Over 170,000 images were entered to this year’s Open competition, with over 100 photographers shortlisted in addition to the ten category winners. Each winner receives digital imaging equipment from Sony and will go on to compete for the prestigious Open Photographer of the Year title and a $5,000 prize.
The overall winner of the Open competition will be announced on 12 April. Selected work by winners and shortlisted entries will be exhibited as part of the Sony World Photography Awards at Somerset House from 13 April-2 May 2022.
The ten category winners are:
Anthony Chan (Hong Kong) for Old Meets New, a black and white photograph depicting the chaotic façade of a weathered industrial complex, juxtaposed with the stylish front entrance of a skyscraper. The image highlights a clash between the past and the present in Hong Kong by contrasting the co-existence of old and new developments.
Isabel Salmon (UK) for Untitled, in which the photographer documents her mother’s experiences with chronic vertigo and dizziness. In this portrait Salmon explores the senses; shooting her mother with her eyes closed in a stark red light, head titled as if trying to find balance.
Vicente Ansola (Spain) for Exodus, an evocative image of a field of wilted sunflowers dried out by the beating sun in Castilla León. The photographer’s imagination was caught by the proud stature of the flowers, recalling for him the rural past of Spain, and the women who worked the arid fields of Castilla.
Utsab Ahamed Akash (Bangladesh) for The Honey Collector, capturing a honey collector from below as they inspect a tray of honeycomb. In a typical countryside scene in Bangladesh, honey collectors place bees’ nests near mustard fields and collect the honey in winter.
Raido Nurk (Estonia) for Surfing festival, a shot of a stormy day of surfing in the Hague, the Netherlands. The stark silhouettes of surfers stand out against the grey waves and driving rain.
Scott Wilson (United Kingdom) for Anger Management, a dramatic black and white photograph of a wild mustang stallion, bowing its head as it kicks up a dust storm in northwest Colorado, United States.
Leonardo Reyes-González (Mexico) for Segundo Uso (Second Use) II, a still-life of discarded objects. Assembled against a blue wall, a balanced broken hat stand, and a three-legged chair take on a new elegance.
Simone Corallini (Italy) for The Endless Summer - Surf Trip, a black and white portrait of 16-year-old surfer Simone Gentile. Corallini captures Simone fresh from the sea, with beads of water running down his cheeks.
Etienne Souchon (France) for Havana Running Away, a photograph showing a split-second moment as a child runs across a street in Havana, Cuba, turning to look behind him at a car blocking the road. The black and white format, crumbling building facades and vintage cars give the image the appearance of a classic street scene.
Nguyen Phuc Thanh, Vietnam (Vietnam) for Bike with Flowers, an image depicting a traditional flower street seller cycling in Hanoi, Vietnam. The bike has been shot just as it passes a wall bursting with flower decorations, giving the appearance that they are spilling from the rider’s baskets.
This year’s Open competition was judged by Hideko Kataoka, director of photography at Newsweek Japan.
Kataoka said, ‘‘I enjoyed judging this wide variety of categories from Object to Street Photography. Creativity and originality were very important in choosing a winning image and it was terrific to see the excitement and joy of the photographers when they captured the moment. The photographs in this competition each make a coherent visual statement about a situation or circumstance in an elegant visual way. As can be seen in many images in the shortlist this year, black and white photography holds a special place in the hearts of many photographers. The simplicity of black and white has the power to distil the content of an image and direct the viewer's attention to the subject.’’
For more information about winners and shortlists, go here.
