Stunning examples of colour, texture, vibrancy and movement are key components among the winners of the Sony World Photography Awards.
To mark its 19th edition, the competition judge, Ruby Rees-Sheridan, Assistant Photography Curator, at Britain's National Portrait Gallery, chose pictures taken in the past year across 10 categories: Architecture, Creative, Landscape, Lifestyle, Motion, Natural World & Wildlife, Object, Portraiture, Street Photography and Travel.
According to the organisers, each single shot was judged on its "power to pique curiosity, spark imagination, and reveal a wider narrative."
More than 430,000 thousand entries were received from over 200 countries.
The Open Photographer of the Year will be revealed on 16 April at a gala ceremony in London, presented with a €4,000 cash prize and a range of Sony camera equipment.
Check out the winners in each category:
Architecture
An image of a paper mill in Obbola, Sweden, surrounded by layers of shadows, concrete, and clouds on a dark November night.Credit: Markus Naarttijärvi (Sweden) Winner. Open Competition, Architecture, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
Shapes and Patterns of the Desert: A study of the geometric composition and the rich, warm colours of the Sossusvlei dunes in Namibia.Credit: J Fritz Rumpf, United States, Winner, Open Competition, Landscape, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Lifestyle
Portrait of Charlotte and Dolly, depicting a young woman and her cow, resting together in a barn to keep cool in summer heat in West VirginCredit: Vanta Coda III, United States, Winner, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
Motion
Franklin Littlefield took this motion blur shot of a punk concert in Providence, Rhode Island, United States, capturing the dynamism of the moment.Credit: Franklin Littlefield, United States, Shortlist, Open Competition, Motion, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Natural World & Wildlife
Braving the elements: A blue arctic fox in the Varager Peninsula of Norway is caught alone in blizzard of snow.Credit: Klaus Hellmich, Germany, Winner, Open Competition, Natural World & Wildlife, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
Object
Colour Divides depicts the juxtaposition of a blue car against bright green and pink buildings of the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood in South Africa's Cape Town.Credit: Robby Ogilvie, United Kingdom, Winner, Open Competition, Object, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
Portraiture
The Barefoot Volcanologist: A portrait of Phillip, an internationally recognised, self-taught volcano scientist, standing atop a volcanic rockCredit: Elle Leontiev, Australia, Winner, Open Competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
Street Photography
Between the Lines: A candid, comedic black-and-white photograph of a family at Ørnevegen, Norway.Credit: Giulia Pissagroia, Italy, Winnner, Open Competition, Street Photography, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
Travel
Japan's lively Abare Festival where men leap into the river as torches blaze, is a traditional celebration passed down through generations.Credit: Megumi Murakami, Japan, Winner, Open Competition, Travel, Sony World Photography Awards 2026
A selection of winning and shortlisted images will be shown as part of the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition at Somerset House from 17 April - 4 May 2026, and will then travel to other locations.
