Seven competitions, seven chances: this year’s format for the Sony World Photography Awards Youth competition gives you more opportunities to be the next Youth Photographer of the Year. Below are the winning and shortlisted entries from the August competition, where we asked photographers aged 12-19 years old to submit their best nature & wildlife images.
There’s never been a more exciting time to be a nature and wildlife photographer. With wildlife documentaries enjoying unprecedented success, the public is responding to the power of visual storytelling to learn more about the beauty and diversity of our natural world – and the pressing need to preserve it. We asked budding photographers to show us their best images relating to the natural world.
Be depicting the big cats roaming Africa’s great plains or the bugs and critters inhabiting the local park, we wanted to see photographs showing the spirit and behavior of wildlife and the environment they live in. Congratulations to all successful photographers below. The winner will also be featured on our weekly newsletter, social media channels and be in the running for the Youth Photographer of the Year title (announced in April 2020).
WINNER
Bruce Bai, China (Mainland), 17 years old
"This photo was taken in Qinghai province in China. My father and I were driving home from Xinjiang and we chose to take the Route G315. I'd been looking out the window. I was completely attracted by the scene outside the window. I asked my father to stop and park the car on the side of the road so I could capture this enigmatic landscape."
"I am very grateful to the world photography organization for helping me bring my work to so many people. It's an honor to be recognized. This is a great affirmation of my photography."
SHORTLIST
Liberty Hinze, United Kingdom, 19 years old
"I felt deeply moved when I saw the Dettifoss waterfall in Northern Iceland. I was mesmerised by its power, how the color of the water looked like marble and the continuous clouds of spray rising from the plunge pool. Using a telephoto lens and a fast shutter speed, I focused on the point where the falling water reached the gorge. I wanted to convey the energy and force of the water."
Victoria Loraschi, Argentina, 18 years old
"Taken from my house, a full moon night and a flock of birds passes through."
Michael Gal, Israel, 15 years old
"I took this picture in the Negev Desert this summer."
Mac Sealy, Australia, 13 years old
"This iguana was happily soaking up the rays when I took this photograph. interrupted him. His expression shows he had a big personality, who’d have thought an iguana would have such anthropomorphic traits!"
Riccardo Marchegiani, Italy, 18 years old
"The photo shows a unique earth formation in a geothermal area, located in the north of Iceland, called Namafjall. The blue shades remind me of the beautiful lapis lazuli gemstone, and the water patterns remind me of a tree, with its fruits hanging on the right side. To take this picture I used a DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone. I took the picture at twilight. I'd pre-visualized the shot."
Tóth Zsombor, Hungary, 17 years old
"This photo is taken at a small lake near my village."
