The 2025 winners of the Huawei XMAGE Mobile Photography Awards, considered one of Huawei’s most prestigious mobile photography competitions since 2017, were announced at a ceremony held at the Grand Palais in Paris. In the competition, which attracted hundreds of thousands of entries from over 170 countries, Tokat photographer Mehmet Emin Coruş was named second in the world and a finalist for “Photographer of the Year.”
Mehmet Emin Coruş achieved this significant achievement with a photograph he took in the Pazar district of Tokat. The winning image depicts a farmer carrying a newborn buffalo calf to a shelter to protect it from the cold, and the mother buffalo following them without taking her eyes off her calf. Coruş’s photograph was praised by the jury for its portrayal of the pure bond and silent collaboration between humans, animals, and nature.
Corush’s photographic journey began with a Huawei phone he received as a gift while working as a baker in Tokat. Coruş, who previously won first place in the Turkish leg of the XMAGE Awards in 2021 and 2022, took his success to the international stage this year with his global second place finish.
Mehmet Emin Coruş, who was unable to attend the awards ceremony, recorded a video in which he said, “Once upon a time, I used to dream while kneading dough and wandering around the village. Now those dreams reach the world through the camera of a Huawei phone. This award belongs not just to me; it belongs to everyone who is not content with what they have but creates with their heart. Sometimes you ignite a light from miles away. I thank Huawei, who is like a beacon in bringing this light today, and to everyone who believes in me.” He addressed the attendees.
Two More Names from Turkey on the “XMAGE 100” List
As in previous years, the Huawei XMAGE Awards attracted significant interest from Turkey this year. Turkey maintained its place among the countries with the highest participation in the competition. In addition to Mehmet Emin Coruş’s global second-place finish, Turkish photographers Hürdoğan Keskin and Koray Özpalamutçu were also included in the “XMAGE 100” selection, securing a spot among the world’s top 100 photographers.
The Huawei XMAGE Awards, which have received approximately 5 million photo submissions since 2017, aim to democratize mobile photography. The competition is positioned as an artistic reflection of Huawei’s XMAGE R&D brand, encompassing optical systems, image processing algorithms, and proprietary technologies.
The 2025 jury for the competition included Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers and esteemed figures in their fields, including Paris Photo Director Florence Bourgeois. The three grand prize winners, selected as “Photographers of the Year,” received awards of $10,000 to support their future projects.
