Macadam Awards 2025: Second Edition Winners

Street Macadam has announced the winners of the 2nd edition of the Macadam Awards, an international street and documentary photography competition open to photographers around the world. Held from May 1 to June 30, 2025, the contest invited both amateur and professional photographers aged 18 and over to submit their best color or black-and-white street images. The results were revealed on Monday, July 25, 2025, following the deliberation of an international jury of respected photographers and curators.

This year's edition drew a wide range of compelling submissions that captured the unpredictability, tension, and poetic rhythm of street life. After reviewing hundreds of images, the jury selected three winners and twenty honorable mentions that best illustrated the theme: Street Photography.

All three winning images will be exhibited during the 4th edition of the Livorno Photo Meeting, taking place from November 14 to 16, 2025 in Italy.

1st Prize: Jozef Macak
The winning photograph by Jozef Macak presents a complex, multi-layered moment that celebrates the very heart of street photography: spontaneous, dense with visual information, and masterfully composed.


Jury Comments:
Ana Cichowicz: ''The street is, par excellence, the place where the possibilities for scenes, encounters, and gestures are boundless. Every time we go out, whether stepping into a new place or one we know well, we are always at risk of being surprised. We never truly know what awaits us. With this image, the photographer manages to condense this idea of the street as an “endless realm of possibilities.” Wherever the eye turns, something is unfolding, and the way the photographer skillfully composes the frame allows not just one event to take center stage, but the entire constellation of them. This is a photograph that gives our eyes a tactile quality, tiny legs, even, as they feel invited to wander and explore every corner of the image. ''

Jason Florio: ''This is an exquisitely layered image, where each participant in the scene is both alone and interconnected within the moment. It's an image that cannot be quickly swiped left; the viewer is enticed into asking questions. Eyes wander around the frame to find new micro-stories. Bisecting lines, bisecting lives. What is the relationship between the characters? Is there one? A real moment, but at the same time a form of tableau vivant, a theatrical performance, life imitating art, or vice versa. Echoes of a painting by Pieter Bruegel; the more we look, the more we find. The image is so generous, it keeps giving to the viewer, mysteries to be revealed. So much life within the four walls of the frame, but not trapped or restricted, just passing through. A moment between breaths; chaos of daily life so beautifully held for a second, for us to ponder over for hours.''

Keigo Nakamura: ''This photograph is a highly composed image where complex visual elements are intricately interwoven yet meticulously organized. At the center, the sharp gaze of a woman reflected in a motorcycle mirror instantly captures the viewer’s attention, generating a palpable sense of tension. In the background, swaying laundry, a man carrying wooden planks, a mother holding her child, a political poster, and a clutter of buildings collectively portray layered fragments of urban life. The rich colors vividly convey the energy and clamor of the city, while the skillful placement of elements across the foreground, middle ground, and background guides the viewer’s eye seamlessly through the scene. Overall, the photo evokes a unique atmosphere where the quiet routines of family and labor coexist with the chaotic vitality of the urban environment.''

Prize: Ricoh GR III “Diary Edition” (24.2 MP, 28mm f/2.8) + Black PRVKE 31L Photo Bundle from WANDRD (Total value: €1,384)


2nd Prize: Pierluigi Meduri
Pierluigi Meduri was awarded second place for a photograph rich in mood and suggestion, relying on light and form to evoke an almost cinematic atmosphere.

Jury Comments:
Ana Cichowicz: ''Some images stand out because of the subject, something surprising that, sometimes by luck, the photographer managed to capture by being in the right place at the right time. Other images, in turn, draw their strength mainly from the way the photographer looks at a scene and, through composition, elevates what was happening in that space. The photographer understood the way light and shadow spilled and, through them, and the use of technical skill that directed them, created, together with the little girl, a story that could only be told through an image made with a camera. The same scene looked different to the naked eye. This image highlights the power of composition in photography, of intuiting, but also anticipating, of trying to understand the play of elements before clicking. And that is one of the great beauties of photography''

Jason Florio: ''Who is this kohl-eyed dark angel in a party dress, emerging into a patch of light that has slipped out between the clouds? We are giving a hint of place, an ominous wall, a silhouetted street light, but where are we? What is hidden in the shadows? Who is she? The image’s strength and power are in that it reveals little at first glance. It’s an image that does not show or tell us a story, but is the first clue in a puzzle that has no right or wrong answers. It’s a platform for the viewer to let their imagination take flight upon.''

