Outstanding Maternity Award Celebrates Global Family Photography in 36th Season

The Outstanding Maternity Award has completed its 36th season, celebrating exceptional maternity and family photography from around the world. With photographers representing 15 countries, the competition continues to demonstrate the universal language of familial love through visual storytelling. This international platform brings together diverse cultural perspectives on family life, from pregnancy through everyday moments, creating a global artistic dialogue about the universal experience of family bonds.

This year's jury featured internationally acclaimed photographers Elif ES from Germany and Mariana Bontempo from Brazil, who selected images that powerfully communicate familial connections. Elif ES, holding a master's degree in International Photography, and Mariana Bontempo, whose work has been exhibited at prestigious venues including the Carrousel du Louvre, brought extensive expertise to the selection process. Their combined international experience ensured that the winning photographs represented both technical excellence and emotional depth across different cultural contexts.

The winning photographs showcase diverse cultural perspectives from Portugal, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, the United States, Cyprus, India, Italy, France, Martinique, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Canada. This geographical diversity highlights how family bonds transcend national boundaries while maintaining unique cultural expressions. The competition serves as more than a traditional photography contest, functioning as a platform for photographers to showcase their work and reach broader international audiences.

Founded in 2014, the award has spent a decade celebrating photographers who capture authentic, emotionally resonant family moments. Eliane Pellegrini, the award's founder with 12 years of international photography experience, emphasized the significance of cultural diversity in this year's submissions. By highlighting nuanced, intimate moments of family life across different cultures, the Outstanding Maternity Award continues to elevate the art of family photography on an international stage, demonstrating how visual storytelling can bridge cultural divides while celebrating the universal experience of family.