The 2023 Black and White Photo Contest winners have been revealed with pride by the reFocus Awards, showcasing captivating submissions from 77 different nations.
Ocean Views, Winner: Wave, North Shore, Oahu, Hawai by Danny Sepkowski
This competition distinguishes between professional and non-professional photographers, highlighting the monochromatic charm that unites them. Bill Pack has emerged as the standout professional winner, securing the title for his mesmerizing “CarScapes” series. In this collection, classic automobiles transform into alluring entities through his inventive use of lighting and composition.
In a parallel category, the non-professional division celebrates the poignant beauty found in everyday experiences, exemplified by Serkan Dogus’s moving portrayal of a shepherd’s journey in Turkey, which claimed the coveted top prize.
Now in its second year, the reFocus Awards encompass a wide range of categories, including abstract, aerial, film/analog, and people. The professional category awards a generous $2,500 cash prize to the winner, while their non-professional counterpart receives a notable $1,500 in recognition of their exceptional photographic talent.
Ocean Views, Highly Honored: Sardine Ball, Magdalena Bay by Amos Nachoum
Ocean Views, Highly Honored: Honeycomb Moray Eel by David Fleetham
Ocean Views, Highly Honored: Giant Kelp, Santa Barbara Island by David Fleetham
Ocean Views, Highly Honored: Blanket Octopus by Filippo Borghi
Ocean Views, Highly Honored: Napoleon Wrasse, Red Sea, Egypt by Laurie V. Slawson
Ocean Views, Highly Honored: Painted Frogfish, Israel by Noam Kortler
Ocean Views, Highly Honored: Humpback Whales and Bottlenose Dolphins by Raja Iliya
Ocean Views, Highly Honored: Larval Lionfish, Florida by Rajiv Bhambri
Ocean Views, Highly Honored: Green Sea Turtle by Tobias Friedrich
Ocean Views, Highly Honored: Branching Coral Spawning by Tom Shlesinger of Eilat
Art In Nature, Winner: Green Basilisk, Costa Rica by Petr Bambousek
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: Ice Details, Thornton by Andrew McLachlan
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: Icicles, Tettegouche State Park by Dominique Braud
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: Wildflower Superbloom, Carrizo Plain National Monument by Dr. Elliot McGucken
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: Desert Wash, Hanksville by James Bian
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: “Perception,” Insect Flight by Les Irwig
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: Hall of Mosses, Olympic National Park by Luis Forte of Miami
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: Tinto River, Huelva by Manuel Enrique González Carmona
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: Frosty Fir Trees, Jasper National Park by Miquel Angel Artús Illana
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: Atlantic Puffin Silhouette, Skomer Island by Richard Peters
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: Faggeta Vetusta, Soriano nel Cimino Forest by Roberto Marchegiani
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: Reef Squid, Near Tulamben, Bali by Tobias Friedrich
Art In Nature, Highly Honored: Leopard in Camelthorn Tree, Savuti, Botswana by Wim van den Heever