2025 Year in Pictures Gallery

Results of the 91st Annual Photography and Multimedia Contest, judged in 2026. The judging took place on March 6 & 7, 2026. Congratulations to all the winners.


2026 NYPPA Best in Show is awarded to

2026 NYPPA Photographer of the Year is awarded to

2026 NYPPA “Anthony J. Causi Sports Photographer of the Year Award” is awarded to


PHOTOGRAPHY WINNERS

Spot News “William V. Finn Memorial” Award

NYC Comptroller Brad Lander appeared at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan on June 17 to observe immigration hearings as ICE agents began arresting immigrants during their court appearances. The politician walked with an immigrant whom federal agents moved to seize, while also assaulting and handcuffing Lander. This marked the first time an elected official was arrested by ICE.
  • 1st Place: Dean Moses – amNewYork – Lander on Ice
  • 2nd Place: Porter Binks – Independent – Bridge Collision
  • 3rd Place: Lloyd Mitchell – Independent – Hand’s Up
  • HM: Dean Moses – amNewYork – Attack on the Press
  • HM: Barry Williams – New York Daily News – Workers Look at a MTA Bus Over a Precipice
  • EA: Bruce Cotler – Independent – Backpacking II
  • EA: Steven Pfost – Newsday – Hurricane Erin
  • EA: Ben Fractenberg – The City- Prayer
  • EA: Lloyd Mitchell – Independent – Cuomo’s Time
  • EA: Howard Schnapp – Newsday – Fatal Crash

General News

A teenage girl and her siblings are pried from their father by ICE agents as they move to arrest him. The federal supervisor pulls her away and looks at her with disgust as she cries and begs for her father. The sounds of her screams reverberated through the hallways and the ears of everyone who heard them at 26 Federal Plaza.
  • 1st Place: Dean Moses – amNewYork – Torn Away
  • 2nd Place: Dean Moses – amNewYork – The Mangione Effect
  • 3rd Place: Seth Harrison – USA Today Network – Manhattanhenge
  • HM: Susan Stava – Independent – Standing for Democracy
  • HM: Ben Fractenberg – THE CITY – Swagger
  • EA: David Handschuh – Independent – 343 Flags
  • EA: Ben Fractenberg – THE CITY – Bubble
  • EA: Hiroko Masuike – The New York Times – The Bullet Remains
  • EA: Saed Hindash – NJ Advance Media/lehighvalley.com – Left Behind
  • EA: Alejandra Villa Loarca – Newsday – Ice Watch
  • EA: Barry Williams – New York Daily News – NYPD Officers Salute Didarul Islam’s Casket

National / International News “Carl Thusgaard Memorial” Award

Gaza hostage Ziv Berman celebrates from a helicopter as he arrives at Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer on October 13, 2025 in Ramat Gan, Israel. The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has brought an end to the two years of war that followed the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. A condition of the deal was the immediate return of 48 hostages held in Gaza, around 20 of whom were believed to be alive.
  • 1st Place: Alexi Rosenfield – Independent – Finally Home
  • 2nd Place: Sam Simmonds – Polaris – Rev. Al Sharpton Counters Trump Inauguration in D.C.
  • 3rd Place: Michael Brochstein – Independent – Senate Nomination Hearing for Pete Hegseth
  • HM: Adam Gray – Independent – Broadview Arrest
  • HM: Bianca Otero – Zuma Press Independent – Emmanuel Macron Takes a selfie with Attendee during UN Conference in France
  • EA: Michael Brochstein – Independent – President Donald Trump Leaving the White House
  • EA: Bianca Otero – Zuma Press Independent – Indigenous Man Stands at Security Fence Outside COP30 Venue
  • EA: Bianca Otero – Zuma Press Independent – Baltic Flags Prepared Ahead of UN Secretary General Meeting
  • EA: Bianca Otero – Zuma Press Independent – BENJAMIN NETANYAHU’s Annotated Remarks at UNGA80
  • EA: Adam Gray – Independent – Musk Chainsaw

