20 Award-Winning Travel Photos from the 2025 Monovisions Photography Awards

By 121clicks
September 6, 2025

The 2025 Monovisions Photography Awards once again celebrated the timeless power of black-and-white photography, showcasing how simplicity in tones can evoke the deepest emotions. Among the highlights were 20 extraordinary travel photographs that transport viewers across continents, capturing moments of culture, history, and human connection with breathtaking artistry.

Photo by: Amal Alameer

These award-winning images are not just about documenting places—they are about storytelling. From bustling city streets filled with motion and energy to remote landscapes where silence speaks louder than words, each photograph invites us to step into a different world. The absence of color strips scenes down to their essence, drawing attention to light, shadow, and composition. This purity allows subtle details—a child’s gaze, the curve of an ancient structure, the play of clouds above a desert—to resonate with striking clarity.

The photographers featured in this year’s competition hail from diverse corners of the globe, united by their ability to reveal universal truths through travel. Their work demonstrates how black-and-white photography transcends language and culture, offering perspectives that are both intimate and expansive. Whether capturing sacred rituals, fleeting interactions, or the raw beauty of nature, these images remind us that travel is as much about connection as it is about discovery.

The 2025 winners underscore the enduring relevance of monochrome in an era dominated by digital saturation. Stripped of distraction, their photographs feel timeless, echoing the artistry of classic masters while speaking directly to today’s audience.

Together, these 20 award-winning travel photos create a journey not just across places, but also through emotions—curiosity, wonder, and reverence for the world we share. They reaffirm that photography, at its finest, is not just about seeing new landscapes but about discovering new ways of seeing.

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#1. 1st Place Winner: "Riders of the Volcano" by Mahendra Bakle

"The Horsemen of Bromo," epitomize a rich cultural legacy amidst Mount Bromo’s breathtaking landscape. are custodians of tradition, they provide visitors an immersive journey, blending vibrant customs with deep-rooted rituals, offering rides and a profound encounter with the region’s heritage.

#2. 2nd Place Winner: "Mundari cattle camp" by Svetlin Yosifov

"In the Mundari cattle camps, kids are doing most of the daily work. Kids collect the fresh cow dung and put it into piles which are then set on fire. Those fire are useful as they repel the (extremely) numerous and voracious flies and mosquitoes of the South Sudanese countryside. The Mundari also use the ash created by these fires to rub on themselves and their cattle, creating a protection against mosquitoes."

#3. 3rd Place Winner: "Rays of Tranquility" by Partha Roy

"Bathed in ethereal morning light, an ancient tree stands as the centerpiece of life, its branches casting intricate shadows on the earth below. A shepherd tends to their flock while a horse-drawn cart adds to the timeless charm of the scene. This black-and-white portrayal captures the quiet harmony of rural existence, illuminated by nature’s artistry."