Spectacular Winning Images from The 2024 Siena International Photo Awards

Runner-up – documentary and photojournalism – Solitude Amongst the Ruin

A woman walks towards a collapsed building as demolition teams work nearby after the powerful February 2023 earthquake in Hatay, Turkey. The 7.8-magnitude quake caused widespread devastation, claiming more than 50,000 lives and injuring more than 100,000 people. Photograph: Sedat Suna/Siena international photo awards

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Overall winner – ‘Irreplaceable’

Amid the chaos and devastation left by Israeli airstrikes in the Ridwan neighbourhood of Gaza City, an injured woman is overcome with grief beside the lifeless body of a loved one. Photograph: Ali Jadallah/Siena international photo awards

Winner – documentary & photojournalism – Irina – Ria Pizza Survivor

Amid the chaos in Kramatorsk, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, Irina, a waitress at Ria Pizza, becomes trapped under rubble after a devastating Russian missile strike. The attack on the bustling restaurant, a beloved gathering spot, claimed the lives of 13 civilians and injured 61 others. Photograph: Wojciech Grzędziński/Siena international photo awards

Documentary and photojournalism – The Last Barrier

A family, with a young child, make their way through razor wire along the border wall separating the US and Mexico in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Originating from Venezuela, they are among the multitude of migrants seeking a new beginning in the US. Photograph: Michael Robinson Chávez/Siena international photo awards

Runner-up – journeys and adventures – A Boy and His Horse

In Andalusia, there’s a saying: ‘An Andalusian man without a horse is like a matador without a cape.’ Horses are an integral part of the culture and daily life of this region. From a young age, children begin to familiarise themselves with the animals. Here, a boy soothes his horse amid bustling festivities in La Línea, in southern Andalusia. Photograph: Giedo Van Der Zwan/Siena international photo awards

Winner – street photography – 72

At 72, Einar Njiokiktjien defies age with a backflip. As the global median life expectancy reaches 72, Earth’s population is on the verge of becoming the oldest it has ever been. By 2030, one in six people will be over 60, marking a historic shift in demographics. Photograph: Ilvy Njiokiktjien/Siena international photo awards

Runner-up – underwater life – The Rain I’ve Been Waiting For

When it rains, frog couples come down to the river to spawn.
After fleeing attacks from other males, they reach their spawning site.
Once they have laid their eggs, they return to the mountains, in a brief but captivating story that unfolds over just one week. Photograph: Kazuhige Horiguchi/Siena international photo awards

Runner-up – animals in their environment – Bubblenetting

In their Antarctic feeding grounds, humpback whales gorge on fat-rich krill for months, building up their blubber reserves for the challenging journey to tropical breeding grounds. Using a remarkable technique known as ‘bubble netting’, they skillfully trap their prey with precision. Photograph: Scott Portelli/Siena international photo awards

The beauty of nature – A Green Turtle in the Blue Hour

As the sun sets, the enchanting ‘blue hour’ descends upon N’gouja Beach, home to green turtles. These majestic creatures, abundant in the Mayotte lagoon of the Indian Ocean, are familiar with human company, often approachable by day, yet vanishing as night falls. Photograph: Barathieu Gabriel/Siena international photo awards

Runner-up – sports in action – Falling Femke

Alexis Holmes of the USA sprints to victory in the 4x400m mixed relay, setting a new world record time of 3:08:80, as Femke Bol of the Netherlands falls just short of the finish line, during day one of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Photograph: Sam Barnes/Siena international photo awards

Animals in their environment – Sentinel

In the winter of 2023, Gertsman embarked on a hike in search of the elusive northern hawk owl. Battling through deep, powdery snow, each step sinking him deeper, he trudged on, covering countless kilometres in his snowshoes. Finally, his perseverance paid off with encounters with a pair of these majestic birds. Photograph: Liron Gertsman/Siena international photo awards

Winner – sports in action – Teahupo’o – Wall of Skulls

In the turquoise waters of Teahupo’o, French Polynesia, Australian surfer Olivia Ottaway dives under a towering wave. Teahupo’o has been a legendary host to the WSL Tahiti Pro for more than two decades, and set the stage for the surfing event at the 2024 Olympic Games. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Siena international photo awards

Winner – journeys and adventures – Honey Hunters 3

The fearless Gurung tribesmen of Nepal, known as master honey hunters, brave dizzying heights of hundreds of feet in the Himalayan foothills. Armed only with handmade rope ladders and long sticks called tangos, they risk their lives to collect precious honeycomb. Photograph: Andrew Newey/Siena international photo awards

Winner – the beauty of nature – The Monarch’s Forest

At El Rosario sanctuary, within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, during the harsh winter months, millions of monarch butterflies gather, transforming the oyamel fir trees into a vibrant mosaic of colours. The golden rays penetrating the forest create a magical atmosphere. Photograph: Jaime Rojo/Siena international photo awards

Sports in action – Pole Vault Leg of Decathlon

During the Budapest Athletics World Championships, an athlete celebrates mid-air with a triumphant gesture after clearing the bar. Photograph: Mattia Ozbot/Siena international photo awards

Journeys and adventures – Moonlight Paddle

Adam Chasey, once a biologist in the Everglades, paddleboards among weather-beaten cypress trees under the light of a full moon. Night-time often offers the best opportunity to explore swamps and encounter unique wildlife such as alligators and snakes. Photograph: Mac Stone/Siena international photo awards

Winner – underwater life – Whale Milk

During a dive, Iliya seized the chance to capture an extraordinary image. He was documenting a rare phenomenon: the abandoned swirl of humpback whale milk. Just as he prepared to resurface for air, he spotted the calf rising in the background. Suppressing his urge to breathe, Karim managed to capture a few photographs of this unique moment. Photograph: Karim Iliya/Siena international photo awards

Winner – animals in their environment – Men at Work

Male cactus bees (Diadasia rinconis) fiercely contend for the attention of a single female, engaged in a high-stakes battle for mating rights. In this dangerous dance of nature, only the strongest will win their chance to mate. Photograph: Karine Aigner/Siena international photo awards

Runner-up – the beauty of nature – Stormy Cacti

A storm rages over the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. This arid realm, home to the planet’s richest variety of cacti, faces a dangerous threat from the climate crisis. Photograph: Luis Lyons/Siena international photo awards

Street photography – Mirror Mirror on the Bike

In the heart of a bustling procession in Kathmandu, Nepal, Wintels sought solace in a blue-walled alley. As she patiently observed, silhouettes of passersby emerged on the walls. Suddenly, an elderly gentleman emerged, quietly witnessing the festivities, his reflection mirrored in a motorcycle. Photograph: Karlynne Wintels/Siena international photo awards

Winer – storyboard, general news – Among Rubble

A distraught woman wanders amid the debris of residential buildings in Gaza City’s al-Zahra neighbourhood after Israeli strikes on 19 October 2023. Photograph: Mustafa Hassona/Siena international photo awards