News Picture Story

A federal immigration officer waits outside of a courtroom to conduct a targeted detainment at U.S. immigration court in Manhattan, in New York City, U.S., August 7, 2025.
  • 1st Place: David Dee Delgado – Reuters – Independent – Federal Immigration Officers at US Immigration Court
  • 2nd Place: Alexi Rosenfeld – Independent – Fighting for the Hostages
  • 3rd Place: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent- Puffy on Trail
  • HM: Dean Moses – amNewYork – Religion on Ice
  • HM: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Memorial for Charlie Kirk

Feature

Dancers in the wind: The Association of Indians in America. celebrate at The Deepavali Festival, October 11, 2025.
  • 1st Place: Debbie Egan-Chin – Newsday – Independent – Dancers in the Wind
  • 2nd Place: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Big Wave Coming
  • 3rd Place: Shawn Inglima – New York Daily News – Aftermath of a Fire
  • HM: Gary Hershorn – Independent – City Climb Moonrise
  • HM: David Handschuh – Independent – Orange Couch
  • EA: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Coney Flipping
  • EA: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Night’s End
  • EA: Howard Schnapp – Newsday – Graduation Day
  • EA: Ray Stubblebine – Independent – Not Alone
  • EA: Alejandra Villa Loarca – Newsday – Fourth of July
  • EA: Gary Hershorn – Independent – Sunrise in Grand Central Station
  • EA: Alexi Rosenfeld – Independent – Hugging Amonst the Ruins

Feature Picture Story

Christy Morrill, who lost decades of memories to autoimmune encephalitis, reads through old letters from his time in college, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, at his home in San Carlos, Calif.
  • 1st Place: David Goldman – Associated Press – Forgotten Memories
  • 2nd Place: David Goldman – Associated Press – Infrared Eye: Life Under Surveillance
  • 3rd Place: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – President Trump’s Liberty Ball
  • HM: Adam Gray – Independent – The Rise of Zohran Mamdani
  • HM: David Goldman – Associated Press – Tibetan Exile

Pictorial

JERSEY CITY, NJ – AUGUST 22: The sun sets on the skyline of lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center in New York City as it is reflected in the top of a monument on August 22, 2025, in Jersey City, New Jersey.
  • 1st Place: Gary Hershorn – Independent – Skyline Reflection
  • 2nd Place: Adam Gray – Independent – Chabad Gathering
  • 3rd Place: David Handshuh – Independent – Twin Towers
  • HM: Al Bello – Getty Images – Shot on Goal
  • HM: Adam Gray – Independent – Brooklyn Bridge Snow
  • EA: Audrey C. Tiernan – Newsday – Retired – Arbus at Park Avenue Armory
  • EA: Patrick Benic – UPI – Illegal fireworks in DC
  • EA: Susan Stava – Independent – As High as the Sky
  • EA: Gary Hershorn – Independent – Statue Sunrise
  • EA: Hiroko Masuike – The New York Times – reflections of Anticipation, Japan Pavilion
  • EA: Randee Daddona – Newsday – Independent – Red, White and the Blues

Portrait

Christy Morrill, 72, who lost decades of memories to autoimmune encephalitis, holds up a viewfinder with a slide film of himself as a college student while looking through old photographs in the hope to learn more about who he was, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, at his home in San Carlos, Calif.
  • 1st Place: David Goldman – Associated Press – Who Am I?
  • 2nd Place: David Goldman – Associated Press – Infraed Family
  • 3rd Place: Dean Moses – amNewYork – Under Pressure
  • HM: Thomas A. Ferrara – Newsday – The Judge
  • HM: David Goldman – Associated Press – Whistleblower
  • EA: Randee Daddona – Newsday- Independent – Always in my Heart
  • EA: Mark Dye – Con Edison Photo Bureau – Lake life
  • EA: Bruce Cotler – Independent – Obama
  • EA: Charles Wenzelberg – The New York Post – The Calm Before the Store
  • EA: Adam Gray – Independent – Eric Adams Stars and Stripes
  • EA: Adam Gray – Independent – Zohran Stars and Stripes
  • EA: Syndi Pilar – Independent – Guernsey Princess

