International Photography Awards (IPA) — 2025
In 2025, South African fine art documentary photographer Maxine Noel received two Honourable Mentions at the International Photography Awards (IPA) in the Analog / Photojournalism category.
The awarded projects were:
Les Hommes Bleus: Guardians of the Sahara
A curated, shorter edit from the wider Tuareg body of work photographed in the Algerian Sahara. Shot on Fomapan 400 (35mm) with a Pentax K1000, the series documents the presence, identity, and cultural continuity of the Tuareg, often referred to as Les Hommes Bleus.
A single-frame photograph made in Djanet, Algeria, capturing a lone figure against towering dunes and deep shadow. Shot on Kodak Vision3 250D (35mm) with a Pentax K1000, the image reflects the scale, stillness, and psychological weight of the Sahara.
Receiving international recognition from the International Photography Awards affirms Noel’s commitment to analog photography, ethical photojournalism, and long-form documentary storytelling.
Shoot the Frame Awards — 2025
In 2025, Maxine Noel was named a finalist in the internationally recognised Shoot The Frame Photography Awards across three categories: Wildlife Photography, Portrait Photography, and Landscape Photography.
The finalist images, photographed in South Africa and Algeria, reflect Noel’s fine art documentary approach to wildlife, landscape, and portrait photography. Her work documents the natural world and the people who inhabit it with honesty, depth, and reverence.
Recognition from Shoot The Frame affirms Noel’s ongoing commitment to visual storytelling rooted in presence, cultural sensitivity, and environmental awareness.
35Awards — 2025
At the internationally recognised 35AWARDS, two of Maxine Noel’s black-and-white mobile photographs were ranked in the top 15% of entries worldwide in the Black & White Mobile Photography category.
With more than 124,000 submissions globally, this distinction places her work among the most compelling examples of contemporary mobile visual storytelling.
In addition, Noel was ranked among the top 23% of participating photographers worldwide, reflecting consistent artistic strength across submissions.
This recognition underscores her ability to produce impactful black-and-white photography across formats, including mobile photography, while maintaining a documentary sensibility and strong compositional discipline.
