Professional Competition: Finalists & Shortlists Announced

• The Sony World Photography Awards announces the finalists and shortlists of the 2025 Professional competition
• Photographic projects were recognised for technical mastery and an original approach to narrative
• Photographer of the Year to be announced on 16 April at a special gala ceremony in London

The Sony World Photography Awards reveals today the finalists and shortlisted photographers in the 2025 Professional competition. Now in its 18th year, the Professional competition rewards outstanding series of work for their compelling approach to narrative and their photographic execution.

Across this year’s competitions, over 419,000 images from over 200 countries and territories were submitted to the Awards.

The 10 category winners will be chosen from the 30 finalists and announced at a special ceremony in London on 16 April. The recipient of the prestigious Photographer of the Year title is chosen from the category winners and announced on the same night. In addition to receiving a $25,000 (USD) cash prize and a range of Sony digital imaging equipment, the Photographer of the Year is offered the opportunity to show their work in a solo presentation at next year’s Sony World Photography Awards London exhibition.

A new prize element is additionally introduced for this year’s Professional competition; the 10 category winners are invited to London for a day of tailored sessions with leading industry figures. From a range of commercial and institutional backgrounds, these experts offer the photographers specialised guidance on ways to continue to widen their platform and to find new opportunities to showcase their work.

Underscoring the creativity and dynamism of Japan’s contemporary photography scene, the 2025 Awards also marks the first edition of the Japan Professional Award, which recognises a winner and shortlist of striking series by Japanese photographers from the Professional competition.

A selection of works by finalists and shortlisted photographers is first on view as part of the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 exhibition at Somerset House from 17 April - 5 May 2025, and will thereafter travel to other locations.

‘We were so impressed by the strength and variety of the works submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2025. It is always a real challenge to select the shortlists and finalists, and as a jury we found the wider entries no less vital and inspiring.

On behalf of the jury I would like to congratulate the shortlist and finalists of the Professional competition. Across their projects, these photographers show great originality and clarity of vision, bringing prescient stories to the fore. From narratives of community-building, to explorations of collective memory, to empowering stories of people challenging conventions, these works offer a diversity of perspectives on our moment in history. I would like to extend my thanks to all of the jury for their careful deliberations and choices this year.’

Monica Allende, Chair of the Jury, on behalf of the Jury

The finalists and shortlists of the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 Professional competition are:

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