The professionals

Now in its 12th year, the Sony World Photography Awards highlight the best contemporary photography worldwide. The awards comprise four categories: Open, Youth, Student Focus, and Professional. The Open awards recognise outstanding individual images, while the Professional categories celebrate bodies of work. There is also an award for Outstanding Contribution to Photography – this year awarded to Candida Höfer, known for her large-scale, richly detailed pictures of empty interiors.

This year 319,561 images were submitted from more than 200 countries and territories (a 40% increase on 2017).

A total prize fund of $30,000, plus Sony digital imaging equipment, was shared between the winning photographers.

Aside from the prize money, the organisers aim to provide extensive exposure to the winners, shortlisted .