[Announced] The 2018 LensCulture Street Photography Awards

Image Credit: William Bullard

The results of the 2018 Street Photography Awards, organized by LensCulture for the fourth year in a row, have been announced!

Among a selection of photographers from more than 170 countries in the world, 39 have the privilege of being exposed by LensCulture on their website and presented during the opening week of meetings in Arles next July, in the South of France.

Discover the award-winning pictures in the different categories

The Jury of this edition, composed of 7 people, is particularly proud of the edition that took place this year.

Described as exceptional by the photo news magazine because of the variety of countries represented and the number of participants identified, the 2018 edition is even described as a contest "of unique images and memorable series both strong and well structured" by Dewi Lewis, publisher and member of the Jury this year.

Several categories have awarded talented photographers:

• Best series of photos

• Best single photo

• Jury Choices: In this category, each Jury member presents their personal choice of a photo that has the most marked.

• The finalists of the different categories are also presented and therefore complete the list of 39 photographers exhibited in July in Arles and LensCulture site.

Best Series

What is striking about the series that caught the attention of the juries is that they all have in common that they are interested in the notion of anonymity and the unknown. The subjects photographed always have a masked face.

The first prize addresses the issue of homeless people, sleeping under several layers of blanket to fight against the cold, without seeing their faces.

Second place was awarded to a photographer who works exclusively on silhouettes created from shadows and backlights on individuals.

Finally, at the third step of the podium, the protagonists of the photographs are more recognizable, but their eyes are always hidden behind a decorative object, making their personality and their identity difficult to define.

1. Sowrav Das - Floating Heroes

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Photo Credits: Sowrav Das

2. Ilker Karaman- In Pursuit of Myself

​Photo Credits: Ilker Karaman

3. Cocoa Laney- Gaps

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​​Photo Credit: Cocoa Laney

Best Photo

The 3 best photos presented alone in this 2018 edition of the Street Photography Award stand out more one from the other.

The grand elect, first of the ranking, fascinates by the composition of the frame and the vertical lines in which are drawn out. Despite all the care of the composition, it is clear that the natural reigns on this photograph taken on the spot.

The second and third prizes are more unusual and it is difficult to fully explain the situations.

The second ranked photograph is quite difficult to describe. A photograph that seems to have been taken quickly and in motion. The blur in the background and on the upper right corner accentuates the incomprehension while the expression of the characters is strongly anxiogenic.

The third highest ranked photograph is original. We do not know whether to take photography with humor or revolt. We could easily call this photography satirical.

1. Maciej Dakowicz

Photo Credit: Maciej Dakowicz

2. Barry Talis

Photo Credit: Barry Talis

3. Jingsheng Nie

​Photo Credit: Jingsheng Nie