Animal

A pair of Monarch Butterflies populate a residential neighborhood on November 19, 2025 in Lake Worth, Florida.
  • 1st Place: Bruce Bennett – Getty Images – Butterflies
  • 2nd Place: Christina Santucci – Spectrum News/NY1 – Dressed Up Dog
  • 3rd Place: Bruce Bennett – Getty Images – Black Skimmer Skimming
  • HM: Susan Stava – Independent – The Winning Smile
  • HM: Deborah Egan-Chin – Newsday – Independent – Golden Iguana
  • EA: David Handschuh – Independent – Bovine Side Eye
  • EA: Audrey C. Tiernan – Newsday – Retired- Foraging
  • EA: Thomas A. Ferrara – Newsday – Butting Heads
  • EA: Ray Stubblebine – Independent – The More The Merrier
  • EA: Robert Sabo – New York Post – Independent – Squirrel Interrupted: Game Delayed for Nut Business
  • EA: Sofia Sawchuk – Newsday – Independent – Ruffled Feathers

Sports Action “Kathy Willens Memorial” Award

Yanick Wasser of Switzerland jumps in the Mens Large Hill Individual competition during Day 2 of the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup at Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex on February 08, 2025 in Lake Placid, New York.
  • 1st Place: Al Bello – Getty Images – Above the Clouds
  • 2nd Place: Brad Penner – Independent – Basketball Star
  • 3rd Place: Charles Wenzelberg – The New York Post – Over and Out
  • HM: Sarah Stier – Getty images – Dive in Duet
  • HM: Bruce Bennett – Getty Images – Ice Spray
  • EA: Al Bello – Getty Images – The Hustle
  • EA: Al Bello – Getty Images – Eye on the Ball
  • EA: Bill Kostroun – NY Post Independent – Broken Up
  • EA: Porter Binks – Independent – Out of my Way
  • EA: Frank Franklin II – Associated Press – Return
  • EA: Sarah Stier – Getty images – A Close One

Sports Feature

Osmar Olvera Ibarra of Team Mexico reacts after competing in the Men’s 3m Springboard Preliminaries on day 21 of the Singapore 2025 World Aquatics Championships at OCBC Aquatic Centre on July 31, 2025 in Singapore.
  • 1st Place: Sarah Stier – Getty images – Silent Scream
  • 2nd Place: Andrew Mills – NJ Advance Media – Welcome Back to the Bronx
  • 3rd Place: Robert Sabo – New York Post Independent – A Glimpse of Go-Ahead
  • HM: Sarah Stier – Getty images – Made for the Moment
  • HM: Frank Franklin II – Associated Press – Choke Deux
  • EA: Al Bello – Getty Images – Flipping Out
  • EA: Al Bello – Getty Images – US Open Tennis Champion
  • EA: Charles Wenzelberg – The New York Post – Hands
  • EA: Frank Franklin II – Associated Press – Fernando

Sports Life and Recreational Sports

Phillipsburg students wave their cell phone lights in the background as Anthony Ashford and Warren Hills’ Tyler Redfield (white) wrestle at 138 pounds on Jan. 27, 2025.
  • 1st Place: Saed Hindash – NJ Advance Media/lehighvalleylive.com – Winning Wave
  • 2nd Place: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Double Overtime Jubilation
  • 3rd Place: Saed Hindash – NJ Advance Media/lehighvalleylive.com – Full Swing Celebration
  • HM: Andrew Mills – NJ Advance Media – A Kiss from Mom
  • HM: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Right of Way
  • EA: Sofia Sawchuk – Newsday – Independent – For the Kids, For the Community
  • EA: Saed Hindash – NJ Advance Media/lehighvalleylive.com – Winning Wave
  • EA: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Mechanic Break
  • EA: Saed Hindash – NJ Advance Media/lehighvalleylive.com – On Top of the World
  • EA: Andrew Mills – NJ Advance Media – Girls Softball State Champs
  • EA: Andrew Mills – NJ Advance Media – High School Wrestling State Champion
  • EA: James Escher – Newsday – Independent – Basketball Celebration

Sports Picture Story

In the pit area, Anthony La Grasta works in moving the fuel tank into the back seat of his 2000 Honda to protect it from collisons before the first night of the 2025 Demolition Derby during the NJ State Fair held at the Sussex County Fairgrounds on August 3, 2025 in Augusta, NJ.
  • 1st Place: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Demolition Derby Days
  • 2nd Place: Al Bello – Getty Images – Run Sadie Run
  • 3rd Place: Robert Sabo – The New York Post Independent – Diamonds of the City
  • HM: Robert Sabo – The New York Post Independent – From Little League to Big Leagues
  • HM: Sarah Stier – Getty Images – 2026 Aquatics Collection

