The World Photography Organization is pleased to present the winners of the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards 2021. The title of “Photographer of the Year 2021,” as well as a cash prize of $25,000 and a set of Sony digital cameras goes to award-winning documentary photographer Craig Easton UK for his series Bank Top. The winners and finalists in the ten categories of the Professional Competition and the winners of the Open, Student and Junior Competitions were also announced.
© Craig Easton, United Kingdom, Photographer of the Year, Professional competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2021
Winners announced in video announcement format. Hosted by Scott Gray, director general of the World Photography Organization, and television and radio host and writer Connie Hook. The video includes interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and impressions of the winners. Video is available to view on the worldphoto website.org >
There was also the opening of a virtual exhibition of work by the winners and finalists. In addition, there will be a presentation of a special documentary film “
A Year in Photographs from the Sony World Photography Awards 2021
” hosted by art historian Jackie Klein and stand-up artist Nish Kumar. There will also be a free digital copy of Sony World Photography 2021, all of which will be available to view and download at worldphoto.org >
In the series
Bank Top
, done in collaboration with writer and scholar Abdul Aziz Hafiz, Craig Easton explores real life and distorted perceptions of communities in northern England, paying close attention to the residents of the cohesive BankTop neighborhood in Blackburn. This series is part of Easton’s larger work in the region, which includes such projects as “
Thatcher’s children”
2nd Place, Documentary Projects, Professional Competition , which explores the nature of chronic poverty through the example of three generations of one family, or “
Sixteen.”
shortlisted in the Portraits category of the 2017 contest , which depicts the dreams, aspirations, and fears of 16-year-olds from various walks of life.
Project
Bank Top
was born out of the Kick Down the Barriers initiative, launched by the Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery as a response to media reports portraying Blackburn as “the most segregated town in Britain”. In an effort to change the image of the city, the museum invited artists and writers who in collaboration with residents of different neighborhoods had to thoroughly and authentically show the life of their community.
Over the course of a year, Easton and Hafiz interacted extensively with local residents, exploring their experiences and feelings, resulting in a series of black and white portraits with accompanying texts. In them, the authors cover issues ranging from social deprivation, housing search, unemployment, immigration and prejudice, as well as exploring the impact of past and current foreign policy. Their work refutes simplistic generalizations and seeks to show the context in which these communities come together and to help outsiders better understand why they have flourished today.
Mike Trow, chairman of the jury for the 2021 Professional Competition
“What’s really impressive about this project is the level of attention, dedication and understanding that Craig brings to it. To create a complete work, he worked closely with the writer Abdul Aziz Hafiz, thereby tacitly acknowledging the importance of getting the words right for a project as delicate as this. These are not people who necessarily want to be photographed, but Craig has earned their trust. They look candidly into the camera, and we see an understanding between the photographer and the subject. It is the moral weight behind this work that makes it so important and deserving of this award.”.
Documentary photographer Craig Easton
“I’m thrilled that this series was honored with the Sony World Photography Awards. I take photos to learn about the world, to try to understand, document and show people’s stories. It’s a privilege to be able to do this and to challenge the prevailing stereotypes and perceptions, and this is especially important for me. It’s wonderful to see these stories that change the way communities in northern England, where I live, are being recognized around the world. Thank you!”.
CATEGORY WINNERS IN THE PROFESSIONAL COMPETITION
Winners of the professional competition were chosen by an expert jury, which evaluated the most vivid series 5-10 pictures of various topics – those illustrating local news or global problems, reflecting the inner feelings of the heroes, creative genius or simply capturing funny moments. Category winners will receive a set of Sony digital photo equipment. This year’s winners are:
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
WINNER: Tomáš Vocelka Czech Republic with a series of works
“Forever Hunting Grounds.”
Finalists: 2nd place – Frank Machalowski Germany 3rd place – Guanzhui China
CREATIVE
WINNER: Mark Hamilton Grouchy UK with the series
“Rediscovered Moon.”
The finalists: 2nd place – Luigi Bussolati Italy 3rd place – Sasha Bauer American Federation
DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS
WINNER: Vito Fusco Italy for his cycle
“Killer Daisy.”
Finalists: 2nd place – Craig Easton UK 3rd place – Lorenzo Tugnoli Italy
ENVIRONMENT
WINNER: Simone Tramonte Italy for the series
“Full Crossing”
Finalists: 2nd place – Mohammad Madadi Iran 3rd place – Antonio Perez Spain
LANDSCAPE
WINNER: Majid Hojjati Iran for his series
“Quiet Environs.”
Finalists: 2nd place – Andrea Ferro Italy 3rd place – Fedor Savintsev American Federation
PORTFOLIO
WINNER: Laura Pannack UK for her work
“Portfolio Parsing”
Finalists: 2nd place – Bryce Lorenzo Spain , 3rd place – Loli Laburo Argentina
PORTRAITURE
WINNER: Craig Easton UK for his painting series
Bank
Top
Finalists: 2nd place – Julia Fullerton-Baten UK 3rd place – Jane Hilton UK
SPORT
WINNER: Anas Alkharbutli Syria for the series
“Sport and positivity instead of war and fear.”
