We are excited to announce the winners of the ON1 Photo RAW Awards 2026. With nearly 300 entries submitted from photographers around the world, this contest gave us a remarkable window into how our community sees and captures life — from remote Scottish hillsides at dawn to the fog-wrapped mountains of Colombia to the banks of the Seine in early morning light.
The range of subjects, styles, and editing approaches on display made judging both a pleasure and a genuine challenge. Every entry represented real effort — early alarms, cold mornings, long drives, and careful hours at the editing desk. That dedication shows in the work.
Entries were evaluated on creativity, composition, technical execution, editing skill, and overall visual impact. After careful deliberation, we are proud to share the images that rose to the top. Congratulations to all of our winners, and a sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to enter.
View the Full Submission Gallery →
🥇 Grand Prize Winner
Quiraing, Scotland — Thomas Chang, Jr.
Photo by Thomas Chang, Jr. · Fujifilm X-T5 · f/11 · 0.4 sec · ISO 100 · Isle of Skye, Scotland
Thomas and a small group of photographers set out before sunrise, climbing to the Quiraing — a dramatic landslip on the northern end of the Isle of Skye — in cold, windy conditions. The effort paid off with a striking landscape that captures the raw character of the Scottish Highlands.
Edited in ON1 Photo RAW 2026, the image was converted to black and white and refined with local adjustments, Dynamic Contrast, Tone Enhancer, and light sharpening. The result is a photograph that feels both ancient and immediate.
Why We Chose This Image
Thomas’s Quiraing, Scotland is a commanding landscape that rewards patience and craft in equal measure. The black-and-white conversion strips the scene down to pure form — rock, mist, and sky — while the local adjustments work with precision to guide the viewer’s eye through the terrain. Dynamic Contrast and Tone Enhancer are used with restraint, adding depth without tipping into over-processing. It is a technically confident image with a quiet, atmospheric intensity that set it apart from the field.
Prize: $1,000 B&H Photo Gift Card · Feature on ON1’s blog and social channels
🥈 Second Place
Colorado Sunset — Valerie Neumann
Photo by Valerie Neumann · Nikon Z 8 · f/22 · 1/500 sec · ISO 3600 · Colorado
Shot at dusk as cowboys rounded up a herd to head back to the ranch, Valerie’s image distills the American West into a single frame — silhouetted figures, a richly textured sky, and the kind of quiet drama that can’t be staged.
After initial processing in Lightroom, Valerie brought the image into ON1 Photo RAW for finishing work, using Dynamic Contrast, a Big Softy vignette, and a normal glow to enhance the warmth of the scene without overwhelming it.
Why We Chose This Image
Colorado Sunset earns its place through a rare combination of timing and tone. The silhouettes against a richly layered sky communicate a story that feels both timeless and immediate. The ON1 finishing work — vignette and glow in particular — deepens the warmth of the scene without drawing attention to itself. It is the kind of image that stops the scroll.
Prize: $100 ON1 Merchandise Gift Card · 1 Year of ON1 Photo Studio
🥉 Third Place
Morning Stroll by the Seine — John Mazerall
Photo by John Mazerall · Nikon Z 7ii · 17mm · f/22 · 1/20 sec · ISO 80 · Paris, France
On a walk across the Pont de Bir-Hakeim after shooting the Eiffel Tower, John spotted a gathering of photographers along the Seine and decided to investigate. What he found — the tower framed by glowing leaves and a strong sunburst — became one of the standout images of his trip.
Edited in ON1 Photo RAW 2026 with NoNoise AI, lens correction, tone adjustments in the Develop tab, and three Effects filters: Color Enhancer, Deep Forest Glow at 25% opacity, and Big Softy Vignette.
Why We Chose This Image
John’s Morning Stroll by the Seine is a beautifully composed image that uses the sunburst and leaf canopy as a natural frame around one of the world’s most photographed subjects — and still manages to make it feel fresh. The restraint in the Effects work stands out: the glow at 25% opacity adds depth without muddying the scene, and the vignette leads the eye exactly where it belongs. NoNoise AI keeps the image clean at a slow shutter speed, preserving detail in the foliage that would otherwise be lost.
Prize: $50 ON1 Merchandise Gift Card · 1 Year of ON1 Plus
Honorable Mentions
These submissions stood out from a strong field and reflect the creativity and range of the ON1 community.
Sentinel of the Mist — Dustin Kasten
Photo by Dustin Kasten · Canon EOS 80D · f/8 · 1/1000 sec · ISO 1000 · Guatapé, Colombia
Captured on the road to Guatapé, Colombia, a lone cow stands above cloud-covered mountains in a scene Dustin describes as both eerie and sacred. Converted to black and white in ON1 with local adjustments to isolate the fog, plus Glow, Tone Enhancer, and Vignette in the Effects panel. View the Submission →
Beach Boss — Paul Broadbent
Photo by Paul Broadbent · Canon EOS R10 · f/7.1 · 1/160 sec · ISO 160 · Da Nang, Vietnam
A late-afternoon beach scene from Da Nang, Vietnam — a solitary man watching the water while beachgoers fill the frame behind him. Finished in ON1 with a Warm vintage filter, color grading adjustments, Sunshine at 80% strength, and curve tweaks to arrive at the final look. View the Submission →
Iced In — Mike Casscles
Photo by Mike Casscles · Nikon Z8 · f/11 · 10 sec · ISO 100 · Lake Louise, Banff National Park
The famous boathouse at Lake Louise sits still beside a frozen, snow-covered lake on a cold March evening, with Fairview Mountain rising in the background. Edited in ON1 Photo RAW 2026 using Brilliance AI, the ON1 Vivid tone profile, Color Enhancer, and Tone Enhancer — a strong result from a photographer who describes himself as new to advanced editing. View the Submission →
Thank You to Everyone Who Participated
This contest is a reflection of the community that makes ON1 what it is — photographers who push their craft, explore the world, and use ON1 Photo RAW to bring their vision to life. Whether you placed or not, we are grateful for every submission.
The ON1 Photo RAW Awards is just one of the ways we celebrate our community throughout the year. If you want more opportunities to get your work seen, grow as a photographer, and connect with other ON1 users, we’d love to have you join us.
ON1 Plus members get access to monthly photo remix challenges, community events, exclusive tutorials, and insider content — the best way to stay active in the ON1 community and keep your creative work moving forward.
And don’t miss the full gallery — nearly 300 entries from photographers in countries around the world, all edited with ON1 Photo RAW. Browse the submissions here.
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