Showcasing the Best in Color Photography: AAP Magazine 43 Contest Winners

We're thrilled to announce the winners of AAP Magazine’s 43rd photo contest, dedicated to the vibrant theme of "Colors." This edition celebrates the diverse ways in which photographers capture the richness and depth of color in the world around us. Colors are far more than simple shades—they're powerful storytellers, reflecting the range of emotions, moods, and moments we experience every day.

This year’s selection showcases 25 talented photographers from 15 countries and 4 continents. From striking, bold palettes to delicate pastels, each image demonstrates a unique approach to color that elevates both the aesthetic and emotional impact of the scene. These photographers use color not only as a visual element but as a fundamental layer that enhances storytelling and evokes sensory experience.

In AAP Magazine 43, we invite you to explore these compelling perspectives on color, which underscore the magic that hues bring to the art of photography.

The Winner of AAP Magazine 43 Colors is Fabien Dendiével (France) with the series United Colors

On my return from a trip to Athens, I captured this photo. I’d bought a few beers at the airport to toast my week in Greece. As I opened one mid-flight, the light became beautifully soft, perfectly illuminating the beer I’d set on the tray. With one shot left on my Pentax 67, I seized the moment. Curious glances came from nearby passengers, but I’m used to it by now. I hadn’t thought of William Eggleston’s iconic photo of the cocktail on a plane at the time, but I like to think this image might bring it to mind.

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The Second Place Winner is Pietro Di Giambattista (Italy) with the series Romani People

This project has been carried out since 1999, both in the old camps– where people lived in extreme conditions, with no water and no electricity – and in the new camps– which are legally authorised, and where different ethnic and religious groups cohabit together. We are living in a moment of disconcerting approval of hateful feelings which result in stigmatizations, hostile statements, incitement to discrimination of the other, within a climate which is sadly fostered by some of the highest institutional offices. Roma and Sinti are privileged victims. People still cannot dominate the inclination to deal with the uncertainty in life by finding an enemy, a culprit that could be blamed for one’s problems.Roma are the victims of century-long prejudices: they are child kidnappers, vagrants, lazy; theft runs in their blood, they force their children to beg… In 2008 a survey by S. Tosi Cambini, La Zingara Rapitrice (The Gipsy Kidnapper)was published,where the verdicts of Italian trials over ten years were examined.It was demonstrated that no missing child has ever been found in a travellers’ camp. Besides, to consider them as nomads is misleading, as they have not led an itinerant life for generations. Begging is almost exclusively practiced by women and children, who are proud to contribute to the support of the family. Today in Italy, 85% of the 180 thousand Roma people live in houses, have a job, pay the rent and are integrated. But the image that is used to represent this ethnic group is that of the Roma people who live in camps, dressed in rags, dirty and scroungy - only 26 thousand, 0,04% of the entire Italian population. Instead of a loud airing of views for mere propaganda purposes, we should seriously cope with these camps, real ghettos where a hideous form of racial segregation is carried out – a purulent wound in the conscience of a country that claims civilization.

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The Third Place Winner is Kaveh Maghsoudi (Iran) with the series 'One color but endless feelings'

Blue is a deep color with high ambiguity like the depths of the ocean. The ambiguity that is mixed with an unknown and invisible person in this blue and gives the audience a dumb and unfamiliar feeling and at the same time weightlessness and timelessness.

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Merit Gallery

Verônica Alkmim França (Brazil/Sweden)

Image of an ongoing series being produced in the suburbs of Brazil, where poor families and some with no income struggle to survive. Due to the lack of resources, they improvise their homes with what little they have, get from others or find in rubbish dumps. Some borrow energy from their neighbours. These are individuals who live in a gap between this reality and the developments of the technological world. This is an interesting factor to note, because considering this condition, they are digitally excluded, without the opportunity to learn new skills, imperatively less able to consume, and therefore value domestic life more, surviving on what they can, creating and building aesthetically interesting environments.

