Today the World Photography Organization announces the photographers shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards 2021. The names of the winners of the Student and Junior Photographer of the Year Awards will be announced on April 15 on the website of the World Photography Organization and its video channel.
© Gosha Bergal American Federation, New York School of Photography and Multimedia named after Gosha Bergal . . Rodchenko , Student Competition,
Sony World Photography Awards 2021
SHORT LIST OF THE STUDENT COMPETITION
The works of ten students from leading universities around the world were short-listed for the Student Competition. The authors were tasked to prepare a series of 5-10 photographs based on two different briefs. As part of the first brief, “
Building a better future
”
Building a Better Future
Students were asked to tell the story of those who strive to make our world a better place for all of society in the context of the challenges of 2020. The selected works of 10 students show the major problems of our time and the efforts of individuals and organizations around the world to overcome them.
Enviromentalism has become the main theme of a number of projects, including, among others, “
Frontier
” by photographer Matías Alejandro Acuna Argentina, Motivarte Art School , showing the work of the caretakers of Argentina’s Punta Bermeja Nature Reserve. A series of works on the same subject, “The Short List of the Student Competition
Bàt-ti-to
” by Irene Facoetti Italy, Bauer School , containing black and white images of radiograms and medical data of injured birds that fell into the hands of veterinarians at the CRAS WWF Valpredina Rehabilitation Center. Also in the project “
Home
” by Tyla Nebesky USA, University of West Anglia , the photographer explores the self-sufficient life of his parents on a ranch in California, and the series “
Faces: creating a better future
” by Matías García Paetz Ecuador, Ravensbourne University of London , includes interior photographs and portraits of members of the construction crew working on the home of local architect and green building specialist David Vasconez.
Social and political activism was the topic of such projects as the series “
My Local Leaders
” by photographer Koenraad Heinz Torlag South Africa, Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography , featuring portraits of benefactors whose diverse work has had a significant impact on the villagers around the town of Dundee in KwaZulu Natal province. Project “
Hands of Angels
” by Claudia Mauderer South Africa, Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography focuses on the work of Sprouting Minds, a nonprofit organization from the Fisantecraal area that aims to establish food supplies for school meals and also educates on food sustainability through lectures and food production initiatives. Project “
Hope in Nepal
” by Hannah Davy New Zealand, Elam School of Fine Arts , supported by the Leprosy Mission, highlights the work of this organization in the village of Tikabhairab, which funds the Anandaban Hospital and local people working with lepers.
Gosha Bergal American Federation, New York A. S. Pushkin School of Photography and Multimedia, New York, America . . Rodchenko depicts the protesters against the New York City Duma election results and Thomas Hengge NYU, USA portrayed the “Black Lives Matter” demonstrations that swept through New York after the death of George Floyd. Cultural heritage preservation was the central theme of the series “
Heir
” by Yanan Li Mainland China, University of Technology , which reflects the spirit of Chinese opera with its age-old traditions, as well as its desire to maintain its relevance and identity in the age of technology and new media.
These ten students will go on to compete in the second phase of the competition, each receiving state-of-the-art Sony photo equipment to help them prepare their entries for the second brief “
Our Time
“. A new assignment asks students to create a series of images that explore how they and their contemporaries see the world and how they hope to change it. Winner of the title “
Photographer of the Year
” within
Student Competition
will be announced on April 15, 2021, and will receive €30,000 worth of Sony digital photography equipment for their school.
This year’s shortlisted entries in the Student Competition will be judged by Kate Simpson, editor-in-chief of Aesthetica Magazine.
© Pubarun Basu, India, Winner of the Composition and Design category of the Junior Competition, Sony World Photography Awards 2021
JUNIOR COMPETITION SHORT LIST
The shortlist for the Junior Contest included entries from the winners of six categories on a variety of themes, which were updated monthly from July through December 2020.
In Pubarun Basu’s photograph India, age 19, Composition and Design, July 2020 , parallel shadows of a railing are projected onto the curtains in the photographer’s home, creating the illusion of lattices. You can see hands behind the curtains as if someone is trying to get out of the cage, in this way the author conveys the feeling of isolation caused by the pandemic which people all over the world are experiencing nowadays.
Tianyang Wang Mainland China, 18, Culture, August 2020 depicted a Tibetan in a black-and-white photograph within the walls of his own home.
Emil Holthausen Germany, 18, Nature and Wildlife, September 2020 submitted a stunning photograph of a fox sitting in the snow, and Ram Kaushalian India, 18, Street Photography, October 2020 captured the atmosphere and energy of a busy street fair in his work depicting a young boy.
Connor Lothian UK, 18, People, November 2020 presented an abstract image of a model in the studio that resulted from his experiments with color and movement.
Zach Alley UK, 19, Show Us Your World, December 2020 collaborated with makeup artist Rebecca Ross to depict a face in makeup based on the color scheme of the TikTok logo in his work. The portrait was a reference to the platform’s incredible popularity, as well as the dangers that await users of modern social media.
Title “
Photographer of the Year
” the
Junior competition
will be awarded to Gaston Deloux, director of the FOLA art museum in Buenos Aires. As a prize, the winner will receive a Sony digital camera to help him realize his creative vision.
This is amazing! I can’t wait to see the work of these talented young photographers. Is there a way to view the shortlisted photos online?
What are the criteria for the Student and Junior categories in the Sony World Photography Awards 2021? Are there any specific themes or genres that the entries must follow?