Sony World Photography Awards shortlist
The Sony World Photography Awards, billed as the world's biggest photography competition, announced its shortlist Feb. 23, 2016, chosen from a record 230,103 entries by both professionals and amateurs from 183 countries. Photographer of the Year for 2015 and overall category winners from all genres will be announced April 21.
More than 270 shortlisted images will be included in an exhibition at Somerset House in London beginning April 22.
Alberto Alicata, Italy, Professional, Staged
Series: "Iconic B"
Traces the history of photography by using a symbol of contemporary Western culture: Barbie.
Sony World Photography Awards
Alexander Semenov, Russia, Professional, Environment
Series: "Real World Aliens"
An exploration of the most extreme and far cold-water seas, washing the coasts of Russia.
Sony World Photography Awards
Antoine Repessé, France, Professional, Campaign,
Series: #365, Unpacked"
The photographer stopped throwing away his recycled waste, and collected it instead.
Sony World Photography Awards
Alexandre Pruvost, France, Professional, Candid
Series: "Les Bronzeurs"
In Paris, a "bronzeur" find the perfect spot to enjoy the sun along the Seine.
Sony World Photography Awards
Eric Madeja, Switzerland, Open, Nature and Wildlife
"Flying into the Sunset"
A juvenile flying fish dives in open water near Tubbataha Reefs, Philippines.
Sony World Photography Awards
Cristina Vatielli, Italy, Professional, Staged
Series: "Picasso's Women"
The project consists of seven photographic shots, each representing one of the women who influenced the sentimental life and artistic work of Pablo Picasso: Eva Gouel, Gaby Depeyre, Olga KhaKhlova, Marie-Therese Walter, Dora Maar, Francoise Gilot and Jacqueline Rocque. The project tells the story and gives a face to the women who always lived under Picasso's shadow and influenced the work of the most known artist of the twentieth century.
Sony World Photography Awards
Matthias Hangst, Germany, Professional, Sport
Series: "Women's Team Free Synchronized Swimming in Kazan 2015"
Teams compete in the Women's Team Free Synchronized Swimming Preliminary on day four of the 16th FINA World Championships at the Kazan Arena in Kazan, Russia.
Sony World Photography Awards
David Chancellor, UK, Professional, Campaign
Series: "Lion"
An annual Safari Club International Convention for hunters in Reno, Nevada.
Sony World Photography Awards
Alejandro Beltran, Venezuela, Professional, Conceptual
Series: "Beached"
Beached humans on unknown shores.
Sony World Photography Awards
Attila Balogh, Hungary, Open, Architecture
"Home of 40 thousand Buddhist monks in Sichuan province"
Sony World Photography Awards
Imre Potyó, Hungary, Open, Nature and Wildlife
Mass swarming of Danube mayfly (Ephoron virgo).
Sony World Photography Awards
Andrea Rossato, Italy, Professional, Candid
Series: "Joy for all ages..."
The summer holidays by the sea are a time of joy and fun for all ages.
Sony World Photography Awards
Andrey Narchuk, Russia, Shortlist, Open, Nature and Wildlife
"Sea baby"
Baby fur seal, Bering Sea, Commander Islands.
Sony World Photography Awards
Patrick Willocq, France, Shortlist, Professional, Portraiture
Series: "Walé, 2ème regard"
For the Ekondas pygmies in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the most important moment in the life of a woman is the birth of her first child. The young mother is called a walé (primiparous nursing mother). Every day the walé engages in an elaborate beautification ritual to draw attention to herself.
Sony World Photography Awards
Anton Unitsyn, Russia, Professional, Daily Life
Series: "Towards the past"
After the breakdown of communism, Solvichegodsk, like many small towns in Russia remains stuck in the past.
Sony World Photography Awards
Hal, Japan, Professional, Staged
Series: "Flesh Love Returns"
Vacuum-packed couples try to become one.
Sony World Photography Awards
Ellie Kauffmann, France, Open People
Two tourists photograph the birds.
Sony World Photography Awards
Espen Rasmussen, Norway, Professional, Daily Life
Series: "The Curse of Coal"
Coal used to be the gold of West Virginia, but the coal industry is diminished; drugs, pills, alcohol and violence is now dominant in coal towns.
Sony World Photography Awards
Kristoffer Eliassen, Norway, Professional, Staged,
Series: "The Selfie Project"
Self portraiture has become an obsession for many people, creating absurd situations.
Sony World Photography Awards
Tino Solomon, UK, Open Low Light
"The Door to Hell"
Heaven meets hell as the milky way ascends over the Darvaza gas crater in the Karakom desert, Turkministan.
Sony World Photography Awards
Filippo Venturi, Italy, Professional, People
Series: "Made in Korea"
Bodybuilders in South Korea. The rush to "modernization' includes pressure for aesthetic and professional perfection.
Sony World Photography Awards
Juliette Blanchard, France, Professional, Staged
Series: "The Philosopher"
A man with pink paint poured on him is part of a series on absurdity in an absurd world.