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Gabriel Wong (Canada)

Living in Toronto, it’s challenging to find spots untouched by light pollution due to the city’s towering skyscrapers and constant activity. This photo series explores using a single light source in dark settings. In each image, the subject holds a lantern that serves as the primary light, softly illuminating them and reflecting off surrounding water to create a gentle, secondary glow. I created this photo series to show that less can be more; a single light can guide you better than an overwhelming array of choices. The subjects are focused, highlighting that sometimes, one light is all you need to find your way.

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Thierry Camus (France)

My camera is my best friend and we are always together. We both love colors, lines and the unusual. What is the point of photographing "the normal" and "the expected"!?

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Vivian Wan (United States)

This photograph reflects the photographer's exploration of the connection between fantasy, storytelling, and photography, with a focus on the evolution of staged images. Influenced by Victorian tableaux vivants, the images present a contemporary take, blending aspects of the real and the surreal to create visions that are both dreamlike and haunting.

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Olena Zubach (Ukraine)

In my work, I explore the relation of photographic imagery and painting. I use basic, almost ascetic forms. By combining them into a well thought-out geometric composition, I strive to achieve ideal simplicity. I believe that geometry is the language of nature, and art is the language of humanity. Therefore, I try to combine them in my artwork to create my own dimension of visual expression. Working on still lifes, I seek for a beauty in simplicity, in traditional forms that humanity has used for millennia. In today’s world of saturation, this minimalist project “Forms” provides an opportunity to distract from the superficial and focus on what’s fundamental.

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Shawna Gibbs (United States)

"My Summer with Optimus Prime" is a collaborative family project between photographer, Shawna Gibbs, and her superhero-loving kids. Started in the summer of 2013, this is a personal, ongoing series that is meant to be whimsical and fun as we document our family adventures with two imaginary Autobot friends.

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Abhishek Basak (India)

This image captures a harmonious dance between tradition and modernity. The vivid graffiti face, adorned with tribal patterns, symbolizes ancestral roots and the vibrancy of cultural heritage. From behind the door, a figure painted as Krishna emerges—a timeless deity peeking into the contemporary world. The blue face of Krishna contrasts with the bold, warm hues of the mural, bridging myth and modern art. Together, they tell a story of duality: the ancient coexisting with the new, the mystical with the urban. It invites reflection on identity, continuity, and the beauty of cultural synthesis in an ever-evolving world.

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Kaat Stieber (The Netherlands)

In the captivating world of Kaat Stieber's latest fable series, 'collaboration' takes center stage, as the animal kingdom translates our everyday struggles with or without each other. Explore the surprising twists of life, filled with the magic of being together. Enjoy yourself in the tales full of wisdom and humor.

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Tom Flathers (United Kingdom)

As Manchester City Senior Photographer a key part of my role is capturing the players in training. In the image Haaland rises high to volley the ball with a blue sky behind. Manchester City’s brand is blue and so this image shows it well.

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Isabel Mombaerts (Belgium)

'Julio' is an evocative odyssey across contemporary Cuba, stretching east to west and unraveling the heart of an island shaped by resilience. Since the 1960s, Castro’s revolution declared Cuba a socialist state, igniting decades of palpable tension with the United States. Today, that isolation has deepened, affecting nearly every aspect of Cuban life. In 2023, Cuba faces its greatest trial: the ripple effects of the global pandemic, dwindling tourism, and the fading alliance with Russia have eroded the economy. Once-bustling hotels stand empty; streets carry a new quiet. 'Julio' captures how the Cuban people navigate this crossroads, balancing survival and pride with determination that feels both fierce and graceful. Yet Cuba’s colors, vibrance, and rhythm remain unbroken. Through 'Julio,' we explore the soulful cadence that defines the Cuban identity—a testament to a culture that, despite hardship, thrives in the dance between struggle and celebration.

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William Ropp (France)

As far back as I can remember I’ve been fascinated by the human being as a whole. This image is the perfect expression of this; the face is abnormally absent which, in my opinion, reinforces the mystery emanating from this character... is she looking at this landscape or is this landscape the projection of his own imagination? This fascination was first expressed through books (I devoured them daily), then through theatre (as a director), and finally (at the age of twenty-seven) through photography. I have a deep respect for human beings that I think is reflected in my photographs. My images come from the depths of the soul. They’re true – this cannot be faked.

