The Outstanding Maternity Award has concluded its thirty-seventh season, honoring photographers from seventeen countries for their exceptional work in maternity and family photography. This international competition, established in 2014, celebrates images that explore family, motherhood, childbirth, adolescence, lifestyle, and the entire maternity spectrum, with particular value placed on photographs that capture the essence and beauty of maternity in both studio and outdoor settings.
Eliane Pellegrini, the multi-awarded international photographer who has led the award since its inception and has worked professionally in fourteen countries, emphasizes the significant personal and professional growth participants experience each season. She notes that the feedback provided brings great satisfaction to the entire Outstanding team and finds it moving to witness professionals gaining new clients, reaching milestones, and expanding their careers through this platform.
The global reach of the award was demonstrated in Season 37 with winners hailing from the United States, Ukraine, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Italy, Switzerland, Japan, Portugal, Russia, Austria, Cyprus, Turkey, Bulgaria, France, French Polynesia, and Luxembourg. The diversity of participating countries underscores the universal appeal and importance of documenting maternity experiences across cultures.
Season 37 featured two distinguished judges who brought unique perspectives to the evaluation process. Katrine Moite, an award-winning photographer and filmmaker based in New York City, specializes in intimate portrayals of motherhood and documentary storytelling. Born in Ukraine, she relocated to Manhattan after graduating from law school and built her photography studio @moite_photography from the ground up, starting with just a camera and free shoots before expanding to a larger Midtown studio. Her work has received international acclaim with top honors from prestigious awards including the Global Photography Awards, European Photography Awards, and ND Awards.
Moite's acclaimed documentary, "Don't Have My Home Anymore…," sheds light on the experiences of Ukrainian women displaced by war, earning numerous awards and nominations globally while being featured in publications including ELLE Ukraine, NY Weekly, and Foto Nostrum. Julia Marse, the second judge, is a professional photographer, international educator, and brand ambassador based in London who has completed over 10,000 photo shoots and trained more than 2,000 students worldwide through her studio @marse_studios and international school for photography and videography.
Marse has led over fifty workshops across twenty-seven countries, blending artistic excellence with mentoring commitment, and has been listed among the Top 100 Photo Awards while curating the international exhibition "Success in Faces." As a brand ambassador for leading photography equipment brands and active member of the Business Women's Association, she supports photographers at all career stages through workshops, events, and international collaborations.
The Outstanding Maternity Award serves as a vital platform for photographers to gain recognition, increase visibility, and reach new audiences while contributing to the global appreciation of maternity photography as an art form that transcends cultural boundaries and celebrates universal human experiences.
