The World Photography Organization is pleased to announce the category winners and shortlist in the Open competition of the Sony World Photography Awards 2024, recognizing the best single images from across the world in 2023. Over 395,000 images from over 220 countries and territories were submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2024. Each category winner receives digital imaging equipment from Sony and will go on to compete for the prestigious Open Photographer of the Year title and a $5,000 prize.

The overall winner of the Open competition will be announced at the Awards’ ceremony in London on April 18. Selected winning and shortlisted images will be shown as part of the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition at Somerset House from April 19-May 6, 2024, and will then travel to additional locations.

The ten category winners are:

Architecture

Ana Skobe (Slovenia) for the image Falling Out of Time, depicting a lighthouse against a clear sky at dusk, its sleek, geometric design contrasting with the coastal landscape and a solitary figure.

© Ana Skobe, Slovenia, Winner, Open Competition, Architecture, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

Creative

Rob Blanken (Netherlands) for his macro photograph of crystals of amino acids B-alanine, L-glutamine and glycine, showing the remarkable colors and textures contained within these complex structures.

© Rob Blanken, Netherlands, Winner, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

Landscape

Liam Man (United Kingdom) for Moonrise Sprites over Storr, capturing the earliest moments of the rising moon and several drone lights over the Old Man of Storr hill on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Taken during a blizzard, this image was carefully executed just before the moonlight became too bright.

© Liam Man, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

Lifestyle

Alvin Kamau (Kenya) for Twende Ziwani (Let’s go to the Lake), a studio photograph inspired by fashion photography, depicting a model striking a pose and looking out beyond the frame.

© Alvin Kamau, Kenya, Winner, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2024 

Motion

Samuel Andersen (Norway) for Rider Getting Down and Dirty, an action-packed shot of a mountain bike rider passing through a muddy part of the course at the Norwegian National Championships in Hafjell Bike Park, splashing the camera lens.

© Samuel Andersen, Norway, Winner, Open Competition, Motion, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

Natural World & Wildlife

Ian Ford (United Kingdom) for Caiman Crunch, a striking photograph of a jaguar attacking a caiman crocodile on the river bank. The photographer followed along as the jaguar stalked her prey, and caught the precise moment she pounced.

© Ian Ford, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Natural World & Wildlife, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

Object

Toni Rinaldo (Indonesia) for Coalition, a meticulously composed image portraying two chairs in a waiting room. The photographer describes how the different colours of the chairs evoke the togetherness of different cultures existing side by side within Indonesian society.

© Toni Rinaldo, Indonesia, Winner, Open Competition, Object, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

Portraiture

Michelle Sank (United Kingdom) for Zenande, Sinawe, Zinathi and Buhle at Sea Point Pavilion, Cape Town, depicting a group of teens on a day out at the swimming pool. The photographer considers the ways in which the city has changed since the end of apartheid, reflecting on the ways cultural and social diversity is now celebrated.

© Michelle Sank, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

Street Photography

Callie Eh (Malaysia) for The Hand, which captures a fleeting moment from a wedding procession in Bhaktapur, Nepal. The groom is all but obscured, revealing only a waving hand through the passing car window.

© Callie Eh, Malaysia, Winner, Open Competition, Street Photography, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

Travel

Yan Li (China Mainland) for Between Calm and Catastrophe, an image of a tranquil floating village standing on the still shore of Lake Titicaca, contrasted with the approaching peril of a wildfire on the nearby land mass.

© Yan Li, China Mainland, Winner, Open Competition, Travel, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

This year’s Open competition was judged by Daniel Blochwitz, Curator, Foto Festival Lenzburg, Switzerland.

The overall winners in the Student, Youth, Open and Professional competitions of the Sony World Photography Awards 2024 will be announced on 18 April 2024 and will go on display as part of the exhibition at Somerset House, London from 19 April-6 May 2024. 

For more information about winners and shortlists please visit worldphoto.org.