Portrait photography resonates in cultures all over the world. Why? Because people are interested in other people: from cultural icons to the gaze of the everyday person on the street. These awards were aimed at discovering the full potential of 21st century portraiture and some of the best examples being made today.

Photographers from over 100 countries shared their strongest work and our jury carefully selected a powerful and diverse group. In addition, each juror chose one photographer as a personal selection, also presented here. Through their distinctive points of view, these 39 photographers offer us both their own vision of the world — and new ways of looking at each other.