Face of New York

New York, New York, USA- September 14, 2025- A young man young lost in his thoughts at a busy corner in Little Italy during the San Gennaro Festival.
  • 1st Place: Syndi Pilar – Independent – Italy
  • 2nd Place: Bruce Cotler – Independent – Wolfie
  • 3rd Place: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Pizza Riot
  • HM: Gary Hershorn – Independent – A Kiss for the Skyline
  • HM: Adam Gray – Independent – Window on Macys Thanksgiving Parade
  • EA: Hiroko Masuike – The New York Times – Newlyweds, New York Style
  • EA: Alejandra Villa Loarca – Newsday – The FDNY Remembers
  • EA: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Coney Big Surf
  • EA: Sofia Sawchuk – Newsday Independent – Larry the Birdman’s NY
  • EA: John Nacion – John Nacion Imaging LLC – 847893629
  • EA: Syndi Pilar – Independent – Life Guard Jump, Coney Island
  • EA: Syndi Pilar – Independent – Heart of Coney Island

Political Unrest

A Columbia alumni is detained by New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers outside Columbia University’s graduation ceremony, in New York City, May 21 2025.
  • 1st Place: Adam Gray – Independent – Columbia Graduation Arrest
  • 2nd Place: Lloyd Mitchell – Independent – What you going to do
  • 3rd Place: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Knocked Out
  • HM: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – Cop Down
  • HM: Dean Moses – am NewYork – At Arms Length
  • EA: Dean Moses – amNewYork – Carried Away
  • EA: Adam Gray – Independent – No Kings
  • EA: Alejandra Villa Loarca – Newsday – No Kings Day
  • EA: Lloyd Mitchell – Independent – Everything I’ve Known
  • EA: Dean Moses – amNewYork – Preventive Mesure
  • EA: Dean Moses – amNewYork – Polkadot Dress Lady
  • EA: Aristide Economopoulos – Independent – DHS Push

2026 Still Photography Contest Judges

Kathy M. Helgeson is a freelance photojournalist based on Long Island. Before moving to New York, she spent 14 years in higher education as the lead visual storyteller at Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls.

Earlier in her career, she worked for 16 years as a staff photojournalist at The Tampa Tribune, The Augusta Chronicle, and The Winter Haven News Chief. She has also freelanced for Newsday, the Minnesota Star Tribune, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and Minnesota Public Radio.

Outside of journalism, Helgeson enjoys pottery, music, and spending time with her husband, their two sons, and their dog, Zelda.

Corinne Perkins is the North America Editor for ReutersPictures, where she leads visual news coverage across the United States and Canada. Based in New York, she oversees teams of photographers and editors producing award-winning photojournalism on major global and regional stories.

Perkins joined Reuters in 2000 as a freelance editorial assistant during the Sydney Olympic Games and became a full-time member of the organization in 2005 as editor-in-charge of the Singapore global pictures desk. She later served as online visuals editor in Toronto before moving to New York to lead Reuters’ North American photography coverage.

Originally from Mount Isa, Australia, Perkins has spent more than two decades working in international visual journalism and helping shape the way Reuters presents photography across digital and social platforms.

Sandra M. Stevenson is an award-winning writer, visual editor, and curator who recently joined Education Week as Managing Editor of Visual and Immersive Experiences.

Before joining Education Week, Stevenson served as Deputy Director of Photography at The Washington Post, where she managed a team of picture editors covering International, Climate, and Health + Science. Previously, she was Associate Deputy Director of Photography at CNN, overseeing picture editors responsible for curating the home screen, editing stories and newsletters, and producing special projects.

Earlier in her career, Stevenson worked as an Assistant Editor at The New York Times, where she supervised digital photo editors on the news desk and contributed visual content to Race/Related and Gender. She also helped produce major editorial projects including Overlooked and This Is 18.

Stevenson earned a B.A. in English from Syracuse University and continued her studies in audio and visual media at Université Toulouse in Toulouse, France.


Multimedia Winners

STILL BEING JUDGED CHECK BACK SOON

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