Every year, the Sony World Photography Awards chooses photos and photo series that capture everything from the biggest truths of the human condition, to the smallest moments that make life complex and beautiful. The shortlist of winners this year is no different. Choosing from 173,44 entries from 171 countries, the judges have chosen images that span a broad range of subjects, locations, and emotions.
**Check out these spectacular moments below, along with captions paraphrased from the original artist.**“Caesar” is a collection of portraits children, all born by caesarean section. moments after being born. These photographs are the first look at a new human being, and are both unique and primal.
An old Shepherd that was surprised by a snowstorm in Gilan’s countryside, north of Iran.
A Young Nenets boy plays in -40 degrees in Yamal, Siberia.
The photographs show a training session of sumo wrestlers from Miyagino stable in the Ryogoku district of Tokyo. The training was a very unique event, as it was attended by Yokozuna Akuho Sho.
Who presented his master skills by taking part in several regular fights, all of which he won. Special emphasis was put on showing how demanding sumo is, and how fit and flexible the wrestlers are.
Three cute frogs at morning light.
A series of images from the everyday life of photographer’s family.
Taken in Bromo, Indonesia.
These pelicans are residents on the point at Port Vincent on the Yorke Peninsular in South Australia.
Just like the seagulls, these birds are waiting patiently for fish offal.
The project “Restricted Areas” is about the strive of humans for technological progress.
Humans are always trying to own more than they have – this is the source of technical progress, which was the means to create various commodities, standards, as well as the tools of violence in order to maintain and keep power.
The photographer attempts to capture the underwater grace and juxtaposition of the synchronized swimming team in Singapore.
Oumarou, 19, seats on a bed at Gore hospital where her 2 year-old son, Mama Sale, is being treated for acute malnutrition.
They arrived in Chad four months ago after two weeks walking in the bush to escape violence in the Central African Republic.
These images were shot from a light aircraft flying at between 4,000 & 5,000ft.
The height was crucial in order to flatten perspective by using long focal lengths. Time of day and cloud cover were also critical, the abstract effect being heightened by complete lack of signifying shadow.
No other country provides such generous terms of parental leave as Sweden.
The current system allows parents to stay at home with their child during 480 days in total – while receiving an allowance from the State. Out of these 480 days, sixty must be taken by the father.
A long-time canine member of the gym, Rocky provides comfort and acceptance to the performer.
A portrait series showing the effect of the acid attacks in India.
The first picture is a reproduction of her pictures before the attack and the other one is a portrait that I took.
A little boy, overjoyed.
“In the series I have constructed still live images using cats.
Animals have their own will and they will not pose at the behest of the photographer.”~Kimmo Metsaranta.
Skater in Rio de Janeiro
For years, Hector Garcia Jr. battled severe obesity and all its consequences: the pain, the ridicule and the lost hopes.
After years of repeatedly gaining and losing hundreds of pounds, Garcia, who at one point weighed 636 pounds, once again was stuck in the back bedroom of his parents’ modest house, in San Antonio, Texas. His weight put him in a category known as severely obese, which makes up about 6.3 percent of the U.S. population.
“Miracle Mile is my first photograph taken after relocating to Los Angeles from New York.” ~Gina Nero
Down’s Syndrome is not a disease because it is not curable. People with Down’s Syndrome have often physical and mental impairments that make them different from others.
Since 2012 it is possible to determine by means of non-invasive tests before birth whether a child will have Down’s Syndrome so parents can choose whether or not to initiate abortion. The photo series “One Hundred and Forty Centimeters” raises questions about our relationship with the stigma of “living with impairment,” and the technical possibilities to determine this even before birth.
In Glasgow, Scotland, the life expectancy is spectacularly low.: 73.1 years for men and 78.9 years for women.
It is even worse in a small pocket of Glasgow known as the Calton, where the average male life expectancy at 54. This photo series examines those statistics.
Photo taken during the Artistic Gymnastics Tournament in Poland.
Girls that participated were aged 8-12.
Futuristic Archeology – Desertification in Mongolia nomadic life has been central to traditional Mongolian culture throughout history. Even with changes brought about by urbanisation in recent years, 35% of Mongolians are living a nomadic life and thus still depend on their vast, open land for survival.
This is increasingly difficult because their traditional way of life is now being threatened due to serious changes in the land. According to a survey made by the Mongolian government, around 850 lakes and 2000 rivers and streams have dried out.