Keigo Nakamura: ''The girl’s expression is the emotional core of this photograph. Her upward gaze and slightly tense mouth convey a complex mix of emotions—perhaps fear, alertness, or quiet determination. This subtle ambiguity draws the viewer in. The use of negative space is especially effective; the deep black shadows occupy most of the frame, creating a stark contrast that amplifies the subject’s presence while also evoking a sense of psychological depth. The composition is carefully calculated, with the light dividing the face almost exactly in half, adding tension and balance. Technically, the photo shows strong control over exposure, timing, and framing—resulting in a powerful and memorable image. ''

Prize: Black PRVKE 21L Photo Bundle (Value: €309)


3rd Prize: Zeren Yu
Zeren Yu received the third prize for a distinct and evocative image that explores the tension between humanity and the urban landscape.

Jury Comments:
Ana Cichowicz: ''What stands out in this image is the play the photographer creates between the foreground, middle ground, and background. The shadowed men are separated by the ocean from an urban portion that feels both contemporary and futuristic. The colors of the water, the sky, and the buildings, blended into bluish tones, give the impression that the buildings might be floating. The men, with their light-colored hats, partially revealed faces, and dark clothing, end up assuming a form that is not only human, but also architectural. The play the photographer establishes between the “island” of buildings (floating or not) and the “island” of men, both centered in the frame, sets up a relation between the elements in a way that brings an evocative sculptural quality to the photograph.''

Jason Florio: ''I was first drawn to the image because it felt so lyrical; the brilliant blue sky, the radiant sun, the warm glow of the men’s skin against the aquatic blues of the cityscape, the repetition of shapes and the tilting brims of the hats, the arm gesture. But the image’s strength is that it’s not just merely seductive colours and eye pleasing shapes, but on closer look, it has a darker underbelly. On closer look, we see the men’s faces, although partially obscured in shadow, are not looking in awe at the ‘Emerald City’ but turned away from it with almost perplexed expressions. The city feels like it's almost within touching distance of them, but just out of arm's reach. The city seems to tease them with its glitz and shine and says to them, “You can look, but you will never be part of us”. Their fragile humanity of flesh and skin is almost mocked by the beautiful, but clinical buildings, devoid of life. I find the image deep with heartbreaking symbolism - a modern world of technology that is rejecting the very humans that have created it. ''

Keigo Nakamura: ''This street portrait highlights the contrast between the skyscrapers and the three men wearing hats. The expressions on the faces of the three men are exquisite, perhaps due to the brightness of the sun, or perhaps because they are overwhelmed by the modern skyscrapers. ''

Prize: ROGUE Black Sling 6L (Value: €139)




20 Honorable Mentions
In addition to the top three winners, the jury selected 20 honorable mentions, each reflecting a unique vision of street life—from fleeting gestures and visual coincidences to moments of quiet observation. These works will be highlighted on the All About Photo homepage, offering global visibility to a new generation of street photographers.

The 20 Honorable Mentions in this year’s edition showcase a remarkable diversity of photographic voices and styles. Ranging from intimate street portraits to striking urban scenes and poetic visual narratives, these images reflect the breadth of contemporary street photography today. Each photograph stands out not only for its technical merit but for its ability to capture fleeting moments, layered emotions, and the rhythm of everyday life around the world.






About the Macadam Awards
Founded by Street Macadam, the Macadam Awards aim to support and elevate the art of street and documentary photography by recognizing images that capture the pulse of everyday life in public spaces. The competition is judged by an international panel and open to photographers worldwide. The Macadam Awards continue to celebrate images that reveal the poetry of the ordinary and the power of the unposed. This year's winners exemplify street photography’s ability to tell layered, human stories with elegance, complexity, and vision.
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