Black & White Minimalism Magazine has announced the winners of its 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize, with the top photographer earning themselves a nice $1,000 award. Despite the narrowly focused theme of black-and-white minimalist photography, the contest still received 1,300 submissions, which the organizers say demonstrate “the enduring appeal of minimalism in black-and-white photography.” The competition was judged by professional photographers Alexandra Manuel and Tim Nevell, as well as the magazine’s chief editor, Milad Safabakhsh. Yvonne C. Krystovsky won the 2024 Grand Prize for her image, “In Great-Grandpa’s hands.” ‘The photograph shows the hands of a great-grandfather holding those of his great-grandchild in a moment of tender connection. The wrinkles and scars on the old man’s skin tell of a lifetime of experiences, while the child’s soft fingers reflect the innocence and curiosity of youth,’ says the grand prize-winning photographer Yvonne C. Krystovsky. ‘Photographed in black and white, the details emphasize the emotional depth of the moment and the contrast between old and young. Every line, texture and nuance reinforces the significance of this inter-generational love. This photograph is a touching testament to the beauty and depth of the connection between generations.’ | 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine Daniel Zaleski’s “Minimalist Concrete Staircase” nabbed the runner position, and Alexandre Caetano’s “On top of Serra da Capelada” rounded out the top three.
‘Newly designed and constructed concrete staircase in an old refurbished building (former slaughter house). I was immediately enthralled by the light, tones and simple lines,’ says photographer Daniel Zaleski of his second-place image. | 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine ‘Traveling through Costa da Morte, Galicia. 600m above sea level where the mountains separate the Cantabria sea from the Atlantic Ocean,’ explains third-place winner Alexandre Caetano. | 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine Alongside the awarded winners, the judges all selected nearly 90 honorable mentions. These won’t all be featured below, but they are available in a gallery at Minimalism Magazine‘s website. PetaPixel has selected a dozen of its favorite finalist images to feature below while also trying to ensure that a diverse range of photographic styles are represented. The judges must have had their hands full picking the top three, as even picking 12 photos to share proved very challenging. ‘Social Distancing’ by Jason Au | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine ‘Sit Down’ by Rolf Endermann | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine ‘Single Tree’ by Reza Rajaei | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine
‘Dried Wood’ by Marleen Van Hove | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine ‘Lines of Winter’ by Petr Novák | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine ‘Mutual’ by Kris Schofield | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine ‘Placeholder’ by Alexej Schulz | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine ‘Warm Place’ by Marta Wojnarowska | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine ‘Baby Baboon Silhouette’ by Turgay Uzer | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine ‘Black Pearl’ by Sascha Kohne | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine
‘Fisherman’ by Roman Konig | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine ‘A Fleeting Moment’ by Robert Bolton | Honorable mention in the 2024 Black and White Minimalist Photography Prize by Black & White Minimalism Magazine For enthusiastic fans of incredible black and white photography, PetaPixel recently covered the winners of the reFocus Awards’ 2023 Black and White Photo Contest and the stunning winners of the Black and white Photo Awards. For those who want to improve their monochromatic imagery and maybe win future contests, PetaPixel‘s “Black and White Photography: The Beginner’s Guide” is full of great advice. Image credits: Black & White Minimalism Magazine. Individual photographers are credited in the photo captions.