Finalists: 2nd place – Patrick Meinhardt Spain 3rd place – Farzam Saleh Iran
STILL LIFE STILLLIFE
WINNER: Peter Eleveld Netherlands for the series
“Still Life on a Wet Plate.”
Finalists: 2nd place – Alessandro Pollio Italy 3rd place – Paloma Rincon Spain
THE NATURAL WORLD AND WILDLIFE WILDLIFE & NATURE :
WINNER: Luis Tato Spain for
“The Invasion of Locusts in East Africa.”
Finalists: 2nd place – Graham Pardee UK 3rd place – Angel Fitor Spain
To learn more about the projects of this year’s winners and finalists, visit our online galleries of the winners’ work >
© Tamary Kudita, Zimbabwe, Open Photographer of the Year, Open competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2021
OPEN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
In the Open Competition the Jury will select the best single work, which must combine a compelling visual narrative with flawless technical execution. This year’s title of Open Competition Photographer of the Year, a prize of $5,000 and a Sony digital camera, and worldwide recognition goes to Tamari Kudite Zimbabwe .
Cudita earned the win for his outstanding portrait
“African Women in Victorian Style” series
in the “Creative” category, which was chosen among ten works by the winners of the Open Competition categories. This picture shows a young black woman, dressed in Victorian dress, holding traditional Shona kitchen utensils. This work explores the stereotypical contextualization of the black female body and offers an alternative visual language through which the multifaceted African identity is represented.
Reflecting on her medal win, Koudita says, “The African Woman in Victorian Style is a tribute to our contemporaries who are not oblivious to their roots. I’m honored to be the winner of the Open. This award is a testament to the role we, as creators, play in shaping visual culture. The central idea in my work is the importance of the African image and I am grateful for the opportunity to present a piece of Zimbabwean art to the world.”.
© Coenraad Heinz Torlage, Student Photographer of the Year, Academy of Design and Photography, South Africa, Student Competition, Sony World Photography Awards 2021
STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
The title of this year’s Student Competition Photographer of the Year, as well as €30,000 worth of Sony photography equipment for his university, goes to Koenraad Heinz Torlage South Africa of the Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography for his series “
Young Farmers
“. This project was created as part of the “Our Time” brief, where students were asked to show how they and their contemporaries see the world and how they intend to make it better. In the series, Torlage, who himself grew up outside the city, set out to portray a new generation of farmers struggling to cope with the challenges of severe drought, security and land ownership disputes, and to show their contribution to a more just and equitable future with an emphasis on sustainable development and food security.
Commenting on his win, Torlage says, “I experienced something that is almost impossible to describe. I dreamed of winning and prayed for the opportunity to tell the world about my country and the amazing people who live there. I believe in South Africa’s young farmers, who this country needs in terms of sustainability and food security, and who are putting environmental issues on the agenda. Winning the competition is a dream come true thanks to the wonderful people I photographed and everyone who helped and supported me. I believe in hard work, family, and above all, God’s grace. I am truly delighted that my images have been submitted to such a prestigious competition.”.
© Pubarun Basu, India, Open Photographer of the Year, Open competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2021
TEENAGE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
The title of Photographer of the Year in this year’s Juvenile Competition was awarded to Pubarun Basu India, age 19 , whose work
“You Can’t Run Away From Reality”
was selected among six winners in the following categories. This photo shows the parallel shadows of the railing projected onto the curtains in the photographer’s house, which create the illusion of grids. One can see hands behind the curtains as if one is trying to get out of the cage, thus giving the author a feeling of isolation which, because of the pandemic, is now familiar to the people of the world. Along with the global recognition, Basu receives a set of Sony digital photo equipment for his win.
Commenting on his win, Basu says, “I’m incredibly excited to be named Photographer of the Year in the Junior Competition. Participating in this contest gave me a fresh perspective on my art. I have seen the extraordinary photographs made by other young photographers from around the world, and I am immensely proud to see such brilliant talent in my generation. I’m trying to improve as an artist, and I want to thank my friends and family for always encouraging and inspiring me to keep at it.
© Graciela Iturbide, Alheli, Oaxaca,1995
AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIELD OF PHOTOGRAPHY
This year’s Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award goes to renowned Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide. Considered to be Latin America’s greatest living photographer, her work tells the story of life in Mexico since the late 1970s and is known for its defining contribution to the country’s visual identity. Depicting everyday life and illustrating the culture of Latin America, showing rituals and religious manifestations, Iturbide’s works explore the complexities and contradictions of his country, reflect on the nature of inequality, emphasize the conflict between urban and rural areas, contrast modern trends and identity. Her photographs go beyond the usual documentary narratives and aim to show a poetic vision of the subjects depicted based on the photographer’s personal experience and personal life.
Who were the winners of the Sony World Photography Awards 2021? I am curious to know which talented photographers received recognition in this prestigious competition.