Moments of Emotion in Light & Shadow – European Photography Awards Winner Daniel Gilpin Speaks

First, I want to thank the organisers, jury, and support team of the 2025 European Photography Awards for reviewing my work, believing in it, and for the honours I’ve received. Without the effort the team behind the scenes put in, none of this would be possible, and I am truly grateful.

In a world of noise, I create quiet images. That has always been my starting point. Drawing, painting, and lino prints gave me discipline, but photography gave me something different — a way to capture form, light, and presence in the moment. My journey has moved from hesitant figure drawing classes to international recognition, but the essence hasn’t changed: I’m still trying to reveal something human and timeless in each frame.

The works I submit are born from instinct rather than strategy. They emerge in moments where vulnerability, form, and atmosphere align. Winning 3 Golds and an Honourable Mention is not just about medals — it’s a signal that this quieter, rawer approach has a place.

It also makes me want to build further. I know my work can’t grow to its full potential alone — it needs collaboration. Whether that’s with a gallery, a publisher, a model, or even a student helper who wants to learn, I want to work with people who believe in shaping something meaningful together.

The images I choose have their own voice — sometimes quiet, but insistent. They are the ones that stay with me long after I have taken them, the ones I can’t shake off. I also look for a trace of fear: the thought that they could easily be rejected. That edge of risk tells me the work is alive.

I first picked up a camera with no plan — just curiosity. What I discovered was a way of capturing not only how things looked, but how they felt. From that moment, the camera became less of a tool and more of a creative companion — a way to translate my thoughts into visual words.

Fine art nudes — not as statements, but as studies of form, space, and presence. My aim is to create work where the “nude” almost disappears, and what remains is human radiance. It’s not about glamour or shock tactics to earn merit; it’s about truth. With over three billion bodies on this planet, there’s no secret about what we look like. We should celebrate our natural form, not hide it behind branded skin that distracts from the beauty already there.

I want the nude to be admired — not turned into a spectacle, nor reduced to something derogatory. It should be quiet, in a world of noise.

I keep things simple: natural light and a reliable camera (Sony A600 or anything to hand). My favourite “feature” isn’t technical at all — it’s the restraint of not relying on artificial setups. That limitation forces honesty, which is exactly what I want the work to carry.

Presence. As if they’re standing in the same space as the subject, even if only for a brief moment.

Knowing when to stop. I could shoot endlessly, but the challenge is recognising the exact moment when the image already exists — and having the discipline to step back.

At present, the human body is in its rawest form. I photograph nudes to explore shape, colour, and space — until the “nude” almost dissolves. Gender doesn’t matter; what matters is the body radiating presence. To me, that’s the modern nude: unapologetic but not provocative. And yet, I remain open to new subjects and genres. Life is too short not to explore.

I am influenced less by photographers than by painters and sculptors. Classical works remind me that the human form has always been a vessel for storytelling for centuries. That sense of continuity keeps me grounded. I just have my own twist.

Enter with courage and fear. Don’t second-guess what a jury might want — send the piece that unsettles you, the one that feels too fragile or too strange. That’s usually the work with the most life in it.

Don’t copy. The camera is a mirror — and it always reveals when you’re trying to be someone else. The real work begins when you start recognising yourself in your own images.

Minimal. I don’t build images in post-production; I capture them in the moment. Editing for me is like polishing a stone: small adjustments to bring out what was already there, nothing more.

AI is powerful, but it isn’t photography. It deserves its own awards — for digital art, visualisation, even moving-image creations. It can be clever and artistic, but photography is about looking through a lens and capturing a moment that existed. That distinction matters to me.

That kind of question never quite sits with me, because I’m most inspired by whoever crosses my path naturally. But if I had to choose, it would be Aurora — clothed. She has a mystical, natural presence and a face with elemental strength. Growing up in Stavanger, Norway, I feel a connection there — and her spirit aligns with my art: unpolished, quirky, and far from glamour.

In the end, it connects back to the same truth: in a world of noise, I create quiet images. That’s what guides me — and I’d love to build that vision further with others who want to collaborate, whether they are a gallery owner, a publisher, a model, or someone simply curious to help.

Thank you again to all at the 2025 European Photography Awards for an excellent competition.