Finalists and shortlist for the 2022 Sony World Photography Awards Professional Competition announced

The World Photography Organisation is pleased to announce the finalists and shortlisted artists for the Sony World Photography Awards 2022. The professional competition is now in its fifteenth year and awards an outstanding series of photographs, celebrating both technical excellence and a fresh perspective on modernity.

&copy Javier Arcenillas, Spain, Finalist, Professional competition, Architecture & Design, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

The winner of the “Photographer of the Year 2022” title will be chosen from the finalists of the Professional Competition and announced on April 12, 2022. A selection of finalists and shortlisted photographers will be on display at the Sony World Photography Awards, to be held at Somerset House from April 13 to May 2, 2022. A total of more than 340,000 entries from 211 countries were submitted to the 2022 Sony World Photography Awards, with more than 156,000 submissions in the Professional Competition, the largest number of entries in its history.

The following photographers and projects made it to the Sony World Photography Awards 2022:

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

In Nur-Sultan Javier Arcenillas Spain shows the amazing and extravagant architecture of the capital of Kazakhstan.

In his Blueprint series, Yun Chi Chen Taiwan presents multi-layered images that replicate the process of traditional copying of architectural drawings or cyanotype, but using digital post-processing techniques.

In his series Dorf, Croatian photographer Domagoj Burilović, uses photomontage techniques to show the irony of how nature takes back into her fold the homes of Slavonia, a region that rapidly expanded in the 19th century due to the wealth of the local forests and lands.

&copy Rapha&euml l Neal, United Kingdom, Finalist, Professional competition, Creative, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

CREATIVE

Raphael Neal Rapha’s New Waves project&euml Neal UK juxtaposes scenes depicting climate change with portraits of teenagers: the resulting diptychs highlight the devastating effects still to be faced by the younger generation.

The Sky Above Us is Open series by Sarah Grethe Germany follows her journey to her mother’s hometown in the south of Germany where she examines their relationship through staged portraits and still lifes.

“Mellow Apocalypse by Alnis Stakle Latvia is a series of intricate collages made up of publicly available works of art – from museums, academic institutions and photobanks.

&copy Fabian Ritter, Germany, Finalist, Professional competition, Documentary Projects, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS

The Long Days of Hanau by Fabian Ritter Germany shows the German city of Hanau after the racist attacks of February 19, 2020.

“The Children of the Financial Collapse in Venezuela by acclaimed photojournalist Jan Grarup Denmark depicts scenes of desperation and extreme poverty of Venezuelans in Colombia.

In Insurrection, renowned news photographer Win McNamee USA documented the historic events of January 6, 2021 when a mob of Trump supporters invaded the U.S. Capitol and made their way into the building.

&copy Shunta Kimura, Japan, Finalist, Professional competition, Environment, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

ENVIRONMENT

In Living in the Transition, Shunta Kimura Japan explores the impact of climate change in Bangladesh, where locals are increasingly struggling with river erosion, landslides and rising salinity levels.

Nemo’s Garden by Giacomo d’Orlando Italy presents the world’s first underwater greenhouse – a possible solution to the urgent problem of finding alternative and sustainable methods of growing food.

The high-pointed series “Portraits in Ashes” by renowned photographer Gideon Mendel South Africa shows entire families and individuals inside the remains of buildings destroyed by forest fires in Greece, Canada and the USA.

&copy Andrius Rep&scaron ys, Lithuania, Finalist, Professional competition, Landscape, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

LANDSCAPE

The Solar Graphic series by Andrius Rep&scaron ys Lithuania displays renewable energy objects – dams, windmills and solar panels – as a bird’s-eye view during a winter of unusually heavy snowfalls due to climate change, making them appear as graphic abstractions.

“Life on Earth by Lorenzo Poli Italy immerses the viewer in the unearthly magic of nature and the mysterious beauty of the wild world, through a series of landscapes of all kinds.

