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The first exhibition of the Istanbul Photo Awards 2026 opened at Anadolu Agency's AAtolye Exhibition Hall in Ankara, bringing together 165 selected photographs from one of the agency's major international news photography contests.
The exhibition features images chosen from nearly 19,000 submissions to this year's contest, which handed out 30 awards and $58,000 in prize money. A total of 26 photographers were awarded across 10 categories.
Speaking at the opening event, Anadolu Agency CEO Serdar Karagoz said the Istanbul Photo Awards had grown into one of the world's leading news photography contests since it was first launched, bringing together top photographers and jury members from around the world.
Karagoz said Anadolu had set out to bring photography together with art, aesthetics and news through the contest, which was organized for the 12th time this year.
He added that many of the winning images had also received recognition in other international competitions, underlining the contest's credibility.
Highlighting the lasting power of photojournalism, Karagoz said: "A photo is an indelible record. When we combine it with art and aesthetics, its lifespan can extend across centuries."
He also said Anadolu Agency's photojournalists working in conflict zones had helped the agency build up its international reputation, while reiterating its ambition to rank among the world's top three news agencies.
Karagoz also pointed to AA's Gaza coverage, saying the agency aimed to document events and preserve evidence through reporting and photography.
Türkiye's communications director, Burhanettin Duran, praised Anadolu's international journalism and described the Istanbul Photo Awards as a strong reflection of the agency's institutional capacity and global reach.
Duran said the contest, launched in 2015, had become a respected platform for photojournalism. He noted that this year's Photo of the Year award went to Palestinian photographer Haitham Imad for "Gaza, No Hope," an image shot for EPA showing 2-year-old Sham at Nasser Hospital in the Gaza Strip.
According to Duran, the image stands as a powerful visual testimony and shows how photojournalism can document human suffering while preserving historical memory.
Guatemalan Ambassador to Ankara Eduardo Enrique Hernandez Recinos described the contest as "a great and tremendous job," saying it required pressure, time and consistency to carry it out every year.
Recinos said the Gaza-related photographs particularly drew his attention, adding that they showed how journalists can convey realities in real time through their work.
Ferudun Yilmaz, chair of the board of directors of national broadcaster TRT, said the Istanbul Photo Awards offered a chance to witness moments that document history and time through an artistic language.
Journalist and writer Ilnur Cevik also described the event as "a tremendous contest" and underlined the challenges faced by photojournalists working around the world.
The award-winning photographs will be shown in exhibitions in Türkiye and abroad and will also be featured in the annual Istanbul Photo Awards photo album.
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