The Outstanding Maternity Award has concluded its thirty-eighth season, receiving submissions from photographers across the globe and continuing its position as the most comprehensive international honor dedicated to maternity photography. This award, established in 2014, serves as a significant milestone for photographers seeking international recognition for their artistic work in capturing maternity and family moments.
For participating photographers, earning the Outstanding Maternity Award seal represents more than just an honor. This accomplishment increases professional visibility and adds an important distinction to portfolios and resumes, attributes that prove decisive in attracting new clients and opportunities. Each season provides a unique opportunity for development and learning, with photographers who are not awarded in one season continuing their journey with more critical and refined perspectives gained through dedication and artistic intention.
Season 38 winners represent a diverse international community, with recognized photographers hailing from Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Luxembourg, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Cyprus. This geographical diversity underscores the award's global reach and its role in bringing together talented photographers from around the world through a shared dedication to the art of maternity photography.
The judging panel for this edition featured two distinguished photographers whose work exemplifies the artistic excellence the award celebrates. JaNa Photography from Canada, the artistic duo of Jafar and Nasim, joined the panel bringing their experience from creating timeless newborn and maternity portraits since 2009. Their photographic journey has included more than 100 international exhibitions across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, and their work has placed them among the top three maternity and newborn photographers in their Vancouver region. Information about their artistic approach can be found at https://janaphotography.com.
Neidy Parra from the United States, founder of Neidy Parra Photography and the Neidy Parra Collection, also served as a judge, bringing expertise in luxury maternity and lifestyle photography that transforms moments into timeless works of art. With over 146,000 followers and nearly 1 million monthly views on Instagram, she has built an international platform celebrating women, motherhood, and family experiences. Her professional insights are available through her website at https://neidyparra.com.
The importance of this award extends beyond individual recognition to strengthening the international community dedicated to maternity photography. By providing a platform for photographers to stand out and receive proper recognition for their art, the award helps increase visibility and reach new audiences globally. This matters because professional recognition in specialized fields like maternity photography can significantly impact career trajectories, client acquisition, and artistic development.
As the photography community looks toward Season 39, anticipated for the beginning of each year, the Outstanding Maternity Award continues to serve as a benchmark for excellence in a field that captures some of life's most meaningful transitions. The award's sustained international participation demonstrates the growing appreciation for maternity photography as both an art form and a professional specialization, with implications for how motherhood and family experiences are documented and celebrated across cultures.
