The 2020 Sony World Photography Awards are now open and free for all photographers to enter into any of the following four competitions:
Professional: Celebrating photographic artists creating outstanding bodies of work (series between five to ten images) which interpret one of ten themed categories. The new Environment category will challenge artists to address environmental concerns affecting the world today and winning and shortlisted photographers are given a global platform upon which to showcase their work. Deadline: January 11, 2020
Open: Rewarding both established and emerging photographers from a vast range of backgrounds for their best single image which interpret one of ten themed categories. Deadline: January 7, 2020
Youth: The new Youth competition will have seven monthly competitions, each focused on a particular theme, for 12-19 year olds. The seven monthly winners will then compete to be named Youth Photographer of the Year. The monthly structure has been implemented to give emerging photographic talent more opportunity to be discovered and will be accompanied by expert advice on the monthly theme to help those entering. Deadline: last day of each month from June - December, 2019
Student: Open to academic institutions worldwide, photography students are invited to submit a portfolio responding to a specific theme. Deadline: November 29, 2019
The Awards are judged anonymously, giving all photographers across the world equal opportunity to be seen by juries of industry leading experts and win.
A total prize fund of $60,000 (USD) plus Sony digital imaging equipment is shared between winning photographers, with many also being flown to London to attend the annual awards ceremony. All shortlisted photographers are given exposure via the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition which opens in London before touring globally. The 2019 Awards saw
327,000 entries from 195 countries. For more details about all the competitions and categories please go to worldphoto.org/swpa
2019 Sony Grant Winners
The World Photography Organisation and Sony are committed to supporting contemporary photographers and contributing to the further development of photographic culture worldwide. In addition to the opening of the 2020 Awards, SWPA and Sony announce the 2019 Sony Grant winners.
The Sony Grants program, introduced in 2016, is open to winning and shortlisted photographers of the Awards’ Professional and Student competition. Recipients of the 2019 Professional grant are Yan Wang Preston (UK), Ed Thompson (UK), Kohei Ueno (Japan) and Thomas Uusheimo (Finland). Each receive $7,000 (USD) and Sony digital imaging equipment to create work of their choice.
The 2019 Student grant was awarded to Joel Davies (Central St Martins, UK), Sam Delaware (Pacific Union College, USA) and Tobias Kristensen (Danish School of Media & Journalism, Denmark). Each receive $3.500 (USD) and have been commissioned to create a new body of images, working as a team.
The results of all grant recipients work will be shown at the 2020 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition. Find out more about the Sony Grant at worldphoto.org/sony-grant
