The winners of the of the 2014 Sony World Photography Awards have been announced today, for the Open, Youth and National prizes. The World Photography Organisation selected the winning images from over 70,000 entries from across the world, from photographers who are enthusiasts and amateurs, rather than professionals.
Open award winners
Winners of this category now compete for the Open Photographer of the Year title, announced 30 April, along with the Youth overall winner, and the Student and Professional winners…
The Architecture category was won by Holger Schmidtke from Germany, with this image, Under the Staircase, taken in a Cologne office.
Valerie Prudon from Australia, won the Arts and Culture category, with Rodeo, shot in Branxton, Australia.
Kylli Sparre of Estonia, won in the the Enhanced category, with Rescue Operation.
The Low Light category was won by Vlad Eftenie, from Romania, with this photo, First Snow, taken at a tram station in Bucharest.
Gert van den Bosch, from Netherlands, won in the Nature & Wildlife category, with The Cold Pony.
The Panoramic category winner was Ivan Pedretti, from Italy, who stitched two rows of 12 horizontal long exposure shots, depicting the Miky Way arch in southern Sardinia, to create Starry Lighthouse.
Arup Ghosh, from India, won in the People category, with Poor God, an image taken during the Hindu festival of Durga Puja, showing a child dressed as the Hindu god Shiva.
The Smile category winner was Alpay Erdem from Turkey, with Muddy Smile
Hairul Azizi Harun, from Malaysia, won in the Split Second category, with this image captured in Pahang, called Photographer Story – Behind the Scene.
This photo of tourists in Phoenix City, Rain in an Ancient Town, by Chen Li from China, won the Travel category.
Youth award winners
This category is open to emerging photographers under the age of 20, with the youth Photographer of the Year announced 30 April…
Anastasia Zhetvina won in the Culture category, with the image Young Talents.
The Environment category was won by Turjoy Chowdhury from Bangladesh, for Life and Line, taken at Kawranbazar Slum in Dhaka.
This untitled image taken on a night train in China won the Portraits category, by Paulina Metzscher from Germany.
National Awards winners
38 Counties took part in the National Award programme this year, which seek to uncover and honor the best dingle image taken by a local photographer, judged by a local jury of photography experts…
Argentina – Between Lines by Patricia Ackerman.
Australia – Going Home by Neville Jones.
Austria – Tram by Christian Stangl.
Belgium – An Afternoon City Sun by Wim Jan Jaak Hermans.
(Clockwise from top left) Central America – Mirror by Gabriel Solis Carmona.
Colombia – Algeria y Humildad / Happiness and Humility by Johana Peña Aristizabal.
Chile – Organillero by Christian Alvarado.
(For China – Rain in the Ancient Town by Chen Li, see above for winner of the Travel category.)
Ecuador – Confesiones by Luis Chandi Páez.
France – Perché – La Cùte by Thibaud Jourdan.
Germany – Lightsnake by Holger Schmidtke.
Greece – Al Zaatari store by Panayis Chrysovergis.
Hong Kong – Jump of Life by Cheung Lai San.
India – Colourful India by Bisheswae Choudhury.
Indonesia – Not Superman by Irwansyah.
Ireland – Mute Swan Resting by Norma Gleeson.
Italy – Beyond the Curtian / Oltre il sipario by Andrea Menozzi.
Kenya – Capture Kenya by Allan Gichigi.
Korea – Ripples in the calm lake by Dowon Choi.
(For Malaysia – Photographer story – Behind the scene by Hairul Azizi Harun, see above for winner of the Split Second category.)
Mexico – Lluvia de estrellas / Stars shower by David Montaño.
Netherlands – A touch of a 17th century Dutch painting by Theo de Witte.
New Zealand – Into the Bend by Peter Graney.
Nordics – Exit by Michael Nordqvist.
Peru – Sonrisas en el Cementerio / Smiles at the Cemetery by Milko Torres Ramierz.
Philippines – the Harvester by Joel C Forte.
Poland – An inhabitant of Szack in Ukraine and her horse by Mateusz Baj.
Portugal – Untitled by João Galamba de Oliveira.
Spain – Sahara Express by Rafael Gutiérrez Garitano.
Singapore – What are you staring at? By Chin Boon Leng.
Switzerland – Facing the Deep by Patrick Ems.
Taiwan – Invasion by Yingting Shih.
Thailand – Children Day by Suthas Rungsirisilp.
Turkey – Fishing Shelter by Bulent Suberk.
United Kingdom – The Calm Before the Storm by Sean Batten.
Venezuela – 3 Gamins Jouent au Foot by Daniel George Henriquez Deambrogio.
Vietnam – Morning fishing by Trinh Xuan Hai.
A full list of the winners of the can be seen at www.worldphoto.org, including all second and third prize-winners for the National Awards. An exhibition of the winning work runs from 1-18 May at Somerset House in London. www.somersethouse.org.uk