Sony World Photography Awards
Khairel Anuar Che Ani, Malaysia, Open, Split Second
"Too Much Practice"
Young girls wait to perform during the Melasti Festival in Bali.
Sony World Photography Awards
Stephanie Sinclair, U.S., Professional, Daily Life
Series: "Running Away with the Circus"
Life for the 300 people with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus blue unit is a one of living in close quarters and rigorous training.
Sony World Photography Awards
Karolis Janulis, Lithuania, Open, People,
"Open Air"
People do yoga en masse in the central park of Vilnius.
Sony World Photography Awards
Giancarlo Ceraudo, Italy, Professional, Candid,
Series: "Way-Out Miami"
A showgirl, during her performance in ocean drive at Miami Beach. Miami is an incredible city, multifaceted, a modern Babylon. From Ocean Drive to Downtown, the city enjoys great popularity due to the charm of its buildings, nightlife and trendy life.
Sony World Photography Awards
Oliver Schwarzwald, Germany, Professional, Still Life
Series: "Animals vs Jewelery"
Editorial image for Stern magazine's Jewelery issue in Germany
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Jens Juul, Denmark, Professional, Sport
Series: "Little fighters"
Elite girls train 20 hours a week in gymnastics in Copenhagen.
Sony World Photography Awards
Fauzan Ijazah, Indonesia, Shortlist, Professional, Portraiture
Series: Stateless Women"
On May 20th 2015, around 400 refugees and asylum-seekers stranded at sea for months were rescued by Indonesian Fisherman in Julok, Aceh province, Indonesia. One of them, Asiah Khatu (22), a Rohingya refugee from Myanmar, is seen here at a temporary shelter in Bayeun, East Aceh, Indonesia.
Sony World Photography Awards
Lucy Nicholson, UK, Professional, Environment
Series: "California Drought from Above"
California's snowpack, which generally provides about a third of the state's water, was at its lowest level on record in 2015. California water regulators adopted the state's first rules for mandatory cutbacks in urban water use as the region's catastrophic drought entered its fourth year.
Sony World Photography Awards
Marielle van Uitert, Netherlands, Professional, Contemporary Issues
Series: "A look behind El Salvador's new Iron Fist approach"
Members of the Mara Salvatrucha, or MS13, a transnational criminal gang which originated on the streets of Los Angeles along with its main rival, the Barrio 18 gang. Its founders were refugees from El Salvador's 12-year civil war, which killed over 75,000 people. In the late 90s and early 2000s Central American gang members were deported from the U.S. back to El Salavador en masse to weak post-war nations unable to accommodate them.
Sony World Photography Awards
Professional, Architecture category
Series: "Ruins"
A reflection on the role and place of the ruined church in the contemporary Russian landscape, and on how it relates to the perception of time and history in present-day Russia. This photo is of the church of the Holy Trinty in the village of Maryino, Leningrad region built in 1831 and closed down in 1936.
Sony World Photography Awards
Stephan Zirwes, Professional, Architecture
Series: "Pools"
A study of water, one of the most precious resources for life on our planet.
Sony World Photography Awards
Nikolai Linares, Denmark, Professional, Sport
Series: "Second Best"
Portraits of the silver medal winners just after loosing their final at the Zealand boxing Championships in Copenhagen.
Sony World Photography Awards
Patrick Sinkel, Germany, Professional, Sport
Series: "Fight for Your Dreams - The Boxers of Bukom"
Ghana boxing world champions all come from Bukom, a small neighborhood of Accra. Many kids dream of being a professional boxer in the U.S. or Europe.
Sony World Photography Awards
Luca Laghetti, Italy, Open Enhanced
"Reindeer Farmer Kids"
Children ride reindeer in Mongolia.
Sony World Photography Awards
Rob Gregory, United States, Professional, Campaign
Series titled: "RIC Hornets"
These images were created for the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago's Adaptive Sports Program and the RIC Hornets wheelchair basketball team.
Sony World Photography Awards
Steiner Wang, Taiwan, Open Nature and Wildlife,
"Cloud Flamingo"
A flamingo and its water reflection.
Sony World Photography Awards
Talia Rudofsky, UK, Youth, Portrait
"Nouveau riche"
On the Promenade de la Croisette in Cannes, France.
Sony World Photography Awards
MD Tanveer Rohan, Bangladesh, Open, Arts and Culture
"Playing in Dusty Dusk"
Kids studying in a Madrasa (school for religious studies) play a makeshift football game.
Sony World Photography Awards
Tugo Cheng, Hong Kong,Open, Travel
"Farming the Sea"
A fisherman farms the sea in between the bamboo rods constructed for aquaculture off the coast in southern China.
Sony World Photography Awards
Yvonne Brandwijk, Netherlands, Professional, Candid
Series: "Kinshasa, Paris of Africa 2025"
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is known for its war, rebels and poverty, but when it comes to style and fashion it's capital Kinshasa is an inspiration for many people on the African continent. Fashion designer Louison Mbeya watches a fashion show. The series is part of an ongoing multimedia project called "Future Cities."