/ 2025 / Architecture / Historic

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Yvonne Denman, United States
• Studio
  Yvonne Denman Photography
• Website
  https://www.yvonnedenmanphotoart.com/
• Instagram
  https://instagram.com/yvonnedenmanphotoart

I photographed this landscape at the centuries-old Kannon-Ji Temple during the spring Cherry Blossom season. Walking the temple grounds was a profoundly peaceful experience for me - I felt a stillness and serenity I hadn't felt in quite some time. Kannon, also known as Quan Yin, is the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Mercy. Hundreds of statues of Kannon are scattered among the beautiful Sakura trees and walkways; the peacefulness of the place is visceral. Whenever I have a difficult day, I return to this image, my connection to Kannon, to bring me back to when I walked along this peaceful path.

I'm a visual artist from Southern California, and love to photograph in far-flung places.

I photograph with medium format cameras due to the optics and detail they provide, and my artwork often includes an open canvas and features color as the hero.

My images have won awards and nominations in the 2025 Refocus Color Awards and the 2025 Berlin Photo Awards, and have been in exhibitions at PhotoPlace Gallery in Vermont.

I'm blessed to work in a craft that is my calling. As a pastel artist, I find this medium directly translates to my photography, which has been described as poetic, soft, and

Awards Winner, Bronze, 2025 reFocus Color Awards, Abstract Category
Winner, Honorable Mention, 2025 reFocus Color Awards, Architecture Category
Winner, Honorable Mention, 2025 International Photography Awards (IPA), Travel Category
Official Selection, 2025 International Photography Awards (IPA), Architecture/Historical
Finalist, Berlin Photo Award, Nature Category
2 Nominations, 2025 reFocus Color Awards, Minimalism Category
2 Nominations, 2025 reFocus Color Awards, Nature Category