A stunning low light capture of a volcanic eruption in Guatemala sweeps the 2026 iPhone Photography Awards and it was taken on an iPhone 15 Pro

Date:
Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:12:52 +0000

Description:
Turns out you don't need the latest tech to win prestigious prizes.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter iPhone Photography Awards 2026 winners announced, with top prize going to Robyn Jensen Their winning image
of a volcano eruption was taken on an iPhone 15 Pro 12 other category winners announced, along with the varied iPhones used The iPhone Photography Awards has announced its prize winners for 2026 and the image that received the Grand Prix genuinely stopped me in my tracks.

Shot by Robyn Jensen from the Cayman Islands and submitted in the 'Nature' category, the winning image is a stunning low-light capture of a volcanic eruption in Yepocapa, Chimaltenango, Guatemala. Showing the moment a gout of ash erupts from the crater of the volcano, with red-hot trails cascading down around it, the image frames the moment of drama perfectly against a starlit night sky. Winner, Grand Prix. Shot on iPhone 15 Pro, 6.765mm (24mm equiv), f/1.8, 1s, ISO 12500 (Image credit: Robyn Jensen) What's more, this image wasn't even shot on the latest iPhone, but was captured on a phone two generations old the iPhone 15 Pro . I love how effectively it uses the phone's inherent qualities to its advantage; for instance, the smaller sensor of the iPhone 15 Pro, or any smartphone, is going to have a more limited dynamic range than a mirrorless or premium compact camera. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: Robyn has made use of that, exposing for the brightest spot in the image the lava and the light it's casting on the underside of
the ash cloud and allowing the rest to be shrouded in darkness. This heightens the impact of the image, sacrificing detail in the mountain for legibility of the key subject. But fortunately, we just about get those beautiful stars in the background.

Robyn has also used the wider 24mm equivalent lens, resisting the temptation to zoom in with the telephoto, and doing this allows us to appreciate the moment in its fuller context, giving a sense of scale. Her exposure is a full second long, meaning either the phone was mounted to a support, or she was aided by the iPhone 15 Pro's excellent OIS (optical image stabilization). And the phone has pushed her ISO to 12,500, and still come away with a pretty clean shot. It's a superb image, and a deserving winner. You may like These are the stunning winners of the Sony World Photography Awards 2026 Watch the incredible 'Earthset' video shot by NASA on an iPhone 17 Pro Max This 'otherworldly Mavic 3 Pro shot just won the worlds biggest drone photo prize Right place, right time Winner, Gold. Shot on iPhone X, 4mm (28mm equiv), f/1.8, 1/1500s, ISO 20 (Image credit: Gellrt Gombai) Something I particularly love about the iPhone Awards is the sheer breadth of style and subject
matter, and this couldn't be better illustrated than by the contrast between Robyn's image and the winner of the Gold award, an image submitted in the 'Children' category by Hungarian photographer Gellrt Gombai. A beautiful grab shot of a precious summer moment, its interplay of light and shadow is heightened by the decision to convert to monochrome and it was shot on an even older phone, the iPhone X released in 2017!

