/ 2025 / /

• Prize
  Shortlist
• Photographer
  Andrii Vernyi, United States
• Category
  Americas
• Studio
  Vernyi Photography Inc

Amid the stark geometry of the court, a solitary figure stands precisely centered—anchored yet adrift. Dressed in soft, structured whites against the harsh contrast of asphalt, she embodies a quiet defiance. Her posture is still, her gaze hidden, her presence both bold and subdued. The emptiness around her doesn’t feel vacant—it feels intentional. In this moment, she doesn’t occupy the space; she defines it.

This image explores the delicate line between solitude and strength, between silence and expression—a visual meditation on presence in a world that rarely pauses.