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Anna Biret (France/Poland)

*The Color Movement* is a photographic series capturing the harmonious play of color created by the dynamic movement of individuals. Each image reveals the fluid energy of people in motion, blending colors as if painting the air with their bodies. This series explores color as both a visual and emotional experience, using movement to uncover unexpected hues that emerge when people interact with space. The result is a vibrant visual symphony, where each movement tells a unique story of color, light, and human expression. I took selected photos in Mexico and Kyrgyzstan.

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Chris Panas (Poland)

The idea for the series was to capture ordinary moments/places/people but make them seem like something unique/dreamy was happening.

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Marika Poquet (France)

I was wandering the streets of Harar and I suddenly saw this beautiful purple silhouette against this green wall and just clicked the shutter.

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Nicola Balestrazzi (Italy)

A local young man is going to collect a few coconuts in the morning as his daily chore. This shot was taken on Corn Island, Nicaragua.

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Emmanuel Monzon (France/United States)

In my artwork there is no judgment, no denunciation, only the picture itself. If I could sum up the common theme of my photos, it would be about emptiness, about silence. My pictures try to extract from the mundane urban landscape a form of estheticism. Where most people only pass through, I stop and look for some form of poetic beauty. I like repetition, I like series, and I like driving around.

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Elias Achy (Lebanon)

An homage to Beirut: Amidst it’s vibrant streets, this photograph reveals the hidden simplicity I seek as an artist in the urban geometry of this beloved city.

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Edwin Carungay (United States)

This photo captures an unscripted – and surreal moment from a community-led pre-Lenten ritual in México’s southern state of Oaxaca.

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Jaroslav Mares (Czech Republic)

In the latter half of the 20th century, rows of garages were built near urban housing estates across many towns in Czechia. These structures, often constructed spontaneously and without much planning, lacked aesthetic appeal. Nowadays, most of these garages are no longer used for parking. Many stand abandoned, while others serve as makeshift storage spaces or workshops, with their metal doors showing signs of rust and grime.
However, some garage owners take pride in maintaining them. Their doors are carefully painted in various colors, usually reflecting the owner's personal taste. In winter, when snow blankets the area, concealing any clutter, these colorful garage doors create unexpectedly striking and vibrant compositions, crafted unintentionally by their owners.

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Thibault Gerbaldi (France/United States)

This portrait series captures the alpaca farming communities of the high-altitude Peruvian Andes, where each village proudly showcases unique embroidery and patterns, symbolizing their rich heritage. Vibrant colors and intricate designs are more than decoration—they are vital expressions of identity, history, and tradition, woven into the fabric of daily life and passed down through generations. These embroidered textiles tell the stories of nature, spirituality, and community.

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Barry Guthertz (United States)

What strikes me first when looking at exotic plants is their color, followed by their shapes, contours, textures and their appearance. It’s a challenge to capture the very essence of exotic plants and flowers – to share their attractiveness, especially when they don’t meet the “normal” criteria for beauty
Nearly all my botanical images are shot outdoors in public, private or in my own gardens. The added benefit of following my passion for photographing flowers is that I’ve become an avid gardener, and by doing so develop a deeper connection with the plants, creating a special opportunity to capture more intimate images.

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Dennis Church (United States)

The series or project is a retrospective look at my work from 2007 to 2024. I saw a large exhibition of Color Field painters in early 2024 at The NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A painting by Frank Stella particularly enthralled me and I was puzzled why it had such a strong hold on me. A few days later I was editing photographs and came across my photograph, Bonita Springs, Florida 2012, and I immediately felt a connection and the reason why the Stella painting was so entrancing. I found that many of my photographs have a similar feel with layered subjects and a planar feel: some more, some less. I decided to edit a group of photographs into a book paying homage to the color field painters, therefore my title, AMERICOLOR: Exploring Urban Color Fields. I recently published the book in collaboration with Palm Beach Atlantic University where I also showed an exhibition of about one third of the 116 photographs in the book.

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