First Light
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PrizeHonorable Mention
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PhotographerDeepak Jaybhaye, India
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Date of Photograph19 December 2025
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Instagram
As dawn breaks, the first rays of sunlight cut through a blanket of mist, transforming the lake into a river of liquid gold. Three ducks drift silently across the glowing water, their silhouettes adding scale to an otherwise ethereal landscape. For a few fleeting minutes, light, mist and stillness merged into a scene that existed only between night and day.
Dr. Deepak Jaybhaye is an Indian nature and fine art photographer based in Maharashtra. Alongside his profession as an obstetrician and gynecologist, he pursues photography with a passion for wildlife, landscapes, and human stories. His work combines careful observation with artistic vision, exploring light, behavior, emotion, and the relationship between people and nature. Through both documentary and fine art imagery, he strives to create photographs that are visually compelling and emotionally enduring.
Awards Dr. Deepak Jaybhaye’s work has received recognition in several international photography competitions and awards.
* PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris 2026 – Bronze Winner, Fine Art / Minimalism, “Together, Yet Apart.”
* PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris 2026 – Honorable Mention, Nature / Water, “First Light.”
* Exposure One Awards – People’s Vote Award Winner & Honorable Mention.
* Refocus Black & White Awards – Silver Award & People’s Vote Award, “Together, Yet Apart.”
* Refocus Color Awards – Honorable Mention & Nominee.
* International Photography Awards (IPA) – Honorable Mention.
* Monovisions Photography Awards – Honorable Mention.
* Snap India Season 6 – Prize Winner.
* Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA) – Shortlisted; results awaited.
His photographs have been featured by National Geographic India, Canon Asia, Asian Photography Magazine and other photography platforms, and have appeared in Indian newspapers and publications. His work spans wildlife, nature, fine art, landscape, and visual storytelling.