SHARJAH, 30th January, 2026 (WAM) -- The recipients of the Xposure International Photography Awards 2026 have been honoured during an official ceremony held as part of the 10th edition of the Xposure International Photography Festival organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB).

The ceremony recognised outstanding photographers from around the world whose work demonstrated exceptional visual storytelling, technical skill, and creative depth across a wide range of genres, with the awards presented by Tariq Saeed Allay, Director-General of SGMB, and Alya Al Suwaidi, Director of SGMB. The awards form a central pillar of Xposure 2026, marking the festival's milestone tenth edition under the theme "A Decade of Visual Storytelling".

The Xposure International Photography Awards 2026 received more than 29,000 photography submissions from over 60 countries, recording the highest participation in the awards' history. Winners and runners-up were called to the stage, while esteemed photojournalist, Giles Clarke, read each of the jury's justifications and bestowed congratulations.

The warmly appreciative audience seated in the Xposure Auditorium showed their appreciation for multiple photography categories, including Architectural, Mobile Photography, Nature & Landscape, Night Photography, Portraiture, Photo-manipulation and AI, Sports Photography, Street Photography, Visual Storytelling, and a dedicated Junior category for UAE residents aged 7-17.

The Overall winner of the Photography Award for Xposure 2026 was presented to Myanmar's Myat Hein for the photograph 'A Portrait of Resilience', selected for its emotional depth, narrative strength, and powerful visual impact.

In the Architectural Photography category, Hans Wichmann from Germany claimed first place for his photograph 'Antinori Winery', while Olga Nezmeskalova from Czech Republic secured the runner-up position for 'David and Goliath'.

The Mobile Photography strand saw Si Thu Ye Myint from Myanmar awarded first place for 'A Day in the Life of a Farmer Family', with Chinese Yajun Hu named runner-up for 'A Gazing Cat'.

Many of the photographs selected for these honours featured natural phenomena, but for Nature & Landscape Photography, UAE's Preeti John received first place for 'The Conversationalists'. Russian Sergey Gorshkov was lauded too for his 'Elephant at Sunset'. The Night Photography award was claimed by Marian Kuric from Slovakia for 'Fairy Tale', with Htin Lin from Myanmar placing second for the bewitching photograph 'Night of Fishermen'.

The Photo-manipulation and AI category saw two Iranian recipients win. Maryam Sadat Ahmadi secured the top prize with 'Myself', a stunningly perplexing puzzle of a composition, just ahead of compatriot Saeed Rezvanian with his photograph 'Untitled.'

The Portraiture Photography category awarded first place to Aung Kyaw Zaw from Myanmar for 'The Two Face', with Malaysian Yuji Haikal receiving recognition for 'Lost in Translation'.

In Sports Photography, Ahmad Damra from Jordan took the honors for his pole-vaulting image 'Strength in the Curve of Challenge', while Muhammad Al-Jalandi from Oman was declared runner-up for 'Dreams Beyond Limit'.

The Street Photography award went to Mexican Antonio Flores for the faux bull-fighting scene 'Dance with the Giant of the Fire, with Aimin Chen from China landing the runner-up slot for 'Walk on Stilts'.

In the Visual Storytelling category, Bob Miller from the United States of America triumphed in first place for 'The Last Generation'. 'It's All in My Head' from Nigerian Etinosa Yvonne received the runner-up prize as well as loud applause from those in attendance.

The Junior Photography category, open to UAE residents aged 7-17, recognised young visual storytellers across two age groups. In the Lower Junior (7-13 year olds) category, Ishaan Shyjith won for 'Pathways in Motion', with Abdalla AlSuwaidi runner-up for 'Heritage and Culture'. In the Upper Junior (14-17 year olds) category, Neel Anil claimed first place for 'The March and the Mimics', while 'The Silent Custodian' by Badr Alsayed took home the second place accolade.

As Xposure marks its tenth edition, the Photography Awards continue to reflect the festival's evolution into a global platform for visual culture, dialogue, and creative exchange. Through its expanding categories and record-breaking participation, Xposure 2026 reinforces Sharjah's position as a worldwide hub for photography and visual storytelling.

The evening concluded with appreciation extended to the jury, partners, and the photography community whose participation continues to heighten Xposure's role on the international cultural stage.

All of the shortlisted and winning photographs are displayed in the 'Hall of Fame' in Zone 11 of the Festival, directly in front of the Xposure Auditorium.