The Best Analog Photos From Around The World That Won The Analog Sparks Awards 2023

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2023 Analog Sparks International Film Photography Awards. Prepare to be amazed by these breathtaking images!

Let’s celebrate the diverse realm of visual storytelling and the extraordinary talents that brought these mesmerizing analog images to life. Presenting the crème de la crème of analog photography from the 2023 Analog Sparks International Film Photography Awards.

This year, 2023, marks the debut of the Analog Sparks competition. The creation of these awards was influenced by the Analog Sparks Instagram community, a brainchild of Reka Koti. This platform serves as a stage for thousands of emerging and established analog photographers worldwide to showcase their work and engage in meaningful interactions.

In its inaugural year, Analog Sparks was inundated with over a thousand remarkable submissions from around the world in eight categories – Architecture, Fine Art, People, Lifestyle, Nature, Photojournalism, Technique, Zines and Photobooks.

Parallel Worlds (2nd Place In Nature)

“The Parallel Worlds Series offers a unique perspective on the relationship between humans and the environment, inspiring viewers to contemplate their own impact on the world. Using analogue photography, Nibera shows what the world would be like if humans respected nature.” Bernarda Nibera Conič, Slovenia

More: Analog Sparks Awards, Instagram h/t: boredpanda

Manō (2nd Place In Nature )

“I took these photos of sandbar and Galapagos sharks on a glassy morning off the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii. They we’re taken with a Nikonos V camera and Kodak Tri-X 400 film.” Maddie Alohilani, United States

Three (2nd Place In Life Style)

“Photo taken with the Ikonta camera (6×9) in on one of the main streets of the city of Pozna in Poland” Krzysztof Ludwig, Poland

Mars On Earth (Photojournalism Photographer Of The Year)

“With prototype space suits and diets consisting only of freeze-dried food, science fiction has become reality for people who choose to simulate living on another planet. Space simulations and analogs are the scientifically funded frontier to test the psychological ramifications of space exploration directly on humans and our robot counterparts.” Cassandra Klos, United States

Back In Time (Human Best New Talent)

“There is something very precious about the atmosphere shown on film. The people captured on it take me back to my childhood years. People are exactly the way I remember them from the past. An atmosphere that is precious to me.” Vladimir Karamazov, Bulgaria

Young Land (Nature Best New Talent)

“Young Land” is a series on the natural and social landscape of Iceland.” Gleb Simonov, United States

Cold Square (2nd Place In Architecture)

“I spent some time in Longyearbyen. Because of the polar bears, space of movement was a bit limited. I didn’t feel like carrying a gun, which would have given me more freedom. But on the other hand, it gave me a different freedom. To concentrate on a defined area. I shoot too much film anyway. So I walked around in a cold but colourful square. Shot on expired Portra with Hasselblad 500c.” Dominik Gottwald, Germany

From Africa With Love (2nd Place In Fine Art)

“This series is made with images that overlap and mix like those of dreams, like those of memories. The real and the imaginary merge, memories fade and change shapes. These overlays are imaginary postcards of a West Africa that I started photographing over 20 years ago.” Jean-Claude Moschetti, France

Testament ’22 (2nd Place In Photojournalism)

“Testament ’22” is a personal study of war’s human cost. Using medium format analog photography, the project aims to create a sense of history and timelessness while documenting the stories of those affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and show how they’re rebuilding their lives. The project intends to contribute to the body of work from colleagues documenting ongoing crimes in the region. The title references Taras Shevchenko’s poem “Testament” to pay a tribute to the victims and the courage of the survivors.” Byron Smith, Greece

Varna (2nd Place In Architecture)

“The main street in the maritime capital of Bulgaria.” Vladimir Karamazov, Bulgaria

Where Beauty Prevails (Nature Photographer Of The Year)

“Contemplating the beauty and free movement of flowers as a refuge from reality. ‘Where beauty prevails’ is a photographic series of what human beings embrace to feel good and fight against fear. Wanting to capture ephemeral moments to treasure them forever and live in peace. In short, a life in constant search of beauty.” Andrea Rosemercy, Spain

Coming Through (Best New Talent Of The Year)

“This series inspired by the art of Kehinde Wiley is my transformation in creating work that represents my style. The concept of “coming through” is represented by various double exposures, an allegory to something that was covered and revealed.” Ayanah George, United States

Not An Exit (Architecture Photographer Of The Year)

“NOT AN EXIT is a collection of large format analog photographs that proposes a closer examination of the nondescript interiors that we routinely pass through; doorways and hallways, spaces intended for movement but here, somehow appear impenetrable.” Austin Irving, United States

Mujeres Medicina – The Soul Healers (2nd Place In Human)

“Mujeres Medicina- the soul healers is an ongoing,long term photographic documentation of Marta’s healing journey. It’s her homage to all the healers and unconventional methods that have helped her get out of a burn out and depression.From womens circles, to traditional healers – Marta’s goal is to publish a book with the wisdoms and portraits of healers from different traditions and backgrounds.” Marta Kowalska, Poland

Spirit On The Water (2nd Place In Technique)

“Pinhole Photography – Camera: Zero 810 – Positive Paper: Ilford Harman Direct Positive Paper 8×10” – Exposure: 4 minutes and 30 sec. – Bergeggi (SV) Italy 2019 – That day at sea there was a large patch of whitish foam. With the long exposure it created a special ghost effect on the water!” Aurelio Bormioli, Italy

In The Search For Venus (2nd Place In Fine Art )

