Sony World Photography Awards 2024 Reveal Stunning Finalists And Shortlisted Entries
The Sony World Photography Awards 2024 have announced the finalists and shortlisted entries in their prestigious professional competition, which showcases the most outstanding and diverse images from around the world. The competition received over 395,000 entries, the highest number in its 17-year history, according to a press release. The entries span 10 categories, from portraiture and sport, to landscape and the environment. The winners will be revealed in April, and an exhibition of the photos will go on display at London’s Somerset House.
The jury, chaired by Monica Allende, a curator and photo editor, praised the “diverse, high-quality and creative spectrum” of the selection, and said they were “captivated by the passionate storytelling; capturing both the joys and the challenges of human existence across our planet,” in a press statement.
In this article, you will see a selection of the finalists and shortlisted entries in this year’s awards, and learn more about the stories and techniques behind them. You will also find out how you can enter the other competitions organized by the World Photography Awards, such as the youth and student prizes, and the national and regional awards. You will also discover how you can see the photos in person, or online, and how you can support the photographers and the World Photography Organization.
The Finalists And Shortlisted Entries In The Professional Competition
The professional competition is open to photographers who submit a series of five to 10 images that relate to one of the 10 categories. The categories are: Architecture and Design; Creative; Documentary Projects; Environment; Landscape; Natural World and Wildlife; Portraiture; Sport; Still Life; and Portfolio. The finalists are the photographers who have been selected for the first place in each category, and the shortlisted entries are the photographers who have been selected for the second and third places in each category.
The finalists and shortlisted entries in the professional competition represent a wide range of topics, styles, and techniques, from the intimate and personal, to the global and political, from the realistic and documentary, to the artistic and conceptual, from the traditional and classic, to the experimental and innovative. The photos capture the beauty and the tragedy, the joy and the sorrow, the hope and the despair, of the human condition and the natural world.
Some of the photos are:
A rhino in captivity, photographed by Brent Stirton, a South African photographer and the finalist in the Natural World and Wildlife category. The photo is part of a series that explores the illegal trade of rhino horns, and the efforts to protect and conserve the endangered species.
A Slovakian spa facility, photographed by Simone Tramonte, an Italian photographer and the finalist in the Architecture and Design category. The photo is part of a series that documents the architectural heritage and the social impact of the spa culture in Central and Eastern Europe.
A German finger wrestling champion, photographed by Patrick Meinhardt, a German photographer and the finalist in the Sport category. The photo is part of a series that portrays the participants and the spectators of the traditional sport of finger wrestling, which involves two opponents pulling each other’s fingers across a table.
A portrait of a young woman in Iran, photographed by Hashem Shakeri, an Iranian photographer and the finalist in the Portraiture category. The photo is part of a series that explores the identity and the lifestyle of the Iranian youth, who face various social and economic challenges and restrictions.
A landscape of the Atacama Desert in Chile, photographed by Craig Easton, a British photographer and the finalist in the Landscape category. The photo is part of a series that depicts the vast and diverse landscapes of the world’s driest desert, and the people who live and work there.
How To Enter The Other Competitions Organized By The World Photography Awards
The World Photography Awards organizes several other competitions each year, in addition to the professional competition, which are open to photographers of all ages, levels, and backgrounds. These competitions are:
The open competition, which is open to photographers who submit a single image that relates to one of the 10 categories. The categories are the same as the professional competition, except for the Portfolio category, which is replaced by the Travel category. The deadline for the open competition is January 7, 2024, and the winner will receive $5,000 and a range of Sony digital imaging equipment.
The youth competition, which is open to photographers aged 12 to 19, who submit a single image that relates to a monthly theme. The themes for the 2024 edition are: People, Places, and Environment. The deadline for the youth competition is December 31, 2023, and the winner will receive a range of Sony digital imaging equipment and a trip to London to attend the awards ceremony.
The student competition, which is open to students of photography aged 18 to 30, who submit a series of three to five images that relate to a brief. The brief for the 2024 edition is: Our Time, which asks the students to reflect on the current state of the world and their role in it. The deadline for the student competition is November 30, 2023, and the winner will receive €30,000 worth of Sony digital imaging equipment for their institution and a trip to London to attend the awards ceremony.
The national and regional awards, which are open to photographers from over 50 countries and regions, who submit a single image that relates to any of the 10 categories of the open competition. The deadline for the national and regional awards is January 7, 2024, and the winners will receive a range of Sony digital imaging equipment and a trip to London to attend the awards ceremony.
You can find more information about the other competitions organized by the World Photography Awards, and how to enter them, on their website: World Photography Organisation.
How To See The Photos In Person Or Online
The photos from the professional competition, as well as the other competitions organized by the World Photography Awards, will be exhibited at Somerset House in London, from April 17 to May 6, 2024. The exhibition will also feature a curated selection of works by the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award, which will be announced in March. The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of talks, workshops, and events, that will explore and celebrate the art and the business of photography.
You can find more information about the exhibition, and how to book your tickets, on the Somerset House website: Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition 2024.
If you cannot visit the exhibition in person, you can also see the photos online, on the World Photography Awards website: Sony World Photography Awards | World Photography Organisation. You can also follow the World Photography Awards on their social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where they will share the latest news, updates, and highlights from the awards and the exhibition.
How To Support The Photographers And The World Photography Organization
The World Photography Awards are organized by the World Photography Organization, a global platform that supports and celebrates photography and photographers. The World Photography Organization aims to raise the level of conversation around photography, by creating events, programs, and initiatives that showcase, promote, and reward the best photographic talent.
You can support the photographers and the World Photography Organization by:
Buying the photos or the prints from the photographers or their representatives, if they are available for sale. You can find the contact details of the photographers on their profiles on the World Photography Awards website: Sony World Photography Awards | World Photography Organisation.
Buying the official book of the Sony World Photography Awards 2024, which will feature the winning and shortlisted images from the professional, open, youth, and student competitions, as well as the national and regional awards. The book will also include interviews and essays by the jury members, the curators, and the experts. The book will be available for pre-order soon on the World Photography Awards website: Sony World Photography Awards | World Photography Organisation.
Donating to the World Photography Organization, which is a registered charity in the UK, and supports various causes and projects related to photography, such as education, diversity, and sustainability. You can find more information about the World Photography Organization, and how to donate, on their website: World Photography Organisation.
