Elle Leontiev wins 2026 Sony World Photography Award with portrait of barefoot volcanologist Phillip Yamah

At the 2026 Sony World Photography Awards, Australian photographer Elle Leontiev was honored as Open Photographer of the Year for her striking portrait of volcanologist Phillip Yamah. This photograph, chosen from over 430,000 entries from more than 200 nations, depicts Yamah standing barefoot on a lava bomb at Mount Yasur in Vanuatu. Leontiev captured this image during a week-long documentary project focused on women's rights in Vanuatu and Fiji, where she faced technical difficulties that forced her to shoot without her camera's screens. Despite lacking formal training, Yamah has worked with French volcanologist Thomas Boyer and guided expeditions for National Geographic. He founded the Haos Blong Volkeno museum and received a lava suit from researchers. Leontiev aims to blend fine art with documentary storytelling, highlighting genuine human experiences in an age dominated by AI. She partnered with filmmaker Guillaume Beaudoin to launch a crowdfunding initiative to help fulfill Yamah's aspiration for his son to become Vanuatu's first officially recognized volcanologist. The award ceremony was held in London on Thursday.