Sony World Photography Awards 2012 - Open Competition

You have not yet entered, why don't you give it a go

Entry Start:: 01/06/2011
Entry Close:: 12/01/2012

Are you an amateur photographer and a keen photography enthusiast, with an eye for capturing that perfect moment? If so, then this is the competition for you!

The Open Competition offers 10 diverse categories for you to enter, ranging from Action to Travel. As a WPO Member, you can enter up to 3 photographs for free, submitted into one category or spread across multiple categories.

Increase your chances by upgrading to Advanced Membership (enter up to 8 images) or Premium Membership (enter up to 20 images). Find out more about upgrading your membership here.

Photographers of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels are invited to enter this competition where great imagery is everything, and imagination is the key ingredient.

Please note once you enter this competition you will not be able to enter the Youth Award or Professional Competition.

Entering & Judging

Step 1 - Entries will go through pre-selection rounds, conducted by our official Pre-Selection Committee.
Step 2 - The shortlist of 100 images will then be judged by the 2012 Honorary Judging Committee.
Step 3 - The 10 shortlisted images in each category will be announced in February 2012.
Step 4 - The 10 Category Winners will be announced in March 2012.
Step 5 - The overall winner will be selected from the 10 Category Winners by the 2012 Honorary Judging Committee, and will be announced as Sony World Photography Awards Open Photographer of The Year at the Sony World Photography Awards 2012 gala ceremony on 26th April 2012.

Judges
The winners for each Open category will be decided by a special committee including the Chair of the professional Honorary Jury, and representatives from Sony and the WPO.

Category Details

Architecture

Architecture offers rich, exotic and diverse photographic possibilities; from pencil sketches to 3D virtual models, basic domestic spaces to grand estates, dated office blocks to state of the art sports grounds. Capture buildings from different angles and perspectives to convey their vast scale, the beauty of their geometry, or a minute detail that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Arts & Culture

Arts and Culture covers a broad range of subjects – from theatre and musicals, gigs and dance, to film, literature and the visual arts (photography, video, installation). This category invites images of everything from passive consumers as well as performers, to those working behind the scenes, in productions from Bollywood to Broadway. Find your inspiration and explore the many delights of arts and culture to be found across our vast planet.

Enhanced

Digitally enhancing your photographs has never been more accessible, with modern technology providing boundless prospects for stunning post-production effects to be achieved. Apply your technical skills and explore the possibilities of enhancing your photographs.

Split Second

Capture the ultimate high-speed moment that will be gone in split second. Don’t just think sport for this category, think anything that moves and make sure to have your shutter speed adjusted. Capturing high-speed movement and split second action is tricky; it requires technical skill, patience and imagination to find the perfect moment that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Low Light

Pick up your tripod, crank up your ISO settings and make the most of those challenging low light photographic opportunities. Even the most dimly lit scene has got the potential to produce a great photograph, but the trick is to experiment in order to capture that perfect low light moment.

Nature & Wildlife

Venture off in to the great outdoors, do some exploration and put your skills to the test! Nature and Wildlife photography is regarded as being one of the more challenging fields of photography and refers to a wide range of photography taken outdoors and devoted to displaying natural elements such as wildlife, insects, plants, and close-ups of nature's intricate patterns and textures.

Wolfgang Weinhardt

Panoramic

Often referred to as wide format photography, panoramic photography requires technique, patience, skill and the right tools. Some cameras enable you to create a panoramic in just one sweep, but alternatively, to create the ideal panoramic shot you must use special equipment and software to stitch your panoramic image together. Think cityscapes, landscapes and infinite views of stunning scenery to impress the judges in this tricky category.

People

Go beyond the traditional photographic portrait to document one of the most photographed of subjects, people. Photographs of people in different contexts can offer diverse and interesting social, cultural and aesthetic qualities, more so perhaps than other subjects. Observe the world around you and find your inspiration amongst the billions of faces that make up the people of the world today.

Smile

Smile and the world smiles with you. You’ve heard the saying, but capturing the joy in a natural smile at that perfect moment isn’t always easy. Search amongst the smiles around you for a photograph that communicates the valuable emotion of happiness.

Travel

Awaken your curiosity and create exciting images of your adventures, whether close to home or in exotic far away lands. Capture the mood of a city, the tranquillity of a countryside, the marvel of natural wonders, the intrigue of abandoned places or the action of cultural traditions and everyday life. Discover the world and share your passion for photography through your travels.

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Sony World Photography Awards 2012 - Open Competition

You have not yet entered, why don't you give it a go