The Photographer 2017 Best May 2026

While photojournalism dominated the headlines, the best technical photographer of 2017 was arguably Michael Flomen. His series "Photograms of Night" redefined what a camera could do.

Flomen abandoned digital sensors entirely. Working in the dark forests of Nova Scotia, he used large-format photographic paper as his negative. By firing strobes into moving water and glowing fireflies, he created images of ghostly forests that looked like silver halide dreams. In 2017, his exhibition at the Howard Greenberg Gallery sold out within 48 hours. the photographer 2017 best

Why was he considered among the photographer 2017 best? Because in a year of pixel chasing, Flomen proved that alchemy and patience could produce images no Photoshop could replicate. For many judges, Burhan Ozbilici was indisputably the

If there is one image that encapsulates the search for "the photographer 2017 best," it is Francisco Díaz’s Wounds of Peace. The Dominican-born photographer won the Reuters Digital Journalist of the Year award for his coverage of the Mosul offensive against ISIS. His best work from 2017 involved a raw, unfiltered look at a child fleeing a burning oil field. Unlike war photographers of previous decades, Díaz used a silent shutter Sony A9 to capture intimate terror without alerting snipers. His 2017 portfolio is a masterclass in balancing horror with humanity. For many judges

When discussing the photographer 2017 best, the conversation must begin in Amsterdam at the World Press Photo contest. The 2017 contest (honoring work from 2016) awarded its highest honor to Burhan Ozbilici for his Associated Press image, "Assassination of Andrei Karlov."

For many judges, Burhan Ozbilici was indisputably the photographer 2017 best because he risked his life to show the world a truth it needed to see.

Before listing names, we must define metrics. The "best" photographer of 2017 was not necessarily the one with the most followers on Instagram (though some gained millions). Instead, the criteria included: