The Motif Collective Nov 2025 Winners

"SILHOUETTES" 2025 THEME WINNERS

The Silhouettes Photography Competition invites photographers to explore the power of shape, contrast, and emotion through the art of shadow and light. Participants are challenged to capture striking images where outlines tell the story—whether of people, nature, architecture, or abstract forms—using creative lighting, composition, and timing. This competition celebrates the beauty of simplicity and mystery, rewarding photographs that evoke mood and meaning through minimal detail. Open to all skill levels, it offers artists a chance to showcase their ability to transform ordinary scenes into bold, dramatic, and unforgettable visual statements.

The selection guidelines for the Silhouettes Photography Competition emphasize creativity, composition, and emotional impact. Judges will evaluate how effectively each image uses contrast, lighting, and shape to convey mood and story, with special attention to clarity of form and artistic interpretation. Successful entries should demonstrate technical skill, originality, and thoughtful framing that transforms simple outlines into compelling visual narratives. While post-processing is allowed, it should enhance rather than overpower the natural beauty of the silhouette. All submissions must be the photographer’s original work and align with the competition’s theme of celebrating the expressive power of shadow and light.

Eclipse BY Remuna Beca

Our First Place Winner was submitted by
Remuna Beca from Pompano Beach, Florida

Remuna is an artist, award-winning photographer, filmmaker, and passionate conservationist. Her underwater work captures the extraordinary diversity of life beneath the surface, highlighting both the beauty and fragility of marine ecosystems and species, with a special focus on sharks. Through her lens, Remuna strives to deepen our connection to nature and raise awareness of critical conservation issues, aiming to inspire a greater appreciation and collective action to protect our planet’s most vital ecosystems.

Visit more of Remuna's amazing work online at:
https://www.remuna.com

Sunrise Symmetry BY Marian Plaino

Our Second Place Winner was submitted by
Marian Plaino from Bucuresti, Romania

I first picked up a camera in 1997, at 23, while still a student. What began as a way to document the beauty of my travels soon evolved into a lifelong visual journey. For years, I explored photography alongside my work as a math teacher — using it in playful, creative ways with pupils and, later, developing a souvenir business with my wife based on my images.

In recent years, I’ve shifted my focus more intentionally toward photography. What was once passion is now purpose. I’ve expanded from landscapes to portraiture, rural life, events, and street scenes — seeking to tell honest stories through natural light and unposed moments.
I don’t chase perfection. I wait for presence. I believe photography is a visual language — one that speaks through emotion, light, and the quiet power of a captured moment. Each frame is not just what I see, but what I feel, and how I remember the world in that brief breath of time.
In 2016 I started to "test" my photos in international and national photo contests. Until now I have counted more than 650 prizes in about 60 countries, 5 trophies, and 11 times “Best Author”..

Since last year, I have added: Honorable mention Siena International Photo Awards 2024,Higly commended Siena drone 2025, Gold medal International Photography Awards 2024, finalist 22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest, shortlist Regional Awards the Sony World Photography Awards 2025, and my photos have been published in Photo Magazine France, Geo Germany, and National Geographic Traveller UK, Digital Photo Germany , The Times England

The Alien BY panos laskarakis

Our Third Place Winner was also submitted by
Panos Laskarakis from Ioannina, Greece

I first got involved in photography in 2005 and since then I have kept on evolving my techniques and knowledge, through a series of valuable experiences, by visiting several places on the planet like the Arctic, Africa, Asia, America, and Europe, capturing impressive sights with a different perspective.

Nature photography is love, passion, exploration, adventure, and creation. I always look for dramatic action and I feel alive in every sense when I experience the greatness of natural elements. I live my life traveling to every possible destination, searching for days on end for instantaneous, breathless scenes.

Visit more of Panos's amazing work online at:
panoslaskarakis.com

Salton Sea #96 BY Stéphane Louis

Our Honorable Mention Winner was submitted by
Stéphane Louis from Dambch-la-Ville, France

After studying modern literature and film, Stéphane Louis set out to pursue a career as an independent professional photographer in 1999, combining both commercial and artistic work. Over the years, he has collaborated with groups such as ACCOR (hospitality), Barrière (casinos), and UGC (cinema). Early on, his personal work attracted attention from institutions like FNAC (Young Talents Competition, 2001) and Kodak (Bourse du Talent, 2005).

In recent years, he has devoted himself to book illustration and long-term projects focused on his place of residence, such as La Poétique des ruines, Les Hypogées, and L'Éternel Recours—a body of work centered on nature as an inner refuge. His work is regularly exhibited in France and abroad.

Visit more of Stéphane's amazing work online at:
www.stephanelouis.com

Theme Shortlist

Below are the amazing images that shortlisted into the top tier of this themes competition. A big congratulations to all the talented photographers that participated!