When portrait photographer Gareth Iwan Jones UK was unable to continue his usual work during the isolation, he pointed the lens at the contours of trees against the twilight sky, in fact creating a series of portraits called “Tree”.

&copy Hugh Fox, United Kingdom, Finalist, Professional competition, Portfolio, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

PORTFOLIO

In The Beauty of Humanity series Anna Neubauer Austria decided to move away from stereotypes and show ethnic and socio-cultural diversity through thoughtful portraits.

In his work Portfolio, Hugh Fox UK captures quiet moments with family and friends during a pandemic.

UK commercial and editorial photographer Julian Anderson presents a selection of portraits, landscapes and still life undertaken for various magazine assignments.

&copy George Tatakis, Greece, Finalist, Professional competition, Portraiture, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

PORTRAITURE

George Tatakis’ cycle Caryatis 2021 Greece presents a study of traditional Greek women’s costumes from different periods of Greece’s rich history. The creation of each photo, however, required meticulous research and lengthy preparation.

Series “Migrantes” by the famous photojournalist Adam Ferguson Australia presents a series of self-portraits of migrants in Mexico, waiting to cross the border with the USA. With a tripod mounted camera equipped with a cable, Ferguson invited his characters to choose their own moment to release the shutter, giving them the freedom to act and become co-authors of the cycle.

“The Bushmeat Hunters by the famous documentary photographer Brent Stirton South Africa is a series of portraits of bushmeat hunters with their prey in a manner reminiscent of classic hunting scenes.

&copy Adam Pretty, Australia, Finalist, Professional competition, Sport, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

SPORT

The Tokyo Twenty Twenty One series by renowned sports photographer Adam Pretty Australia captures the drama and excitement of the Olympic Games, and showcases the strength and skill of the athletes.

Footage from Ricardo Teles’ Kuarup series Brazil shows the Brazilian indigenous Xingu ritual to honor the dead, including a martial art called Huka-huka – this year the dead were mostly victims of Covid-19.

The Loyal Fans series by Roman Vondrou&scaron Czech Republic depicts the zeal and dedication of Bohemians Prague 1905 soccer fans, who were not deterred by pandemic restrictions and brought ladders to watch their favorite team play over the fence.

&copy Cletus Nelson Nwadike, Sweden, Finalist, Professional Competition, Still Life, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

STILL LIFE

In his series From Nigeria to N&auml ssj&ouml Cletus Nelson Nwadike Sweden photographs objects in the snow that particularly remind him of home, his way of mourning for his late mother who was unable to obtain a visa to come and meet her family.

For Constellation, Haruna Ogata Japan and Jean-Etienne Portail France created colorful abstract sculptures that were photographed as a series of elegant graphic compositions.

“The Concordia by Alessandro Gandolfi Italy recounts several items salvaged from the sinking of the cruise liner Costa Concordia in 2012, which claimed the lives of 32 people.

&copy Milan Radisics, Hungary, Finalist, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

THE NATURAL WORLD AND WILDLIFE WILDLIFE & NATURE

“The Fox’s Tale by Milan Radisics Hungary recounts the photographer’s observations as he photographed a young fox coming into his backyard almost every night for eight months.

“Absolute Beginner by Oana Baković Romania is a series of photographs showing the great diversity and beauty of the surrounding flora.

In the series “Exotic Appetite – Inside the Italian Exotic Animal Trade”, photojournalist and winner of the 2019 Photographer of the Year Award Federico Borella Italy sheds light on the little known to the average man market for exotic animals in Italy, where they are exhibited and sold at a huge profit.

