Sony World Photography Awards

An excuse to share great photographs

Back when I was responsible for filling page after page of photo magazine websites with content, one of my favorite resources for quick column inches was photo contests. XYZ organization would release the results of its competition and I could dash off a couple hundred words of a regurgitated press release and a gallery of a dozen attention-grabbing images between dinner and dessert.

I know, some folks find photo contests distasteful. For those who don’t know, aside from the idea that treating art as a competition is inherently flawed, the main issue with photo contests is that they are often simply an underhanded way to wring profit from an audience desperate for affirmation.¹ Sometimes organizations hold photo contests as a rights grab: “Hey, let’s have a contest where the prize is $500, and we get the rights to use their pictures.” Boom, 150 people send pictures of wildlife or landscapes or whatever it is that organization needs imagery of, at a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional photographer. Icky.

Most of the competitions I once wrote about contained good photographs, but they were fairly—for lack of a better word—predictable. Boring. Basic.

One competition consistently stuck out from the crowd. It’s open to amateurs and professionals alike, from literally all over the world, and it’s free to enter. That reach means it is inherently showcasing a more diverse, more interesting body of work. And, frankly, I think its judges choose imagery that is more nuanced than the bulk of standard photo contest fare. They consistently highlight artful, elegant work, and it’s safe to say it has become my favorite photography competition around.²

I’m speaking of the Sony World Photography Awards, and I’m telling you about it so that I can make the specific point that I’m not just filling pages with content, but rather quite the opposite. I’m precious (believe it or not) with what I publish here. So the fact that I’m willing to include a photo contest shows just how much I think of this work.

To put it another way, sometimes it’s good to find any excuse to look at really wonderful photography. Even better if it comes from all over the world.

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Most of the 2025 winners of the Sony World Photography Awards will be announced in April. But earlier this week, regional and national winners were crowned.

This year marks the 18th year of the competition. Photographers from 56 countries submitted over 400,000 images shot in more than 200 countries. If that’s not impressively inclusive I don’t know what is. Take that, World Series.³

The competition includes an “Open” category that allows anyone—you, me, your cousin who’s never held a camera before, anybody at all—to enter. There are also categories for children, students, and professionals, too. Wonderful work comes from all these groups, and every year I’m struck by the way this competition embodies some of my favorite things about contemporary photography: refreshingly straight photography in which gilded technique takes a backseat to poetic, informative images that bring us the people, places and cultures of the world.

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“A group of freedivers skilfully defy gravity, suspended upside down beneath a boat in clear water. Their silhouettes create a mesmerising scene reminiscent of the ‘Spider-Verse.’ Their forms seem to dance in harmony with the underwater world, blending the artistry of human movement with the fluidity of aquatic life.” © Wan Yong Chong, Malaysia

“A portrait of two children after the revival of oil wrestling matches on Hill ‘Chilia’ at the border between Greece and Bulgaria. Oil wrestling is a tradition that dates back thousands of years.” © Panagiotis Rontos, Greece

“A group of workers unloads paddy straw from a truck. The rice straw is a by-product of farming that is used for a variety of purposes, including as cattle feed and fuel.” © Syed Mahabubul Kader, Bangladesh

“A young goat next to its mother.” © Irina Zaiteva, Moldova

“Photographing a black rhino on a misty morning, in such an atmospheric setting, emphasises its beauty and majesty. The mist adds a dreamlike quality to the scene.” © Mohammad Mirza, Kuwait

“This image is part of a series that captures the intimate journey of a couple navigating the complexities of love and life together. The series explores themes of connection, vulnerability and the enduring power of companionship.” © Nsikanabasi Effiong, Nigeria

“A club in Hanoi, Vietnam, where retired soldiers play table tennis and card games.” © Rahsan Firtina, Turkey

“The fascinating tail of a chameleon — a master of camouflage — reflects the complexity and beauty found in every corner of nature.” © Pedro Jarque Krebs, Peru

“Korea’s hidden cave. This photograph was taken in an underwater cave on the South Korean island of Ulleungdo.” © Kyunghwan Oh, Korea

“Historically women have not had the same rights and freedoms as men. This image shows a woman practicing her skills at Phare Ponleu Selpak, demonstrating talents that are often associated with masculinity. She is free to soar, displaying both her confidence and ability.” © Sam Ang Ourng, Cambodia

“Baily Head, in Antarctica, is home to around 100,000 pairs of chinstrap penguins. The photographer watched a conveyor belt of penguins coming and going from the beach, keeping his focus on a single spot and waiting for them to return to the beach as the surf was breaking.” © Werner De Kock, South Africa

See what I mean? Those are fantastic.⁴

Each year, the Awards also honors an influential artist for their Outstanding Contribution to Photography. Previous winners include Sebastiáo Salgado, Edward Burtynsky, Graciela Iturbide, Martin Parr, Mary Ellen Mark and William Eggleston. Joining this prestigious group in 2025 is Magnum photographer Susan Meiselas. Her unflinching eye has never shied away from the rawest scenes of war, domestic violence, and every aspect of the human experience.

“Roseann on the way to Manhattan Beach, New York City, 1978.” © Susan Meiselas, Magnum Photos

Along with a selection of images by Ms. Meiselas, the winning photographs in each category will go on display at an April exhibition in London. For more information, visit the Sony World Photography Awards website.

And if you find yourself suitably inspired, entries to next year’s competition open in June. For students, they will close in November, then about six weeks later for all other categories. If you do enter, send me a copy of your submission and I’ll happily share that work here, too.⁵

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1. Now that I think about it, maybe I should host a photo contest.

2. And that’s saying something since, frankly, I don’t typically like photography competitions.

3. I distinctly recall when young me learned that baseball’s crowning achievement did not, in fact, include teams from all over the world. It should be called the World* Series.

4. If I have any complaint—and it’s a teachable moment, really—some of those captions are awfully heavy handed. Gilding the lily, as it were. Less is more, when it comes to captions. Explain what’s in the photograph, and maybe why. Only what is necessary to understand. That’s it.

5. For a nominal entry fee, of course. I KID I KID.