Global Street Photography Contest Honors Photographers Capturing Slice-of-Life Snapshots

Women carrying baskets on their head at market in Ghana

“A delicate balance” by Regula Tschumi. Finalist.
Location: Ghana

With its monthly photography contests, The Independent Photographer promotes talented photographers around the world. Judged by American street photographer Richard Sandler, the March 2023 Street Photography competition demonstrates the high quality of the work creatives submit. From a barber on the streets of India to a colorful market in Ghana, these candid moments are incredible snapshots of life across the globe.

Photographer Alain Schroeder won the contest for his image of a man curled up for a nap in a narrow alleyway in India. Schroeder's ability to snap the photo at the perfect moment captured the judge's imagination. “This is my kind of masterpiece,” Sandler admits. “The formal composition and the people within the frame are in a perfect, yet uneasy, balance. The light within the picture is varied and painterly and subtle so that the air feels dream-like and evocative. The best pictures, like this one, ask more questions than they answer.”

Sandler also appreciated second-place winner Daniel Ramos' ability to bring clarity to a complicated situation. Bringing chaos into order, Ramos is able to capture the instant that cotton candy is being whipped up for a crowd as the sun sets in Mexico City.

All of the top 10 photos demonstrate the ability to quickly make observations and take pictures that immortalize a moment in a manner that transforms them into a work of art. Be sure to check out all of The Independent Photographer's monthly photo contests, which are all judged by esteemed photographers like Sandler, Steve McCurry, and Jimmy Nelson.

And if you are a street photographer yourself, there is a new edition of the contest running during the month of September. The September Street Photography competition is accepting entries until September 30, 2023.

Check out the incredible winners of The Independent Photographer's Street Photography Contest.

Award Winning Street Photography by Alain Schroeder

“Dreamland” by Alain Schroeder. 1st place.
Location: Varanasi, India

Cotton Candy Being Made in Mexico City

“Untitled” by Daniel Ramos. 2nd Place.
Location: Mexico City, Mexico

Dogs seeking shelter from a storm in Kolkata

“Shelter from the Storm” by Jonathan Jasberg. 3rd Place.
Location: Kolkata, India

Street barber in Kolkata

“A Close Shave” by Arpit Mehrotra. Finalist.
Location: Kolkata, India

This contest is one of 12 monthly contests that the photography site runs.

Woman wearing fashionable sunglasses in Piazza di Spagna in Rome.

“Untitled” by Gian Marco Venturi. Finalist.
Location: Rome, Italy

Traveler girl from Ireland posing for the camera at a playground

“The Playground” by Joseph-Philippe Bevillard. Finalist.
Location: Galway, Ireland

Men on horses in Chennai

“Untitled” by David Keith Brown. Finalist.
Location: Chennai, India

Street Photography in Trinidad, Cuba

“Puppets” by Johannes Maechtel. Finalist.
Location: Trinidad, Cuba

Image of a commuter taking the stairs to catch the subway in Chicago

“Subway Light Play” by John Yuhas. Finalist.
Location: Chicago, USA

The Independent Photographer: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by The Independent Photographer.

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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