“Slam on the Brakes” © Zhenhuan Zhou, China Mainland, Winner, Open Competition, Motion, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“Barrel racing is a competition where cowgirls ride quickly around barrels; the one that does this in the shortest time wins. Every time a horse reaches a barrel it needs to brake sharply, turn around the barrel and then race to the next one. The whole race is exciting, especially at the turns.”
The World Photography Organisation has announced the category winners and shortlist of the Sony World Photography Awards Open Competition. These images were culled from over 200,000 photos that were submitted to the Open Competition. This part of the contest is open to all photographers—both professional and amateur—and is designed to reward the best single images of 2022.
The 10 categories, which include Motion, Street Photography, Landscape, and Travel, are devised to give photographers ample opportunity to share their creativity. Photographers from seven different countries took home the top slot, while up to 15 others were named as part of the shortlist for each category.
Standout imagery includes Zhenhuan Zhou’s dynamic photograph of a cowgirl and her horse during a barrel racing competition, which topped the Motion category. The horse’s hooves jut out into the foreground as it brakes sharply. It’s a wonderful example of how movement can be conveyed in a still image.
Isabel Bielderman’s crisp, minimalist photograph of a ski jump hovering above snow-covered trees in Finland demonstrates that even the shortlist contains powerful imagery. Her photograph was one of several placed on the Landscape category shortlist. The Dutch photographer’s stunning photo, where the white snow pops against the cool color of the sky, is a creative take on traditional landscape photography.
We’ve looked over all the winning and shortlisted images from the Open Competition and curated a look at some of our favorites. Get your daily dose of stunning photography by scrolling down to take a look. And stay tuned for a future announcement about the Sony World Photography Awards overall winners in the Youth, Professional, and Open Competitions, which will take place in mid-April.
The Sony World Photography Awards announced the Open Competition category winners and shortlist.
“Untitled” © Isabel Bielderman, Netherlands, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“A ski jump in Ruka, Finland.”
“Sunken Church Tower” © Paweł Jagiełło, Poland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Travel, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“In 1950 the Italian village of Curon was flooded to create the artificial basin of Lake Resia, to power a hydroelectric dam. Today, the only visible remnant of the village is the 14th-century church tower jutting from the water.”
“The Way” © Lorenzo Grifantini, Italy, Shortlist, Open Competition, Street Photography, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“A beach seller sitting down next to his stall in Puglia, Italy.”
“Mighty Pair” © Dinorah Graue Obscura, Mexico, Winner, Open Competition, Natural World & Wildlife, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“I think that a good picture does not need colour, it just needs to capture the desired moment in time. While I was shooting Crested Caracaras in flight in South Texas, I noticed these two, which were perched in a very similar way. They were staring in the same direction and not moving, almost as if they were posing for me. I was amazed by their powerful personalities.”
“Childhood” © Azim Khan Ronnie, Bangladesh, Winner, Open Competition, Lifestyle, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“Children weave in and out of scores of giant cones or topas, as they roll a wagon around a rice processing plant. The cart is used by workers to carry rice and put it down for drying, but after they have finished with it, the children use it as a toy to play with. More than 30 children turned this rice mill in Bahmanbaria, Bangladesh, into an obstacle course.”
The Open Competition honors outstanding single images from 2022.
“Untitled” © Giorgos Rousopoulos, Greece, Winner, Open Competition, Landscape, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“I had to stop and gaze at this stunning view during a hike in Pindus National Park, Greece. The peak in the distance is Mount Tymfi, which stands at a height of 2,497 meters.”
“Abandoned Complex” © Yuya Takahashi, Japan, Shortlist, Open Competition, Architecture, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“Although it is abandoned, this building in Japan is beautiful and has a strong presence. I was conscious of making sure my camera was aligned horizontally and vertically when shooting.”
“Pseudomnesia | The Electrician” © Boris Eldagsen, Germany, Winner, Open Competition, Creative, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“From the series Pseudomnesia.”
“The Beach” © Angel Ros Die, Spain, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“A different beach where people come with their worries and to put an end to them, here they are diluted until they disappear.”
“Charlie” © Sukhy Hullait, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Portraiture, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“During the Covid-19 pandemic a lot of people found they had time on their hands. With most skateparks closed, Charlie—and many others—helped turn an abandoned pub car park, which had laid derelict for eight years, into a DIY skate park.”
Over 200,000 photographs were submitted to this year’s Open Competition.
“Nomad Watcher” © Donell Gumiran, Philippines, Shortlist, Open Competition, Portraiture, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“The young nomad looks after his pet camel. The camel is to the Rajasthani nomad what the yak is to a Tibetan – it is a support system, a source of sustenance and a principal mode of transport.”
“Beauty in the Mundane” © Tim Green, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Open Competition, Object, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“The simple geometric lines and shadow of a handrail, set against the bold terracotta patterned walls of Tapestry Apartments in King’s Cross, London. This was taken during a day trip to London for photographic inspiration and observations. I’m often drawn to photographing graphic shapes and compositions of typically mundane objects.”
“The River Crossing” © Arnfinn Johansen, Norway, Shortlist, Open Competition, Natural World & Wildlife, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“Wildebeest crossing the crocodile-infested Mara River, July 2022.”
“Recycled” © Mieke Douglas, Netherlands, Winner, Open Competition, Object, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“Photographs of pretty flowers from my garden? Look again…”
“The Silos” © Mark Benham, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Architecture, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“Taken from afar, this photograph of silos and associated buildings at the Port of Brest, France, appears to be a montage composite rather than the group of buildings that it actually is. To enhance this idea I changed the sky to a simple color vignette that complimented the colors in the composition.”
The overall winner will be announced in mid-April.
“Perfection” © Gabriel Hernandez, Spain, Shortlist, Open Competition, Motion, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“We have shared the same gym for many years, and I knew that her kata—a choreographed set of moves—would be beautiful. Taken at the European Championship of Catalonia in Santa Susana, 22 October 2022.”
“We are one” © Mariola Glajcar, Poland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“We are one. We are alike. We feel, we love, we trust.”
“Exhausted” © Andreas Mikonauschke, Germany, Winner, Open Competition, Street Photography, Sony World Photography Awards 2023
“In Andalusia, Spain, the traditional Easter processions are a fascinating event to watch. The different brotherhoods (Hermandades) with their uniformed brothers (cofrades) are an everyday sight during the holy week, Semana Santa. Central elements of the processions are the heavy wooden frames (pasos) showing biblical scenes with one or more statues. These are carried through the streets by volunteer paso carriers underneath—usually one only sees their feet, but sometimes during the rare breaks one gets an impression of the tough job they have.”
“Untitled” © Marios Forsos, Greece, Shortlist, Open Competition, Travel, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“A young Ladakh woman wearing traditional wedding attire, which includes an incredibly elaborate headdress. Decorated with lapis lazuli stones and gold ornaments, these headdresses often weigh more than 15kg. Interestingly, while the bride has a single outfit for the two-day long ceremony, the groom will change outfits more than three times.”
“Ghosts” © Max Vere-Hodge, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Travel, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“The Mundari tribe of South Sudan appear like apparitions among the nightly fires they light to keep the tsetse flies and mosquitoes off their beloved Ankole-Watusi cows. Each night, as the cattle return from grazing, the herders tend to them by massaging ash into their skin to prevent bites.”
“Train of Lights” © Adrian Pearce, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Open Competition, Travel, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
“The ‘Santa special’ Christmas train runs on Dartmouth steam railway in Devon, England.”
World Photography Organisation: Website | Facebook | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Sony World Photography Awards.
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