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Photographers Alex Whitehead and Tariq Zaidi have been honored at the Istanbul Photo Awards for their contributions to visual storytelling, with the contest recognizing photojournalism that captures both defining sporting moments and underreported communities.
Organized by Anadolu Agency, the Istanbul Photo Awards is an international news photography contest that recognizes outstanding visual storytelling and honors photographers documenting the world's most significant events and issues.
Whitehead, a Welsh sports photographer for the U.K.-based sports picture agency SWpix, received the Single Sports First Prize for "Crash," a photograph capturing Dutch cyclists Lorena Wiebes and Lisa van Belle colliding during the Women's Madison race at the 2025 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, an event organized by cycling's world governing body, in Santiago, Chile.
Zaidi, a British documentary photographer, won the Story Sports First Prize for "Nuba Wrestling: Cultural Survival and Human Dignity Amid Sudan's War," a series documenting how the centuries-old wrestling tradition preserves identity and resilience in Sudan's conflict-hit South Kordofan region.
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Whitehead, who has specialized in cycling photography for 14 years, said he was already photographing the Dutch team when the accident unfolded, allowing him to capture the decisive moment.
He said he submitted the image because it documented an exceptionally dramatic incident in a sport he is passionate about covering.
"Track Cycling is quite a niche sport but one that I'm passionate about documenting, so it's very pleasing to have this picture recognized, and I hope it shows the high skill level, fearlessness and athletic ability of the professional riders that compete in this sport," he told Anadolu.
Reflecting on the role of photojournalism, Whitehead said still images remain uniquely powerful in shaping public understanding. "I believe that news photography has a huge ability and power to inform, shape opinion or change people's perception of certain events," he said.
"There are many examples of still images from the past and present that have become the defining record of that particular event in a way that words or video alone cannot do."
While welcoming advances in camera technology, Whitehead warned that artificial intelligence and increasingly sophisticated editing tools make ethical standards more important than ever.
Speaking about winning the award, he described the recognition as "quite surreal" given the quality of submissions. Whitehead also praised the Istanbul Photo Awards, saying he has followed the contest since it was launched and regularly submits his work.
"I always try and enter every year, as I think it's important to support photo awards, and I believe they are a big positive in shining a light on our industry and the very skilled and creative people who work in it," he said.
Zaidi said his award-winning series aimed to document the resilience of the Nuba people, an ethnic group from Sudan's Nuba Mountains, whose traditional wrestling gatherings have become symbols of cultural identity, continuity and hope despite years of war and displacement.
"While photographing in the Nuba Mountains amid conflict and displacement, I was struck by resilience rather than fear," he stated. "This series tells a story of resilience: a community protecting its cultural identity against adversity."
He said creating the project required extensive preparation in a conflict zone and building trust with local communities before photographing them.
Explaining why he entered the contest, Zaidi said the series reflects his commitment to documenting overlooked communities. "I submitted this series because it reflects my commitment to documenting underreported communities and their resilience. It combines cultural storytelling with the reality of conflict," he said.
He also emphasized the ethical responsibility of photographers. "Photography has the power to shape understanding and bring unseen stories to light. With that comes responsibility—to represent people with dignity and respect. It's essential not to sensationalize suffering," he said.
Although technology has transformed photography, he said meaningful storytelling ultimately depends on the photographer's purpose.
Winning the Istanbul Photo Awards was "a humbling moment," Zaidi said, adding that the recognition encourages him to continue documenting underrepresented communities.
He also praised the contest for its international standing. "I've known about the Istanbul Photo Awards for years and respect its global recognition of strong visual storytelling," he said.
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