Youth Photographic Society showcases winners of 2026 international competition
In this photo essay, we showcase the YPS photography exhibition at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, along with curator insights.
Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 1,010 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.
Youth Photographic Society (YPS) Bengaluru recently presented winners of its International Salon 2026 photographic awards in an exhibition at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath (KCP). Started in 1971, YPS is a not-for-profit organisation with over 700 members, and is among the largest photography clubs in India.
See our coverage of earlier exhibitions at this Bengaluru cultural hub here, including the 2023 edition of YPS Salon. KCP’s most popular event is the annual Chitra Santhe, regarded as India’s largest street fair for art.
YPS was founded under the patronage of the earlier Department of Youth Services & Sports, Government of Mysore. Vanaja Rao was its first president, and a range of expert and emerging photographers have been showcased over the decades.
Over the last few years, YPS has gone through a digital transformation for modernising its services. The annual awards report is also available for download on its website, describing the award categories, jury and winners.
YPS has organised over 40 national and 15 international Salon competitions. They are sought after by Indian and foreign participants on account of professionalism, open judging, carefully choreographed print exhibition, and high-quality catalogues.
“YPS International Salon 2026 reaffirms our commitment to artistic excellence and our growing global presence. This edition witnessed 311 participants, with 3,489 images submitted from 38 countries,” Salon 2026 chairperson Anitha Mysore explains.
The Salon showcased wide diversity in themes, creativity and visual expression across sections. “To further encourage artistic exploration, we introduced Colour Abstracts as a new section. The response was both enthusiastic and inspiring,” she adds.
The photographers’ lineup, some of whose works are featured here, includes Aadit Arcot, Aage Madsen, Aarav Prasanth, Ajita Nayar, Alain Morata, Anand Nirgude, Alex Mclean, Ananth Kamat, Alexander Hochhaus, Animesh Saxena, and Andreas Kuen.
Other photographers are Oleg Malovitskyi, Partha Roy, Pauline Naudi, Peter Haeusler, Phani Bhushan Ramasastry, Phillip Kwan, Minaketan Sabar, Muhammed Rafeek, and Pietro Rocchiccioli.
Each of the four exhibited categories of photographs presents a unique perspective on the art of photography. Viewed together, they create a balanced experience that inspires creativity and deepens appreciation, and encourages viewers to see the world through different lenses.
Monochrome photography highlights the beauty of light, shadow, texture, and composition. By removing the distraction of colour, it allows viewers to focus on emotions, patterns and storytelling. Black-and-white images often evoke nostalgia or drama, demonstrating how simplicity itself can create powerful visual impact.
In contrast, colour photography celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of our experienced world. Colour has the ability to influence mood, communicate emotion, and draw attention to details that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Nature photography connects audiences with the beauty and wonder of the broader world. They inspire appreciation for the environment while showcasing the patience, observation and technical skill required to capture nature at its finest. They also provoke conversation about biodiversity and humanity's relationship with our planet.
Colour abstracts take creativity a step further by challenging conventional ways of seeing. Instead of representing subjects literally, abstract photography creates imaginative compositions that encourage viewers to engage with the artwork emotionally and intellectually rather than seeking a single meaning.
At YPS Salon, these four categories created a compelling balance between realism and imagination, simplicity and complexity, and observation and interpretation. A wide spectrum of photographic techniques and artistic styles were showcased.
Such a combination highlights the versatility of photography as an art form and also inspires photographers and viewers alike to experiment with different perspectives, formats and techniques. It demonstrates that photography is more than capturing images—it is a powerful medium for storytelling and discovering beauty in both the ordinary and the extraordinary.
“As we move forward, we remain committed to fostering creativity, strengthening our global community, and elevating the standards of photographic excellence that define YPS,” Mysore signs off.
Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?
(All photographs taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath.)