COMMENTS OF AmericaN PHOTOGRAPHERS

Three photographers from America were short-listed for the Sony World Photography Awards 2022: Yulia Ovchinnikova, Nadezhda Areshina and Vladimir Frumin. They described their work as follows:

&copy Julia Ovchinnikova, American Federation, Shortlist, Professional competition, Creative, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

“My son is five. “He’s still too young to be fully responsible for himself, but he’s old enough to say no, and this has to be reckoned with. It was hard for me to accept him growing up. For quite a long time I refused to admit it to myself – excessive anxiety for the child seemed to me justified, because he was still very young. But when does the moment come when he becomes mature enough to realize himself as a separate person from his mother?? – Julia Ovchinnikova, an author shortlisted for the Professional Competition in the category Creative. – In my series, I explore the theme of psychological separation between me and my son. Now we are no longer one, but different people. And that’s great, but it’s still not so easy at first: fear and anxiety for a child sometimes take over. This story is about my feelings and fears, which are expressed metaphorically. The story of how overprotection and attachment can become traumatic.”.

&copy Areshina Nadezhda, American Federation, Shortlist, Professional competition, Portraiture, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

“My series is a photo story about Old Believers’ settlements in the Altai mountains. Their inhabitants practice the “true faith” that existed before Patriarch Nikon reformed the American Orthodox Church in the 17th century. The reform was aimed at modernizing the church and faith and strengthening ties between America and Europe. These innovations were strongly opposed by religious people, especially peasant serfs who took great solace in their faith, its rituals and traditions. When the tsarist government began coercing them, many decided to flee to defend their “true faith. The Altai Territory became one of the centers where Old Believers could find shelter and live free. The mountains covering the area served as safe havens and rich natural resources enabled them to establish their settlements,” explains Nadezhda Areshina, shortlisted artist in the Portrait category of the Professional contest. – During my travels and meetings with the inhabitants of these villages, I was able to understand the state of mind of those who originally fled persecution and found their paradise on earth here, amid the beauty and abundance of nature. Their spirituality and deep communion with nature became their salvation and the foundation of a simple and righteous life. Stories like these provide an opportunity to explore the principles of a sustainable life based on work, nature’s bounty and spiritual values. They serve as an invitation to reflect on historical processes, on the state of modern man, and on alternative possibilities for the further development of society.”.

&copy Vladimir Frumin, American Federation, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Portraiture, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

“My works reflect a person’s inner world, which can be conveyed without words or objects. These portraits do not capture an image in which the person would like to be presented to the world, but rather leave the viewer to interpret the experience for themselves. Sometimes we want people to think we have more than we really do. Some use facial expressions or body language. Some only need eyes that literally freeze you and hold your gaze firmly in place. Some refuse convention, inviting us into their world. Nevertheless, no matter how close a shot is constructed, there is always something that cannot be conveyed physically,” says Vladimir Frumin, shortlisted author for the Professional Competition in the Portrait category.

JURY COMPOSITION

The finalists as well as the short-listed projects in the Professional Competition were judged by Rahaab Allana, curator and publisher of the Alkazi Arts Foundation, New Delhi Angela Ferreira, editor and publisher of the Sony World Photography Awards &Acirc ngela Ferreira, artist, independent photography curator and researcher at the Escola de Belas Artes Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Deborah Klochko, executive director and chief curator of the San Diego Museum of Photography, USA Richmond Orlando Mensah, founder and creative director of Manju Journal, Ghana and Mike Trow, independent curator and photo editor, jury chair.

Commenting on the competition results, Mike Trow said, “The finalists’ work and projects shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards 2022 are striking in their diversity and complexity, as well as their stunning power. The works submitted to the Professional Competition surprised me with their depth and versatility. At some point we’ve all probably felt like the Covid-19 pandemic has shut the world down completely, but when you examine these projects, it’s obvious how far from the truth that is. Being able to see so many photos from around the world at once is empowering and admirable. The importance of photography in interpreting our world, highlighting vital humanitarian, environmental and emotional issues, and encompassing a wide range of fields such as sport, creativity and landscape, makes this an incredibly exciting competition. It is a great privilege to look at photographs and see them openly and honestly, and I hope that with such a thoughtful, academic and representative jury, we have succeeded in our mission to continue to highlight the vitality and importance of photography.”.

For a full gallery of the shortlisted photographers, visit the Sony World Photography Awards website >