Shortlist revealed for 2015 Sony World Photography Awards, the world’s biggest photography competition

The 2015 edition of the Sony World Photography Awards, the world’s biggest photography competition, has today announced the shortlists for its Professional, Open and Youth competitions.

Couples in Shower by Julia Fullerton-Batten, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Lifestyle, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Couples in Shower by Julia Fullerton-Batten, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Lifestyle, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Recognising and rewarding the world’s best contemporary photography from the last year, the 2015 competition received the highest number of entries in its eight year history – 173,444 images from 171 countries – and a 24% increase on 2014.

The judging, which is done anonymously by a panel of experts from the World Photographic Academy, has uncovered inspiring, arresting and thought-provoking work by a wide range of professional photographers and enthusiasts from around the world.

Across the 13 Professional, 10 Open and 3 Youth competitions the judges were refreshed by the bold approach of the shortlisted photographers to familiar topics and the ability of these photographers to surprise the judges with images and stories they have not previously seen.

Those in the awards’ Professional categories will now compete for a $25,000 prize and the coveted L’Iris d’Or/ Photographer of the Year title. The recipient, along with the winners of the Professional categories, overall Youth and Student winners plus the Open Photographer of the Year, who receives a $5,000 prize, will all be announced at the Sony World Photography Awards Gala Ceremony on Thursday 23 April. All winners will receive the latest digital imaging equipment from Sony.

The winning and shortlisted images will also go on show at Somerset House, London from 24 April – 10 May and published in the 2015 edition of the Sony World Photography Awards book.

Tickets can be booked at www.worldphoto.org/2015exhibition. The exhibition will also include an intimate display of still images, books and films by Elliott Erwitt, recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award.

In the meantime, here are just a few highlights from all the shortlisted entries.

Mircale Mile by Gina Alderson-Hicks, Australia, Shortlist, Architecture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Mircale Mile by Gina Alderson-Hicks, Australia, Shortlist, Architecture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Berlin by J¸rgen Schrepfer, Germany, Shortlist, Architecture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Berlin by J¸rgen Schrepfer, Germany, Shortlist, Architecture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Jump! by Aprison Aprison, Indonesia, Shortlist, Arts&Culture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Jump! by Aprison Aprison, Indonesia, Shortlist, Arts&Culture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Headless by Adrian Jaszczak, Poland, Shortlist, Arts&Culture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Headless by Adrian Jaszczak, Poland, Shortlist, Arts&Culture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Smile by Joseph Makeni, Kenya, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Smile by Joseph Makeni, Kenya, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Exuberance by Christine Kapuschinsky Johnson, Austria, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Exuberance by Christine Kapuschinsky Johnson, Austria, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Ukraine, Maydan by Vladyslav Musiienko / UNIAN, Ukraine, Shortlist, Current Affairs, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Ukraine, Maydan by Vladyslav Musiienko / UNIAN, Ukraine, Shortlist, Current Affairs, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

On the Tundra... by Simon Morris, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

On the Tundra... by Simon Morris, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Old Shepherd by Saeed Barikani, Iran, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Old Shepherd by Saeed Barikani, Iran, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Restricted Areas by Danila Tkachenko, Russia, Shortlist, Landscape, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Restricted Areas by Danila Tkachenko, Russia, Shortlist, Landscape, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Blue Fields by Simon Butterworth, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Landscape, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Award

Blue Fields by Simon Butterworth, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Landscape, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Award

