National Pictures of the Year 2025 Winners Announced

June 26, 2026 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 26, 2026

A Message from Kevin Udahl, Incoming President, News Photographers Association of Canada

It is an honour and a privilege to step into the role of President of the News Photographers Association of Canada/Association des photographes de presse du Canada, following my election at the Annual General Meeting Thursday, June 25, 2026. Photojournalism is not just a profession — it is a public trust. NPAC exists to defend and celebrate that trust, and I am deeply committed to doing exactly that alongside our members, volunteers, and supporters in the months and years ahead.

2025 National Pictures of the Year — Winners Announced

But Thursday’s AGM was more about the announcement of the winners of the 2025 NPAC/APPC National Pictures of the Year (NPOY) Competition — Canada’s most prestigious photojournalism awards.

A quick word from the president:

My sincere congratulations to all of tonight’s winners and finalists. Your work is a testament to the enduring power of real photography — the kind that bears witness, tells the truth, and reminds us why this craft matters.

Thank You, Michelle Berg

My deepest gratitude goes to outgoing president Michelle Berg, whose leadership over the past two years has been steady, generous, and genuinely impactful. She helped return NPAC to financial stability, contributed directly to the production of the POY competition, and was a tireless advocate for photojournalists across this country. To Michelle, and to all outgoing board members and volunteers — thank you. What you’ve built matters.

A Special Thank You to Dave Chidley

A heartfelt farewell to our outgoing Treasurer, Dave Chidley — a steadfast pillar of this organization and an important voice in the Canadian photojournalism community. His expertise, generosity, and good humour have meant the world to all of us. Dave, as you head off to enjoy a well-earned retirement in the sunny south — go enjoy the warmth. You’ve kept the lights on here long enough. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

The Road Ahead

I want to be honest about the challenges we face. Newsroom layoffs, media consolidation, shrinking editorial budgets, and the rapid proliferation of AI-generated imagery are all real and serious pressures on our industry and the people who work in it. The headwinds that our industry endures has been a constant throughout my career.

But despite these difficulties I am genuinely optimistic about the future of photojournalism — and here’s why. Ours is one of the only genres of visual communication with a direct, non-negotiable obligation to the truth. That isn’t a brand value or a marketing position. It is the entire premise of what we do. And I believe that distinction — properly understood and vigorously defended — may actually insulate us from the most damaging effects of the AI imagery crisis now engulfing the broader visual media ecosystem.

When the world is flooded with synthetic images, authenticity becomes rare — and rare things become valuable. The photograph that was actually there, made by a human being who witnessed something real, carries a weight that no generated image can replicate. Our job is to make sure the public understands that distinction, and to ensure we never give them reason to doubt which side of that line we stand on.

To get this message out there, we have some hard work ahead of us. We need to re-establish some type of consistent social media strategy; we need to decide if the POM (or a modified version of it) should anchor that strategy, or if we should consider something different; we need to increase the depth of our volunteer base to help propel and sustain this work; and perhaps most importantly, we need to continue growing the NPOY competition as this country’s most respected showcase of the craft.

NPAC has a vital role to play in so many areas. The overall mission doesn’t change. If anything, the purpose is clearer now than ever. I am deeply honoured to serve this community, and I look forward to what lies ahead.

Kevin Udahl

Incoming President, News Photographers Association of Canada

June 26, 2026

The News Photographers Association of Canada (NPAC/APPC) is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and championing quality and ethical photography in journalism. For more information, visit npac.ca.

National Pictures of the Year 2025 Winners

Spot News:

Protester Removed – Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press

RCMP officers remove a protester who interrupted the speech of Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles at her election headquarters, Toronto, February 27, 2025.

2nd: Delta Flight Wreckage – Arlyn McAdorey

3rd: Toronto Pearson Shooting – Arlyn McAdorey

HM: None awarded

Judges – Joshua Lott (Chicago Freelance); Josh Edelson (San Francisco Freelance); Rich Lam (Vancouver Freelance)

General News:

Muzzle Fire – William Wilson

Montreal Police fire a muzzle munition at the heads of radpride demonstrators. August 9, 2025.

