/ 2025 / Portraiture / Self-Portrait

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Ben Battersby, Argentina
• Instagram
  ben_battersby_photography

The terracotta armadillo, interrogated under the harsh light, represents who I used to be; guarded, protected, always holding back. Now I sit opposite it, exposed. My body tells the story: scars, surgeries, a gladiator taking a rest. But I’m calm, surrounded by photos of my family, my reason, my legacy. Cancer has taken much, but it’s also given me clarity. I feel stronger, wiser, more present. This image is about transformation, and the peace that comes when you stop hiding and simply live. Always forward.

Benjamin Battersby is a British photographer and former cinematographer with over 30 years of experience in visual storytelling. Now based in Argentina, he turned the camera on himself after a diagnosis of stage IV cancer, creating intimate self-portraits exploring illness, resilience, and survival. His work blends technical precision with raw vulnerability, and a newfound truth that comes from facing the abyss and pushing through.

Awards Preselected for the Salón Nacional at the Palais de Glacear, Buenos Aires (finalist not yet decided)