Videos

Susan Meiselas: Outstanding Contribution to Photography 2025

Sebastião Salgado: Outstanding Contribution to Photography 2024
Photographer Spotlight

Micaela Valdivia Medina, 2025 Student Photographer of the Year
Micaela Valdivia Medina (Peru) won the Student Photographer of the Year in the previous edition of the Sony World Photography Awards.
Her winning series The Last Day We Saw The Mountains and the Sea explores the complexity of female prison spaces and the people who inhabit them, from the inmates to their families.
Top Tips for the Sony World Photography Awards

Interview with Monica Allende
Monica Allende has been the Chair of Jury and Curator of the Sony World Photography Awards for the past two years. Read her advice on how to succeed in the competition.

How to win? Our Top Tips
There isn't one road you can take to win in the Sony World Photography Awards - but if you haven't taken these tips into consideration, you're not giving yourself the chance!

Success Stories
From getting signed to an agency to publishing a book and getting funding for future projects, take a look at what some of our previous alumni have been up to.
Gallery Spotlight
Open competition 2025: Lifestyle
Get inspired by photographs from the Lifestyle category that have impressed the judges in the previous edition. What images will you enter this year? There are 10 categories to choose from.
Exhibitions

Milan, Italy
Discover some of the best images from the 2025 Awards at Museo Diocesano Carlo Maria Martini in Milan, Italy.
Dates: 11 June to 28 September
Image: Installation picture of the 2024 exhibition

Berlin, Germany
Discover some of the best images from the 2025 Awards at Willy-Brandt-Haus in Berlin, Germany.
Dates: 16 October 2025 to 18 January 2026
Image: Installation picture of the 2024 exhibition
Sony World Photography Awards - competitions
- Professional Competition
- Open Competition
- Student Competition
- Youth Competition
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Architecture & Design
Architecture & Design
The judges are looking for the ability to capture the design and functionality of built structures. Subject matter can be wide-ranging, from building exteriors and interiors to urban and rural landscapes shaped by architecture. Key to the project are elements such as light, scale, angles, lines and design features.Creative
Creative
Judges are looking to reward originality, experimentation and imagination. This category actively encourages the creative use of the medium of photography in all its forms, from photograms to cutting-edge photographic techniques. Subject matter can be varied and may include abstract and conceptual ideas, but a creative concept and thematic link between the images is key.Documentary Projects
Documentary Projects
The judges are looking for bodies of work that offer deeper insight and exploration into a chosen subject. Projects should weave a visual narrative that is informative and original, and reflects the realities of the topic.Environment
Environment
Judges are seeking bodies of work that tell the stories of our planet, and the people, animals and plants that inhabit it. Projects in this category should address the challenges facing our planet today, as well as the efforts taken to protect and conserve it.Landscape
Landscape
This category welcomes series that showcase spaces and terrains across the world in all their variety, from large-scale aerials to intimate views. Judges will focus on the project’s ability to tell a timely and compelling story through this classic genre. Creative approaches to landscape photography are welcome in this category.Perspectives
Perspectives
This category encourages series that tell a story through a variety of formats and genres - from using a documentary or creative approach to mixing portraiture, landscapes and still life - brought together in an intentional manner and in a cohesive edit with a clear sense of narrative. The judges are looking for bodies of work ranging from well-known stories or everyday moments captured in new angles, to depicting lesser-known subcultures or reimagining local tales, the series should demonstrate a distinct voice and a fascination with the subject.Portraiture
Portraiture
Judges are looking for interesting, original, strong and evocative photographs, and the category should be interpreted in its widest sense. The resulting images should demonstrate a likeness to the subject and may convey expression, emotion and / or personality.Sport
Sport
Judges are looking for images that capture the intensity, emotions and action of the chosen sport subject. It could be professional or amateur, the focus could be on the sportsperson, the sport environment, the effort expended, the struggle or conflict or the rewards, but a strong narrative must be present.Still Life
Still Life
Often a group or an arrangement of objects, Still Life typically depicts inanimate subject matters. The approach can be classic or innovative and bold. Judges will closely consider the interpretation of the subject (composition, lighting and framing) when viewing the work.Wildlife & Nature
Wildlife & Nature
Judges are looking for artistic images of the natural world. The category should be understood in its widest sense, celebrating the diversity of life on our planet, from plants and animals, to the fungi and microorganisms that live in our ecosystems.
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