2nd: Family Flees Tear Gas – William Wilson

3rd: Elbows Up Canada Rally – Sammy Kogan

HM: Longueuil Stormy Sky – Bernard Brault

Judges – Joshua Lott (Chicago Freelance); Josh Edelson (San Francisco Freelance); Rich Lam (Vancouver Freelance)

Feature:

Hadzabe Hunter – Bernard Brault

A portrait of a hunter who is breaking the neck of a bird. He is part of the Hadzabe are a traditional hunter-gatherer tribe in northern Tanzania, known for their ancient lifestyle, reliance on the environment, and egalitarian society. With approximately 1,300 members, they continue their ancestral practices of hunting with bows and arrows and foraging for plants, with a diet rich in tubers, berries, meat, and honey.
The man just killed a bird.

2nd: Cocatoo – Leah Hennel

3rd: Pool Selfie – Nick Lachance

HM: Indigenous Fancy Shawl Dancer – Lance McMillan

Judges – Joshua Lott (Chicago Freelance); Josh Edelson (San Francisco Freelance); Rich Lam (Vancouver Freelance)

Social Issues:

Home Care for Dementia Patient – Leah Hennel/The Globe and Mail

Home-care aide Lovelee Valenzuela helps Joan Connor, 74, who has been living with dementia for over 10 years, change into a new outfit at the home Joan shares with her husband Alan Rae, 81 on July 13, 2025.

2nd: Overdose Reversal – Chris Young

3rd: Smoking Fentanyl – Chris Young

HM: None Awarded

Judges – Joshua Lott (Chicago Freelance); Josh Edelson (San Francisco Freelance); Rich Lam (Vancouver Freelance)

Sports Action:

Steeplechase Crash – Nick Iwanyshyn/Canadian Running Magazine

Canada’s Jean-Simon Desgagnes falls to the ground during the men’s 3000 metres steeplechase heats on day one of the World Athletics Championships at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, on September 13, 2025.

2nd: Stick in the Face – Justin Tang

3rd: Baseball Reaction – Arlyn McAdorey

HM: Soccer Backflip – Darryl Dyck

Judges – Joshua Lott (Chicago Freelance); Josh Edelson (San Francisco Freelance); Rich Lam (Vancouver Freelance)

Sports Feature:

Mens Doubles Luge Reaction – Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters

Hannes Orlamuender and Paul Constantin Gubitz of Germany celebrate with teammates as they cross the finish line in first place during the men’s doubles competition at the FIL (Luge) World Championships in Whistler, British Columbia, on February 6, 2025.

2nd: Leafs Fan Reaction – Steve Russell

3rd: Swimmer Spotlight – Steve Russell

HM: Aerial Lift Line – Bernard Brault

HM: U Sports Women’s Basketball Championship – Darryl Dyck

Judges – Mike Blake (Reuters Southern California); Rich Lam (Vancouver Freelance); Patrick Fallon (AFP Los Angeles)

Portrait:

Olympic Fencer – Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press

Canadian Olympic fencer Eleanor Harvey poses for a photo in Richmond, B.C., on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Harvey made history when she won bronze in individual women’s foil, Canada’s first Olympic fencing medal, at the Paris Olympics. Since the 2024 Games, Harvey has medalled in four of the six tournaments she’s competed in, and captured Canada’s first World Cup gold in the process.

2nd: Ostrich Farmer – Aaron Joshua Hemens

3rd: Grandmother Smoking Cigarette – Laura Proctor

HM: World Record Holstein – Leah Hennel

HM: High River Rancher – Leah Hennel

Judges – Mike Blake (Reuters Southern California); Rich Lam (Vancouver Freelance); Patrick Fallon (AFP Los Angeles)