“In the search for Venus depicts an intimate examination of my femininity, my body and its comparison to ancient portray- als of Venus.” Anna Gajewszky, Hungary

Last Day Of School (Human Photographer Of The Year)

“Last day of school is a narrative dealing with the issue of depopulation in the Balkans, structured through insight into intimate spaces of young people growing up in this region.” Marko Risovic, Serbia

Red Tones Have Changed (Photojournalism Best New Talent)

“As soon as I travelled to Romania, I was struck by how the color red predominated throughout the country 32 years after the fall of communism. I found it curious how capricious and contradictory the symbology could be on some occasions. After the 1989 revolution, Romania switched from hammer and sickle red to the much more refreshing Coca-Cola red.” Pedro Diaz Molins, Spain

Self-Storage (Technique Photographer Of The Year)

“Self-Storage The spirit of place, when memories flash before your eyes at the sight of a landscape you’ve never seen before. It’s not de-ja-vu. We are aware that we have never been there before, yet the landscape evokes memories in the subconscious that are somehow linked to the notion of home. Self-Storage captures the artist in places where he suddenly feels at home, whether it is a comforting place or a distant concept that never existed.” Krisztina Fazekas, Germany

Europa Calling (Architecture Best New Talent)

“Questioning the identities of these countries by deconstructing them according to one’s imagination while being driven by the spontaneous encountering with these places and their people. This work (still in progress) is an attempt to create a negotiation between the visual memory of their national cultures and the photographer’s vision. The results would build a “European Portrait” far from any social or political preconception. The photos were made in Budapest, Prague and Vilnius.” Lee-Marie Sadek, France

The Hot Water (Life Style Photographer Of The Year)

“In Varna, Bulgaria, there is a natural spring with hot mineral water about 55 degrees Celsius right on the beach. The pit, as they call it, has became so popular that one can see people from all genders, ages, nationalities and social spheres – from sex workers to PhD’s. It is very picturesque and colourful place where people are coming to appreciate the free and healing mineral waters and sure to have a nice chat or not at all just sitting and observing the marvellous view while the hot water cures their bodies.” Christo Stankulov, France

Esprìts (Technique Best New Talent)

“Esprìts is a project-diary, a series of photographic notes about faded memories that often appear like spirits. These photographs are instinctive, evolving over time and form a body of work that I hope will never end.” Enrico Doria , Italy

Impure (2nd Place In Photojournalism)

“Impure is an analog film series shot in areas where chemical pollutants were introduced into the ecosystem. Post-exposure, the film is subjected to a chemical treatment unique to each roll that replicates the pollutants found in each location the photos were shot. While experimental, the goal is to illustrate the impact these chemicals have on the environment despite being invisible to the naked eye.” Brandon Seidler, United States

A Crack In The Mirror (Photographer Of The Year)

“The intention of my project is to have a look at childhood, puberty and adolescence through the annual practice of photographing the same girls every year.” Cristina Fontsare, Spain

Pacific Beach (Life Style Best New Talent)

“It was a quintessential beach town, though part of a large city. The Pacific Beach neighborhood of San Diego in the 1980’s was part old California, part Yuppie haven- a cracked time capsule. I strolled the quiet streets with an intimidating large film camera slung over my shoulder. Except, no one was intimidated, simply accepting. P.B. was about live and let live, beautiful, fortunate, unique.” Reed Galin, United States

Minnelied (Zines And Photo Book Photographer Of The Year)

“Were the Troubadours of Greek, Celtic and Iberian origins? Were the Etruscans distant ancestors as well? Maybe not all is lost, maybe the secrets of the Troubadours reveal themselves in the love-songs (de Minneliederen) and in their tales of Chivalry.” Margrieta Jeltema, Italy

In A Mood For Love (2nd Place In Human)

“In a Mood for Love is an in-depth research project of a romantic relationship. The artist presents a romantic and life-like narrative through the ritualistic construction of figurative portrait and still lifes.” Xiangyu Dong, United Kingdom

Modern Tribe (2nd Place In Life Style)

“All societies are ‘tribal’ to some degree in that there’s a universal desire among humans to belong to a defined group. There is among us an urge to remember the ways of our ancestors and their traditions. In contemporary time, instead of bows and arrows we have cars that act as our ceremonial shields, defining us and the group we belong to.” Shahriar Mazandi, United Kingdom

Montreal 1978 (2nd Place In Zines And Photo Book)

“These analog street photographs were taken in the city of Montreal.” Michel Boyer, Canada

The Polaroid Exerperience (2nd Place In Technique)

“The series deal with our inner self. Technically these are double exposures, yet the aim of the series was to capture more as the visible only. This series originated in 2015 when I was first trying peel apart polaroids (Polaroid EE100 camera). The polaroids are presented on an as is basis – with all imperfektness and errors in handling.” Paul Delpani, Austria

The Opéra – Anniversary Issue (2nd Place In Zines And Photo Book)

“THE OPÉRA Magazine for Classic & Contemporary Nude Photography is proud to present the best of 10 years in analog nude photography. Photographers, models, artists, designers, and publishers share their passion for the presentation of the human body in its diversity.” Matthias Straub, Germany

I Made These Shitty Prints For You (Zines And Photo Book Best New Talent)

“This zine was created from my feelings of frustrating. I am retracing my steps back to the old me, my old collections, which upon inspecting I’m not only learning how to break my barriers of fear in trying something “new” and different, but I’m also reminding myself of who I am.” Bianka Ézsöl, Slovakia