HUAWEI celebrates the art of photography at XMAGE Awards 2025

Filipino photographers took the global stage.

Courtesy: HUAWEI

Mobile photography in the global scene

The 2025 HUAWEI XMAGE Awards Ceremony, alongside the "The World, You and Me" Annual Imaging Exhibition, opened on November 12 at the Grand Palais in Paris.

This year's event made way for Filipino photographers Rhon Velarde and Mark Padecio to attract global attention.

Through XMAGE, we harness the power of technology and imagery to better understand the world, and, more importantly, to see one another with greater empathy, said Kevin Ho, CEO of HUAWEI Consumer Business Group.

This year's exhibition is the third time that Paris Photo and HUAWEI have joined forces to introduce mobile photography to the global art scene. It is also the first since the company unveiled its barrier-breaking XMAGE brand that made a critical shift from mere technology to cultural storytelling.

This year's exhibition is based on the theme "The World, You and Me," with three exhibition areas entitled "I Capture, Therefore I Am", "The Constructed, The Perceived", and "In Their Own Words."

The event also gathered many of the leaders in global photography, inspiring new exchanges and connections, underscoring HUAWEI XMAGE's aspiration to serve as a global platform promoting artistic exchange for all.

This year's competition drew over 743,000 submissions from creators across 78 countries and regions.

The "XMAGE 100" award-winning works were the most outstanding images, of which three Grand Prize Winners of the Year were recognized. Among those recognized are Filipino photographers Rhon Velarde and Mark Padecio.

Mark Padecio's "Muddy But Happy" captured with HUAWEI nova 10

Padecio's "Muddy But Happy" captured with HUAWEI nova 10 captured a fleeting yet powerful moment of joy as children played along a muddy riverside after the first rainfall following a drought.

The image showcased the phone’s clarity, color accuracy, and dynamic range, bringing life and authenticity to the scene.

Rhon Velarde's "Glimmer of Hope" captured with HUAWEI P40 Pro

In Velarde's "Glimmer of Hope" captured with HUAWEI P40 Pro shows a striking moment of light, color, and emotion, showcasing the device's dynamic range and color accuracy, bringing depth and mood to the scene.

Other photos recognized were "Ethereal Lines" by Gheorghe Popa (Romania) captured with HUAWEI Pura 80 Ultra, "New Life" by Mehmet Emin Corus (Turkiye) captured with HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro, and "Origin of Skiing" by Chen Guanhong (China) captured with HUAWEI Mate 70 Pro+.

Through these images and countless others, HUAWEI XMAGE is inspiring a paradigm shift in photography from 'seeing' to 'perceiving' our world, forging connections in unexpected places, HUAWEI said.

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