IPPAWARDS 2025: Die besten Smartphone-Fotos – ausgewählt von GEO

GEO magazine's photo editor Carla Rosorius has curated a personal selection of the most beautiful images from the IPPAWARDS 2025 competition — the 18th annual iPhone Photography Awards.

"There are images you see, and instantly a story begins in your head," writes GEO of the winning selection. "For whom are the flowers in the photo by Guanru Dong from China? You don't even see the woman's face, and yet you feel her joyful expectation."

Guanru Dong (China) — "Besuch der Dame" (Visit of the Lady). This photograph captures a small, everyday moment before it can pass, and was selected by GEO's photo editorial team as one of the most beautiful of the year.

© Guanru Dong / IPPAWARDS

The GEO-curated gallery of 15 standout images includes:

• Kelli Radwanski (United States) — Portrait (Honorable Mention). "So natural the situation, so skillful the handling of available light. You can feel the deep connection between person and animal," says Rosorius.
• Vera Lubinets (Portugal) — a break with symmetry, colorful loungers and windbreaks
• Pyaephyo Thetpaing (Myanmar) — interesting line composition of light and net structures, silhouette
• Kelli Radwanski (United States) — "Golden Goddess," biblical iconography, Black empowerment
• Pyaephyo Thetpaing (Myanmar) — play with geometry, symmetrical repetitive color play
• Sharon Goepferich (United States) — velvet-covered mountains with mist winding through the valleys, a dreamscape
• André Skagervik (Sweden) — missing horizon, green lines on white instead of white on green
• Karolina Zielony (United Kingdom) — house façade mirror communicating with a man's market stall, street portrait
• Maartje Punt (The Netherlands) — ship appears to be at full speed but stands still, two fishermen as fixed points
• Bo Shao Xian (China) — harmonious colors, interesting line work, surreal architecture
• Kunhua Chen (China) — an animal in between
• Iuliia Antonova (Ukraine) — first association: painting, unusual and surprising, yet calm
• Yuepeng Bao (Hong Kong) — there must always be people who disrupt the order, surprising perspective
• Guanru Dong (China) — "Besuch der Dame," a story that happens instantly in your head

Source: GEO