For the final announcement of the season, a drum roll is needed - the overall winners of the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 have just been revealed! The results were announced during a black-tie gala held in London, where key industry voices gathered to celebrate remarkable contemporary photographers from around the globe. The annual Awards ceremony, an evening of great conversations, inspiring speeches and joyful celebrations followed by the exhibition, is often a pivotal moment in an artist's career, widening the reach of their work and getting it in front of the right people.
After a warm welcome from presenter Noreen Khan, first to take the stage was the Youth Photographer of the Year - congratulations to Daniel Dian-Ji Wu, a 16 year old from Taiwan awarded for his sun-soaked image of a Californian skate
© Daniel Dian-Ji Wu, Taiwan, Youth Photographer of the Year, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
The Student Photographer of the Year was awarded to Micaela Valdivia Medina, a Peruvian photography student who captured the complexity of women's prisons in The Last Day We Saw the Mountains and the Sea. Micaela and her university receive approximately €30,000 worth of Sony digital imaging equipment, flights and accommodation to the awards ceremony in London, inclusion in the upcoming London exhibition and the annual book as well as promotion via the World Photography Organisation's channels.
Medina's series consists of photographs of the architecture of the prisons, the neighbourhoods they are in, and the dynamics at the visitor and family member entrances. This project was carried out at the women's penitentiary centres of San Miguel, San Joaquín and Valparaíso, between the months of March and July 2024.
Olivier Unia, a French photographer was revealed as the Open Photographer of the Year for his striking image Tbourida La Chute which captured a decisive moment during a traditional Moroccan equestrian performance. Unia wins $5,000, Sony digital imaging equipment, inclusions in this year's exhibition and book, press and media coverage as well as promotion via the World Photography Organisation's channels.
© Olivier Unia, France, Open Photographer of the Year, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
The prestigious title of the Photographer of the Year was awarded to a British photographer, Zed Nelson for The Anthropocene Illusion. Over six years, and across four continents, Zed Nelson has explored how we immerse ourselves in increasingly choreographed and simulated environments to mask our destructive impact on the natural world. He receives $25,000, Sony digital imaging equipment, inclusions in this year's book and exhibition, a solo display at the London exhibition the following year, press and media coverage and promotion via World Photography Organisation's channels.
Nelson is known for long-term projects that explore contemporary society and are driven by a critical focus on the intersection of modern capitalism and human psychology. Recognised by several major awards, Nelson has published three monographs; Gun Nation, Love Me and, A Portrait of Hackney. His work has toured internationally in solo exhibitions and been included in group exhibitions at Tate Britain, the National Portrait Gallery and the V&A museum, UK.
The 10 Professional category winners also took to the stage that night to celebrate their victory. Congratulations to:
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
WINNER: Ulana Switucha (Canada) for The Tokyo Toilet Project
Finalists: 2nd place Andre Tezza (Brazil); 3rd place Owen Davies (United Kingdom)
CREATIVE
WINNER: Rhiannon Adam (United Kingdom) for Rhi-Entry
Finalists: 2nd place Irina Shkoda (Ukraine); 3rd place Julio Etchart & Holly Birtles (United Kingdom)
DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS
WINNER: Toby Binder (Germany) for Divided Youth of Belfast
Finalists: 2nd place Florence Goupil (Peru); 3rd place Alex Bex (France)
ENVIRONMENT
WINNER: Nicolás Garrido Huguet (Peru) for Alquimia Textil
Finalists: 2nd place Maria Portaluppi (Ecuador); 3rd place Cristóbal Olivares (Chile)
LANDSCAPE
WINNER: Seido Kino (Japan) for The Strata of Time
Finalists: 2nd place Lalo de Almeida (Brazil), 3rd place Mischa Lluch (Spain)
PERSPECTIVES
WINNER: Laura Pannack (United Kingdom) for The Journey Home from School
Finalists: 2nd place Giovanni Capriotti (Italy); 3rd place Valentin Valette (France)
PORTRAITURE
WINNER: Gui Christ (Brazil) for M’kumba
Finalists: 2nd place Raúl Belinchón (Spain); 3rd place Tom Franks (United Kingdom)
SPORT
WINNER: Chantal Pinzi (Italy) for Shred the Patriarchy
Finalists: 2nd place Michael Dunn (Bolivia); 3rd place Antonio López Díaz (Spain)
STILL LIFE
WINNER: Peter Franck (Germany) for Still Waiting
Finalists: 2nd place KM Asad (Bangladesh); 3rd place Alessandro Gandolfi (Italy)
WILDLIFE & NATURE
WINNER: Zed Nelson (United Kingdom) for The Anthropocene Illusion
Finalists: 2nd place Pascal Beaudenon (France); 3rd place Kevin Shi (United States)
The Awards ceremony is not only about celebrating today's leading and up-and-coming photographers - the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award, which recognises lifeftime achievements, was presented to an American photography legend, Susan Meiselas, who has dedicated her life to documenting and collaborating with communities often hidden from view.
Roseann on the way to Manhattan Beach, New York City, 1978 © Susan Meiselas / Magnum Photos
Don't miss the chance to view these award-winning images shown alongside other incredible shots at the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 exhibition, opening from tomorrow 17 April until 5 May. Held at Somerset House, a river-side cultural hub, the exhibition brings fascinating stories visualised through powerful photography to the heart of London.