And this sense of breadth continues when you look at the Silver and Bronze winners (below) even though they're both by American photographers and are both images of animals! Arnold Plotnick's street shot of a cat, Silver
winner, has a feel of total serendipity, a perfectly framed moment well-spotted. Also note how again, the lower dynamic range from the iPhone actually helps the image, with the loss of detail in the cat's fur and the doorway shadow increasing the shot's contrast and impact. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Image 1 of 2 Winner, Silver. Shot on iPhone 16 Pro, 6.765mm (29mm equiv), f/1.8, 1/60s, ISO 320 (Image credit: Arnold Plotnick) Winner, Bronze. Shot on iPhone 16 Pro Max, 6.765mm, f/1.8, 1/40s, ISO 250 (Image credit: Catherine Wang) Catherine Wang's Bronze winner, meanwhile, couldn't be more different. It's a meticulously set-up still life, with the elements of the watermelon, mug and parrot clearly having been arranged very precisely, and the end result looking like something from a gallery wall. For me, almost all of the winning images exemplify one of the iPhone's strongest assets for photographers it's the camera you always have on you. While there are exceptions, such as Catherine Wang's still-life, most of the images have the unmistakeable feel of grab shots, of a photographer
who was at the right place at the right time, and had the means to make the most of it. Image 1 of 12 1st Place, Abstract. Shot on iPhone 8 Plus, 3.99mm (28mm equiv), f/1.8, 1/120s, ISO 50 (Image credit: Barry Mayes) 1st Place, Animals. Shot on iPhone 14 Pro, 9mm (77mm equiv), f/2.8, 1/400s, ISO 32
(Image credit: Peter Crome) 1st Place, Architecture. Shot on iPhone 17 Pro, 6.765mm (48mm equiv), f/1.8, 1/18s, ISO 1000 (Image credit: Ziwen Chen) 1st Place, Children. Shot on iPhone 15, 5.96mm (26mm equiv), f/1.6, 1/2500s, ISO 50 (Image credit: Krystal Rountree) 1st Place, Citylife/Cityscape. Shot on iPhone 17 Pro, 16.89mm (200mm equiv), f/2.8, 1/750s, ISO 20 (Image credit: Adrian Beasley) 1st Place, Landscape. Shot on iPhone 16 Pro Max, 6.765mm
(24mm equiv), f/1.8, 1/12000s, ISO 80 (Image credit: Anthony Ginns) 1st
Place, Lifestyle. Shot on iPhone 13 Pro, 9mm (77mm equiv), f/2.8, 1/1150s,
ISO 32 (Image credit: Bertram Greenhough) 1st Place, Nature. Shot on iPhone
15 Pro Max, 6.86mm (48mm equiv), f/1.8, 1/1700s, ISO 64 (Image credit: Tianjiao Zhang) 1st Place, Other. Shot on iPhone 16 Pro, 2.22mm (17mm equiv), f/2.2, 1/6000s, ISO 32 (Image credit: Deniss Aksjonovs) 1st Place, People. Shot on iPhone 12, 4.2mm (26mm equiv), f/1.6, 1/120s, ISO 40 (Image credit: Jenny Dang) Winner, Portrait. Shot on iPhone 15 Pro, 6.765mm (24mm equiv), f/1.8, 1/90s, ISO 200 (Image credit: Brice Picard) Winner, Series. Shot on iPhone 17 Pro, 16.8906mm (100mm equiv), f/2.8, 1/210s, ISO 40 (Image credit: Lasda Takbanuaz) Images like the pattern of frost on a car, a pair of dogs peeking out of a window, a child preparing for a leap over a puddle. These aren't things you set up; they're moments you spot, and many of them are moments that anyone might have spotted. What to read next I went stargazing
in the Atacama Desert and used a hidden iOS 26 feature to capture the night sky heres how to take similar photos on your iPhone The best camera phone 2026 Artemis II astronaut snaps stunning Moon photo with an iPhone 17 Pro Max

I'm particularly galled by the fact that the Gold prize was won by a shot of
a cat in the street. Do you have any idea how shots of cats in the street I have on my camera roll? Loads! And do you have any idea how many of them are as good as Arnold Plotnick's? None!

But my personal bitterness notwithstanding, the iPhone Photography Awards
have produced a superb crop of images this year, and in doing so have
provided some pertinent reminders of two of photography's most important lessons. First, you don't need the latest tech to make great images. Second, the best camera is always always the one you have on you.

You can see the full selection of images, including second and third place winners, at the iPhone Photography Awards website . Today's best Apple iPhone 17 Pro and Apple iPhone 16 Pro deals Plans Unlocked Apple iPhone 17 Pro 36 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 5GB data 30 upfront 67.32 /mth View at EE See all prices Apple iPhone 16 Pro 25 months Unlimited mins Unlimited
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