On June 4, 2019, the new 13th round of the annual global Sony World Photography Awards was launched. Sony World Photography Awards 2020 has a new category in the Professional Competition to recognize the best contemporary photographs on the theme of the environment. In addition, the format of the Junior Competition, which attracts young photographers from around the world and celebrates their achievements, has changed.
© Martin Stranka, Czech Republic, Winner, Open competition, Creative , 2019 Sony World Photography Awards
The names of the photographers who received the Sony grant were also announced in early June. The Sony grant allows photographers selected from among the winners and finalists of the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards the freedom to create or work on long-term projects. As a testament to this, a new film by the category winner will premiere at the Rencontres d’Arles festival in France in the summer of 2019
“Photographer of the Year.”
2018 Alys Tomlinson with the help of a Sony grant she received. The film is a continuation of a series of her works
“Ex-Voto.”
, which was honored with an award in 2018.
The exhibition of works by the winners and finalists of the 2019 shortlisted competition has already been visited by 25,000 people in London, and will now be presented in various cities around the world. The exhibition opened in Japan on June 1 and will then be shown in Germany, Italy, India and Mexico. Thus, audiences around the world will be able to experience the best images by contemporary photographers from the past year.
Environmental issues covered in the new category of the Professional Competition
The Professional Competition selects impressive work in ten different categories by authors who represent a variety of genres, from art photography to journalism. The new Environment category will challenge photographers to address contemporary environmental issues. Winners and finalists will have the opportunity to showcase their work to audiences around the world.
Italian photographer Federico Borella talked about his impressions of winning:
“Winning the 2019 Photographer of the Year award was one of the most significant events in my career and life. I got a unique chance to show my work to a worldwide audience. My phone started ringing as soon as the results were announced and hasn’t stopped to this day! People want to see what I want to show them. What else is needed?”
Jury members named Borella’s work the best in the 2019 Professional Competition for her impressive stories about the impact of climate change on people’s lives in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
A new opportunity for young aspiring photographers
The new format of the Youth Competition will allow young photographers between the ages of 12 and 19 to submit up to 3 single images once a month from June through December 2019. Each month will have a new theme, and a jury will select one winner and finalists each month. The seven winners will then battle it out for the title of Junior Competition Photographer of the Year.
This new monthly award format is designed to increase young talent’s chances of being discovered. In addition, the experts will give participants advice on the theme of the month.
In addition to the Professional and Youth competitions, the Sony World Photography Awards 2020 also includes the Open Competition, which celebrates single images in ten categories, and the Student Competition, which features work by students pursuing a photography theme. National competitions are also held in more than 60 countries to recognize talented photographers at the regional level.
Contest winners are chosen anonymously so that photographers from around the world have the same opportunity to be seen by a panel of leading experts and emerge victorious.
A total prize fund of $60,000 and Sony digital imaging equipment will be divided among the winners, many of whom will travel to London for the annual awards ceremony. All winners and short-listed finalists will be showcased at the Sony World Photography Awards in London, which will then open in cities around the world. The 2019 Sony World Photography Awards received 327,000 entries from 195 countries.
For more information on the competitions and categories, click here >
Sony grant winners in 2019
The World Photography Organization and Sony are committed to supporting contemporary photographers and furthering the culture of photography around the world.
The Sony grant program, which began in 2016, is open to winners and finalists of the Professional and Student Competition. The 2019 Professional Grant winners are Yan Wang Preston from the UK, Ed Thompson from the UK, Kohei Ueno from Japan, and Thomas Uusheimo from Finland. Each received $7,000 and Sony digital photography equipment to work on their own projects.
The 2019 Student Grant was awarded to Joel Davies of St. Martin’s Central College of Art and Design in the United Kingdom, Sam Delaware of Pacific Union College in the United States and Tobias Kristensen of the Danish School of Media and Journalism in Denmark. All winners received $3,500 each. In addition, they will work as a team to create new images.
All grant recipients will showcase their work at the Sony World Photography Awards 2020. For more information about the Sony grant, click here >
Deadline for entries for the 2020 competition:
●Junior Competition: last day of each month from June through December 2019
●Student contest: Nov. 29, 2019
Open Competition/National Competition: January 7, 2020
●Professional Competition: Jan. 11, 2020
Anyone interested can apply to participate here >
When and where will the Sony World Photography Awards 2020 be taking place this year? Is there a specific theme for this year’s competition?
When does the Sony World Photography Awards 2020 begin and how can I participate or attend this prestigious event?
The Sony World Photography Awards 2020 begins on April 16, 2020. This prestigious event celebrates the best in contemporary photography from around the world. There are various ways to participate in the awards, such as submitting your own photography for consideration in one of the many categories. To attend the event, you can purchase tickets or passes online through the official website. It is a great opportunity to network with fellow photographers, learn from industry professionals, and be inspired by the stunning imagery on display.