Every year, the Human Impact Awards celebrates photographers whose work tells powerful human stories. From global issues and community projects to deeply personal narratives, these winning series demonstrate photography’s ability to inform, connect and inspire.
Explore previous winners from the Professional Awards and the Phil Smith Student Photography Award, read about the stories behind their work and view each complete image series.
Celebrating established and working photographers whose projects use visual storytelling to examine people, communities and the issues that shape our lives.
Calais Burning
Documenting the final days of the Calais “Jungle”, this series captures a moment of profound uncertainty as lives, homes and hopes were dismantled in real time. Through intimate, unflinching photography, Aria moves beyond the headlines to reveal the human reality of displacement; resilience, loss and the enduring search for safety.
Follow on Instagram: @ariamark
Jaywick Sands Happy Club
Focusing on a community often reduced to headlines, Jaywick Sands Happy Club offers a more honest and human perspective on life in Jaywick. Working closely with residents, David captures a culture of care, resilience and connection that exists beyond familiar labels, reframing how we see place, identity and representation.
Follow on Instagram: @davidjshawphoto
Quema de Toros
Dan captures the explosive energy of Tultepec, Mexico’s pyrotechnic capital, during the annual Quema de Toros festival. Moving between intimate moments with local families and spectacular evening ignitions, the series immerses viewers in a tradition alive with colour, fire and community spirit.
Follow on Instagram: @danmckc
Recognising emerging photographers whose work demonstrates originality, empathy and a strong commitment to meaningful visual storytelling.
A Temporary Kind of Forever
Through the lens of rave culture, Emily explores how young people create spaces of belonging, expression and community. Her photographs reveal vulnerability, unity and the power of shared moments, showing how collective joy can help us navigate the world.
Follow on Instagram: @emilyshadephotography
The Mega Constellation
Exploring our relationship with darkness in a world filled with artificial light, Toby captures the beauty and mystery of the night skies in south-west England. The project invites us to consider what is lost when natural darkness disappears, and how reconnecting with it can change the way we see the world.
Follow on Instagram: @sinkifoto
Transformation
Through intimate portraits made in the UK and Canada, Hannah highlights the lives of trans and gender-diverse people, exploring identity, resilience and the human right to be seen and accepted. The series uses photography to foster understanding, empathy and social change.
Follow on Instagram: @hmittelstaedtphotography
Celebrating established and working photographers whose projects use visual storytelling to examine people, communities and the issues that shape our lives.
Ukrainian Firefighters
Since the full-scale war in Ukraine began in February 2022, Ukrainian firefighters have worked tirelessly, often under shelling, to protect people and the landscape from fire. Edward followed donated equipment from international fire services and documented its use around Kharkiv, creating a record of both everyday emergency work and the continued need for international support.
Oukloof
Seth photographed surviving members of the Oukloof community in South Africa, who were forcibly removed from their homes and farming land during apartheid and relocated to Esterhof. Through portraits, personal testimony and time spent in people’s homes, the project brings visibility to a community whose experiences form part of a wider history of displacement, injustice and reconciliation.
Galamsey: Gather and Sell
Galamsey examines illegal artisanal gold mining in Ghana and the stark imbalance between the global value of gold and the conditions faced by those who extract it. The series explores hazardous labour, child exploitation, environmental destruction and the complex international systems that allow wealth to leave mining communities while little is returned.
Recognising emerging photographers whose work demonstrates originality, empathy and a strong commitment to meaningful visual storytelling.
Beyond the Game
Beyond the Game looks towards the community around Burgess Sports and the Aylesbury Estate. Created in collaboration with the organisation, the project moves beyond familiar media stereotypes to celebrate the estate’s vibrancy and the role sport can play in building confidence, connection and opportunity for young people.
Architectural Neglect and Abandonment
Niamh explores the human impact of architectural neglect through two historic Derby buildings: Friar Gate Goods Yard and the former Derby Hippodrome Theatre. Wide views and close details reveal decades of abandonment, fire damage and vandalism, while the black-and-white treatment emphasises both the buildings’ character and the sense of loss surrounding them.
Widow: The Testament of Pure Love
Rikki documents his mother’s enduring love for his father, who died almost a decade earlier. Her daily visits to his grave become a quiet expression of memory, grief and devotion, showing how love can continue to guide and sustain us long after someone has died.
