FotoSlovo is proud to announce the Overall Winner of the FotoSlovo Awards 2025: Carlos Folgoso, with his stunning and contemplative series "Beyond the Lake." This body of work captivated the FotoSlovo jury for its atmospheric subtlety, emotional resonance, and masterful use of light and composition.
We were moved by his ability to weave memory, atmosphere, and introspection into a poetic visual language. Carlos Folgoso photographic voice carries the same contemplative weight found in Andrei Tarkovsky’s Mirror— a movie that, like Folgoso’s work, drifts through recollection, beauty, and the emotional traces left behind by the passage of time.
BEYOND THE LAKE
Tony brought home nuts, claiming Rosemary gave them to him, though she existed only in his dreams. Adolf and Raúl’s house was burned down by neighbors over land disputes. María, an emigrant, left her son in Galicia. Years after her return, he succumbed to alcoholism, a reflection of the broader struggles faced in rural areas. Sabucedo’s wild horses struggle for space as rural abandonment reduces their lands.
The droughts of 2022/23 left 14.6% of Spain in water emergency, exposing critically low reservoirs. Aceredo village, submerged by the Lindoso reservoir, has reemerged due to droughts, offering a haunting glimpse into the past. Eucalyptus replanting for industry, including Altri’s proposed textile fiber plant, risks biodiversity, soil health, and water sustainability. The factory’s daily water use of 46 million liters threatens the Ulla River, a lifeline for the region.
These stories stem from Galicia, where reality blends legend. Change driven by climate challenges, depopulation, land abandonment, emigration, and alcoholism threatens the fragile identity of Galicia’s communities. This project sheds light on their struggle to adapt and survive.
"Tony brought home nuts, claiming Rosemary gave them to him, though she existed only in his dreams. Adolf and Raúl’s house was burned down by neighbors over land disputes."
Change driven by climate challenges, depopulation, land abandonment, emigration, and alcoholism threatens the fragile identity of Galicia’s communities. This project sheds light on their struggle to adapt and survive.
As the Overall Winner of the FotoSlovo Awards 2025, Carlos Folgoso will receive a cash prize of €700 and a brand-new iPhone. His work will be exhibited at the Limassol Art Center in Cyprus from 23 to 27 September 2025, and he will publish a personal photobook in collaboration with our partner Snap Collective. "Beyond the Lake" will also be featured in the next issue of FotoSlovo Magazine, and Carlos Folgoso will receive ongoing promotion across FotoSlovo platforms.
This series is not simply seen—it is felt. It speaks to something beyond the frame, drawing us into an emotional landscape where light and shadow carry the memory and nostalgia.
Congratulations to Carlos Folgoso, whose vision reminds us that beyond the lake, there is always something more.
Congratulations to Carlos Folgoso, whose vision reminds us that beyond the lake, there is always something more.
