/ 2026 / Architecture / Cityscape

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  maximilian gottwald, Germany
• Date of Photograph
  2022/2025
• Studio
  Fotografie Maximilian Gottwald
• Website
  https://www.maximilian-gottwald.de
• Instagram
  @gottwaldmaximilian

i document cemeteries in the middle of the city with its skyscrapers and the urban landscape in the background. dealing with the connection between past and present, tradition and modernity as well as life and death. it gives a fascinating insight into the complexity of the contrasts in japan. the pictures show the cemeteries as small oases of peace in the middle of the hectic urban landscapes. the tranquillity of the world of the dead and the hustle and bustle of urban life meet here and create an impressive contrast between past and present, between silence and noise.

born in munich in 1980, studied photo design at the munich university of applied sciences.
maximilian's work often focuses on artistic documentary photography. he is particularly interested in the sometimes surreal-looking cityscapes and impressions of asian cities. the impressive interaction of natural light and artificial light in twilight and night shots are an essential part of his long-term project "asian dusk - the empire of light" about urban landscapes in twilight. here he deals with urban landscapes and their change due to rapid economic, political and demographic growth.

Awards - europäischer architekturfotografiepreis 2007, “mein lieblingsplatz”, wanderausstellung goethe institut, honorable mention/katalog

- vattenfall fotopreis 2009, „energie“, winner

- wettbewerb „fff-oktoberfest“ der mohr-villa freimann e.v. 2010, 1.ter publikumspreis

- fotowettbewerb der reisebank 2016, „reisemomente festgehalten“, winner

- life framer street life 2021 - honorable mention

- life framer night life 2022 - honorable mention

- fine art photography awards 2022, nominee - architecture

- european photography award 2022 - category gold winner - architecture photography/cityscapes

- europäischer architekturfotografiepreis 2023, “provisorium”, honorable mention/katalog

- tokyo international foto awards 2024, honorable mention - special night photography

- art matters 2025, galerie biesenbach, honorable mention

- fotowettbewerb der höpfner stiftung „changes“ - honorable mention/katalog

- tokyo international foto awards 2025, honorable mention - architecture/cityscapes

- annual photography awards 2025, honorable mention - night photography

- fine art photography awards 2026, nominee – night