Whittled down from 48,000 entries from 156 countries, judges had a difficult time deciding the winners of the 2018 Siena International Photo Awards.

Every year, the competition includes a special category. This year, it was entitled Splash of Colours, seeking out exceptional colour compositions. In total, the entrants competed in 11 categories, ranging from stunning landscapes to subtle portraits and dramatic sports moments.

Photos that wowed the jury this year include a leopard seal on the brink of eating a penguin, lightning ripping through a huge volcanic eruption, and a car lost in a sea of sheep among others.

Siena International Photo Awards winners

Grand prize

This year’s grand prize went to K M Asad for a striking portrait called Battle Victim. In it, the documentary photographer captured the tears of a young Rohingya girl after she and her family entered the Tenkhali refugee camp in Bangladesh.

Asad has been documenting the plight of the persecuted Rohingya in Myanmar for six years now, and this chilling photo perfectly portrays the terrible human tragedy unfolding there.

Check out more winners below:

Animals in their environment, 1st place

Student, 1st place

Sports in action, 1st place

The beauty of nature, 1st place

The beauty of nature, 2nd place

General Monochrome, 1st place

Journeys & Adventures, 2nd place

General colour, 1st place

Fragile Ice, 1st place

Fragile Ice, 2nd place

Architecture and Urban Spaces, 1st place

To view all of the winners from this year’s contest, click here.

Source: https://mymodernmet.com/2018-siena-international-photo-awards/