaze" by Farzin Sahebjam, Australia
"In the stillness of her gaze, the world dissolved into the hush of her depths."
#15. "La Catrina" by Aleksandra Dynas, Spain
"This portrait of Karina, captures the essence of "La Catrina," a beloved symbol of Mexico’s Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration. The girl, adorned with traditional face paint and rhinestones, embodies both beauty and reverence. Her vibrant red shawl, intricate floral crown in the colors of the Mexican flag, and delicate pose reflect the cultural richness and emotional depth of this important tradition."
#16. "Metamorph" by Sonka Skerik, Czech Republic
"She is neither of the earth nor beyond it—woven from nature’s fragile whispers and gilded dreams. The boundary between flesh and the untamed dissolves, leaving only transformation."
#17. "No more tears" by Marzena Kolarz, Poland
"The photograph symbolically addresses the issue of plastic overproduction and the impact this overwhelming amount of plastic has on our world. Microplastic can now be found even in our tears, paradoxically showing how humans themselves create their own burdens. Model: Maria"
#18. "Play Time" by Takamasa Honda, Japan
"I expressed humor and cuteness with compositions that highlight the sitter’s expressions and the pattern of umbrella. I used a color scheme influenced by painter Henri Matisse. I created comprehensive work of art by being in charge of not only the photography, but also the dyeing of umbrella and costumes."
#19. "Red fan" by ZHENDONG WU, China
"The red fan not only retains the texture of Eastern aesthetics, but also breaks the symbolic meaning of traditional objects through the modern technique of "cutting the face", endowing it with the metaphor of "modern individual spiritual dilemma". The overall color tone is strong (mainly red), strengthening the emotional heat and conflict, and making the contradiction between "concealment and exposure" more visually impactful."
#20. "Silence Beneath the Toadstool" by Iryna Bavina, Sweden
"Deep in the northern forest, where moss blankets the ground like a quilt, a fairy-tale creature hides — a mushroom girl. Her gaze turns inward, as if she’s listening not to the rain, but to the ancient voice of nature. The red-and-white cap, echoing the iconic toadstool, becomes a canopy for contemplation, a shelter for a dreamer. This portrait is more than a costume play — it’s a metaphor for solitude, fragility, and quiet strength in a world where even silence speaks louder than words. In this image, the spirit of the forest awakens — a little magical, a little melancholic, but always real."
#21. "Soil Is Our Mother" by Dimitris Sideridis, Greece
"Vishal Sachin Dhawale, a 19-year-old wrestler from Pune, is among those to have relocated to Kolhapur to pursue their kushti aspirations."
#22. "Susanne" by Susanne Middelberg, Netherlands
"Self portrait"
#23. "Young Innocence" by Daniela Bucy, United States
"Getting lost in the beauty of a child who’s pride for her country shines through."
In Summary
What are the Chromatic Awards?
- An international color photography competition open to both professional and amateur photographers worldwide.
What makes the Chromatic Awards unique?
- A strong focus on color as a storytelling tool and emotional expression in photography.
What do winners receive?
- Professional winners earn $2,000, while amateur winners receive $1,000, along with global media exposure.
Who can participate?
- Both professionals and amateurs from anywhere in the world.
What type of photography is featured here?
- Emotion-driven portrait photography that uses color, light, and expression to tell powerful human stories.
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