iPhone Photography Awards 2026: Here Are the Winners. The Grand Prix for a Volcanic Eruption Shot with iPhone 15 Pro

The organizers of the iPhone Photography Awards (IPPA) announced today the winners of the 2026 edition, the nineteenth since the contest was established in 2007. The Grand Prix went to Robyn Jensen, the author of a nighttime shot of a volcanic eruption in the Cayman Islands, captured with an iPhone 15 Pro: the image features a starry sky alongside the glowing lava.

In addition to the absolute award, the jury has awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze recognitions, totaling four overall winners. The Gold Prize honors Hungarian photographer Gellért Gombai for a black and white shot of two sleeping children on the grass, under the shade of a badminton racket: this image was captured with an iPhone X, showcasing that even older models can compete on equal footing.

The Silver Prize was captured with an iPhone 16 Pro, while the Bronze Prize comes from a shot taken with an iPhone 16 Pro Max. Therefore, three different generations of iPhones share the top spots on the podium, confirming that the decisive factor lies in the photographer's perspective rather than the device’s technical specifications.

Awarded Categories and Contest Philosophy

Alongside the four absolute winners, IPPAwards assigns first places in a wide range of thematic categories: abstract, animals, architecture, children, cityscape, landscape, lifestyle, nature, people, portrait, series, still life, travel, and more. The organizers emphasize that the variety of photos in the competition, from street portraits to architecture, confirms that the final result depends on the photographer's attention, not the equipment used.

All winning images are viewable on the official IPPAwards website, where the complete gallery is organized by category. The contest remains open to anyone using an iPhone or iPad, with the option to edit shots via iOS apps before submission. Participation has a cost, while the prizes include Apple devices provided directly by the organization. However, the competition machine does not stop: the deadline for registrations for the twentieth edition, that of 2027, is already set for March 31, 2027, leaving photographers around the world several months to prepare their best shots.