2025 : 06 Alex Mao Youth Photo Award

Rose Fifita;He ‘Otua ‘A Tonga (God of Tonga);I took this inside my Tongan church, just as the light fell across the scripture written in our language. It reminded me that faith is not just something we practice, it’s something passed down in the way we speak, worship, and live. Seeing the Word in Tongan reminds me of who I am, and who came before me.
Rose Fifita;Where we gather;I captured this photo at my Tongan church, a place deeply tied to my roots. The glow behind the windows felt like more than a sunset; it felt like culture, pride, and memory shining through. This is where I feel grounded, where my identity is shaped and carried forward a reflection of the light I come from.
Rose Fifita;Nasaleti;This worn sign marks the entrance to Nasaleti, my Tongan church. Time has chipped at the letters, but the meaning remains untouched. To me, it reflects how our cultural roots may weather and shift, yet their strength stays grounded in memory, faith, and pride.
Sara Li;In the Square of Me;My work explores my self identity and emotional isolations. I’ve photographed my own silhouette through a semi opaque pane of glass, the blurred square at its center fragmenting my reflection. Bathed in cool blue tones, the image invites you to linger on the spaces between clarity and concealment, asking “Ko wai au? / Who am I?” The obscured form and subtle distortions symbolize how identity feels both visible and hidden, a layered self revealed only through reflection.
Florence;Flowers
Florence;Flower with the Sunlight
Florence;Model
Jingjing Lyu; Butterfly or the Memory of Her Homeland; Light cuts across her face like memory — sharp, sacred, and full of ache. A paper butterfly rests on her cheek, fragile as the culture she carries. She does not speak, yet her silence echoes: of resilience, of beauty weathered by time, of a girl who is both shadow and flame.
Athena Whitebooi;Another Sunset photo
Athena Whitebooi;Sunset Photo from my balcony
Breyne partridge;Dodge Challenger Hellcat;This is at the Dodge dealership in America, and it has a very interesting livery on it
Breyne partridge;Porsche GT3;This was taken on the side of the road in Hollywood California America

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