Sailors, shadows and a dog in a dress: heroes of the street – in pictures
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By Newsdesk
·5 min read·Updated 22 hours ago
From dazzling shifts in perspective to astounding tricks using shade, reflections and rain, these winning images from the Pure Street Photography awards all capture ‘marvellous moments of fleeting serendipity’
Thu 13 Aug 2026 08.00 CEST
Finalist: Mark Zilberman (US), Urban Hydration, Mermaid Day Parade in Brooklyn, New York
‘The entries to the Pure Street Photography awards possess a wit and precision that define this unique craft, celebrating marvellous moments of fleeting serendipity,’ says Fiona Shields, the Guardian’s head of photography and a judge at this year’s competition. An exhibition of the best work submitted features all eight winning photographs alongside 158 finalist photographs from around the world. Pure Street Photography awards 2026 is at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur, India from 20 to 22 November
Finalist: Lewis Denby (UK), Tbilisi, Georgia from project ‘After the Fall’)
Lewis Denby: ‘I’d been waiting for something to unfold outside this shop in Tbilisi, Georgia. When an older lady crossed in front of the camera, I was frustrated, hoping the magic moment didn’t occur while she was blocking the frame. Then I noticed that her stooped posture was causing her head to completely disappear from view every time she took a step – and that the place where her head should be was aligning perfectly with the ATM in the background. I fired off three frames, and got lucky with one of them’
Grand Winner Open category: Daniel Kashi (France), Chantilly, June 2025
Taken at Prix de Diane, one of France’s most prestigious horse derbies. Fiona Shields, judge for the open category (colour), noted: ‘I was really drawn to the abstract nature of this image of reflection. It’s a complex, atmospheric clash of activity and the band of clouds captured at the top of the frame gives it a surreal, Dali-esque quality’
Second Place Open category: Taichi Naitou (Japan), Guuin
Shields: ‘A witty moment of precision from the photographer who spots an optical illusion. The vivid nature of the people in the frame adds to the sense of fun’
Third Place: Sven Delaye (France), The Rain
Sven Delaye:‘Taken during the rainy season in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, this image was made in the middle of a sudden downpour that transformed the street into a temporary river. I had taken shelter in a bar, but the intensity of the storm pulled me back outside to witness the scene. I used a GoPro instead of my main camera, trusting its resilience against the rain while allowing me to move quickly and stay close to the ground. The resulting image captures both the violence and poetry of the moment’
First Place: Chris Mozyro (UK), From Salute to Cheers
Chris Mozyro: ‘Seeing these young submariners together in such a relaxed, unguarded moment drew me in. It was as though the weight of their morning obligations had been lifted, replaced by the simple joy of friendship and shared experience. This image captures the need for connection after moments of reflection and duty. Hours earlier, these young submariners had marched with solemnity and precision, paying tribute to those who had gone before them. The shift from ceremony to celebration was palpable’
First Place Open category: Leone Von Dizic (Italy), Threshold
Leone Von Dizic: ‘This photograph was made during a religious celebration in southern Italy. While the crowd gathered around a sacred ritual, I was less interested in documenting the event than in experiencing it. I pressed the shutter at the exact moment when the raised hands framed the scene, transforming the photograph into a physical encounter rather than a distant observation. The image became a collision of faith, emotion, bodies, and gestures, where every element contributes to conveying a shared human experience’
Third Place Open category: Marco Cajazzo (Italy), The Last Light
Marco Cajazzo: ‘This photograph was taken at the entrance of the Cathedral of Catania, Sicily, in October 2025, just a few minutes before sunset. The low autumn light enters at a sharp angle, creating long, defined shadows. The shadows become an essential part of the composition, interacting with the people and adding depth to an otherwise ordinary moment. The contrast between the warm golden light and the dark interior creates a natural balance, while the figures moving through the scene convey a sense of quiet everyday life’
Second Place Black & White: Jonathan Varjabedian (US), Untold Story
Jonathan Varjabedian: ‘Untold Story was made on a New York City subway platform during an ordinary commute. What drew me wasn’t simply the woman standing in the doorway, but the brief exchange of attention between her and the blurred figure passing outside the train. The moment lasted less than a second, yet it suggested an entire narrative that can never be known. Street photography has always fascinated me because it transforms fleeting, everyday encounters into enduring questions rather than definitive answers’
Grand Winner Black & White: Cesare Simioni (Brazil), Soul Beneath the Paint
Cesare Simioni: ‘At the heart of the Lambe Sujo and Caboclinhos festival in Sergipe, a young boy looks out at the world through the lens of his heritage. Surrounded by his elders, he carries the resilience, pain, and beauty of one of Brazil’s most powerful folk traditions. My work seeks to portray moments in which identity, tradition and beauty intertwine in unique ways’
Finalist: Promila Bahri (India), The Mask
Dimpy Bhalotia, co-founder and creative director of Pure Street Photography, says: ‘Street photography begins with honesty. It doesn’t wait for perfection or performance. It asks us to notice what everyone else walked past. Every photograph in this exhibition is a reminder that life doesn’t become meaningful just because it is extraordinary. It becomes meaningful because someone truly saw it’
Finalist: Jason Au (Hong Kong), Shadow Play
These photographs offer a rare opportunity to experience some of the strongest contemporary street photography being made around the world today, presented in print through the perspectives of photographers working across cultures, continents and communities
Finalist: Perrin Allison Ganal (Philippines), Carrying the Dragon, Manila
Kamal Kumaar Rao, co-founder and art director of Pure Street Photography, writes: ‘Every exhibition begins long before a photograph reaches the wall. It begins with trust, thoughtful selection and the belief that photographers should know their work will be seen with care. Recognition shouldn’t end with an online announcement. Photographs deserve to be printed, lived with and experienced together. We hope every finalist and winner feels proud to be part of this exhibition’Reporting from The Guardian contributed to this story.
