The Textures and Surfaces Photo Contest 2025 invited photographers to explore the fascinating visual world hidden in details — the tactile stories found in stone, metal, fabric, rust, wood, and abstract patterns. This contest attracted an extraordinary range of submissions, each one transforming everyday surfaces into compelling photographic art. After careful review, three exceptional works emerged as this year's top winners.
Bill Samsonite’s winning photograph is an extraordinary study in depth, contrast, and textural richness. His ability to extract beauty from an ordinary surface showcases true artistic vision. Through masterful use of light and shadow, he transforms a simple material into an abstract composition filled with nuance and visual rhythm. Bill’s work exemplifies how texture photography can transcend documentation and become pure visual exploration.
Cassidy Peters' entry takes a quiet, refined approach to surface photography. Her composition reveals the subtle beauty found in patterns and material structure. Whether through soft gradients or bold contrasts, she successfully highlights the elegance of texture in a way that feels both modern and contemplative. Cassidy’s eye for minimalism and detail invites viewers to slow down and fully absorb the intricacies within her frame.
With a poetic and expressive interpretation of surface detail, Elena Krotova brings emotional depth to the genre. Her image blends texture, form, and atmosphere, resulting in a composition that feels both tactile and artistic. Elena’s photograph demonstrates how small visual elements — when framed with intention — can evoke emotion and narrative, proving that texture photography can be as expressive as portraiture or landscape.
The Textures and Surfaces contest shines a spotlight on a branch of photography often undervalued: the study of detail, material, and subtle visual phenomena. In a world saturated with dramatic landscapes, portraits, and action shots, this contest encourages us to slow down — to observe, feel, and re‑connect with the everyday textures around us. The top three works prove that beauty can live in the simplest surfaces, textures, and nuances, and that photography can transform even the mundane into art.
To explore all selected works, including finalists and honorable mentions, view the complete gallery of winning images.