Cat Mother by Ramil Gilvanov/Rimma Gilvanova, Russia, Shortlist, Lifestyle, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Cat Mother by Ramil Gilvanov/Rimma Gilvanova, Russia, Shortlist, Lifestyle, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Pelican Feeding by Ramil Gilvanov/Rimma Gilvanova, Russia, Shortlist, Lifestyle, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Pelican Feeding by Ramil Gilvanov/Rimma Gilvanova, Russia, Shortlist, Lifestyle, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Clubs in Italy by Massimo Siragusa, Agenzia Fotogiornalistica Contrasto Galleria del Cembalo, Italy, Shortlist, Architecture, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Clubs in Italy by Massimo Siragusa, Agenzia Fotogiornalistica Contrasto Galleria del Cembalo, Italy, Shortlist, Architecture, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Hair 09 by Jens Juul, Denmark, SHORTLIST, Portraiture, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Hair 09 by Jens Juul, Denmark, SHORTLIST, Portraiture, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Caesar #9 by Christian Berthelot, France, Shortlist, Portraiture, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Caesar #9 by Christian Berthelot, France, Shortlist, Portraiture, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Purim Holiday in Jerusalem by Gili Yaari, Israel, Shortlist, Arts & Culture, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Purim Holiday in Jerusalem by Gili Yaari, Israel, Shortlist, Arts & Culture, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Underwater Grace by Jonathan Yeap Chin Tiong, Singapore, Shortlist, Sport, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Underwater Grace by Jonathan Yeap Chin Tiong, Singapore, Shortlist, Sport, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Frog Story by Harfian Herdi, Indonesia, Shortlist, Nature &Wildlife, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Frog Story by Harfian Herdi, Indonesia, Shortlist, Nature &Wildlife, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Sweat and Blood by Marcin Klocek / TRAVELLER, Poland, Shortlist, Sport, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Sweat and Blood by Marcin Klocek / TRAVELLER, Poland, Shortlist, Sport, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Olympic Faces by Sascha Fromm, Germany, Shortlist, Sport, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Olympic Faces by Sascha Fromm, Germany, Shortlist, Sport, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

One Hundred and Forty Centimetres by Sabine Lewandowski, Germany, Shortlist, People, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

One Hundred and Forty Centimetres by Sabine Lewandowski, Germany, Shortlist, People, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Ganges, Death of a River by Giulio di Sturco / Reportage by Getty, Italy, Shortlist, Landscape, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Ganges, Death of a River by Giulio di Sturco / Reportage by Getty, Italy, Shortlist, Landscape, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Faces by Farid Sani, Iran, Shortlist, Travel, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Faces by Farid Sani, Iran, Shortlist, Travel, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

First Sight by Brent Stirton, South Africa, Shortlist, Contemporary Issues, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

First Sight by Brent Stirton, South Africa, Shortlist, Contemporary Issues, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Anna by Adi Dekel, Israel, Shortlist, Portraits, Youth Award, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Anna by Adi Dekel, Israel, Shortlist, Portraits, Youth Award, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Welcoming Summer by David Pereira, Singapore, Shortlist, Culture, Youth, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Welcoming Summer by David Pereira, Singapore, Shortlist, Culture, Youth, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Tooting Bec Lido, London by Jonathan Syer, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Campaign, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Tooting Bec Lido, London by Jonathan Syer, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Campaign, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

A Life Apart: The Toll of Obesity by Lisa Krantz, United States, Shortlisted, Contemporary Issues, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

A Life Apart: The Toll of Obesity by Lisa Krantz, United States, Shortlisted, Contemporary Issues, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Futuristic Archaeology by Deasung Lee, Republic of Korea, Shortlist, Conceptual, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Futuristic Archaeology by Deasung Lee, Republic of Korea, Shortlist, Conceptual, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Maurice and Lisa by Liza Van der Stock, Belgium, Shortlist, People, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Maurice and Lisa by Liza Van der Stock, Belgium, Shortlist, People, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Glasgow; Second City of The Empire by Dougie Wallace / Institute, United Kingdom, SHORTLIST, Portraiture, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Glasgow; Second City of The Empire by Dougie Wallace / Institute, United Kingdom, SHORTLIST, Portraiture, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Swedish Dads by Johan Bavman, Sweden, Shortlist, People, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Swedish Dads by Johan Bavman, Sweden, Shortlist, People, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Animal Behaviour by Kimmo Metsaranta, Finland, Shortlist, Still Life, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Animal Behaviour by Kimmo Metsaranta, Finland, Shortlist, Still Life, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

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