Sony Wold Photography Awards winners 2025

Support between the spikes at San Miguel Women's Penitentiary Centre in Santiago.Series Description: This project explores the complexity of female prison spaces and the people who inhabit them, from the inmates to their families. The series consists of photographs of the architecture of the prisons, the neighbourhoods they are in, and the dynamics at the visitor and family member entrances. This project was carried out at the women's penitentiary centres of San Miguel, San Joaquín and Valparaíso, between the months of March and July 2024. (Photo: Micaela Valdivia Medina, Peru, Student Photographer of the Year, Student Competition, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

One of the internal patios at Valparaíso Women's Penitentiary Centre.Series Description: This project explores the complexity of female prison spaces and the people who inhabit them, from the inmates to their families. The series consists of photographs of the architecture of the prisons, the neighbourhoods they are in, and the dynamics at the visitor and family member entrances. This project was carried out at the women's penitentiary centres of San Miguel, San Joaquín and Valparaíso, between the months of March and July 2024. (Photo: Micaela Valdivia Medina, Peru, Student Photographer of the Year, Student Competition, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

A view of Valparaíso Women’s Penitentiary Centre on Camino La Pólvora, Valparaíso. Series Description: This project explores the complexity of female prison spaces and the people who inhabit them, from the inmates to their families. The series consists of photographs of the architecture of the prisons, the neighbourhoods they are in, and the dynamics at the visitor and family member entrances. This project was carried out at the women's penitentiary centres of San Miguel, San Joaquín and Valparaíso, between the months of March and July 2024. (Photo: Micaela Valdivia Medina, Peru, Student Photographer of the Year, Student Competition, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

The Abu Al-Fasad bird is known for its elegance and graceful movements. This small bird holds a special place in the Egyptian environment, symbolising vibrant nature and beauty. Photographed at Dahab Island, Giza, this image reveals the intricate details of the bird in flight against a natural backdrop. The photographer waited for four hours in the direct sun, to capture this moment. (Photo: Ahmed Abdallah, Egypt, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

Amidst a vast abandoned waste marble dumping yard in Kishangarh, Rajasthan, a lone tree reaches towards the sky, its bare branches a testament to its resilience. Hanging from the branch, the vivid burst of colour of the two bags introduces a touch of humanity. In this image, the photographer reflects on the delicate balance between nature and human presence in an unforgiving landscape. (Photo: Rajeev Gaikwad, India, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

Daniel Dian-Ji Wu took this photo during summer break in 2024, at Venice Beach Skatepark in LA during golden hour. The photographer captured this image of a skater mid-air, silhouetted against the sunset, expressing the raw energy of that moment. He says this image ‘made me feel a sense of passion and freedom.’ (Photo: Daniel Dian-Ji Wu, Taiwan, Youth Photographer of the Year, Youth Competition, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

Historically, women have not had the same rights and freedoms as men. This image shows a woman practicing her skills at Phare Ponleu Selpak, demonstrating talents that are often associated with masculinity. She is free to soar, displaying both her confidence and ability. (Photo: Sam Ang Ourng, Cambodia, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

This image captures the essence of Icelandic natural landscapes: green and brown moss, water cascading down a canyon and a mountain covered in snow and fog. (Photo: Timo Zilz, Germany, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

A group of workers unloads paddy straw from a truck. The rice straw is a by-product of farming that is used for a variety of purposes, including as cattle feed and fuel. (Photo: Syed Mahabubul Kader, Bangladesh, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

This 29-year-old girl has a rare condition known as ‘phantom bone disease’ (Gorham-Stout syndrome) and must carry an oxygen system with her wherever she goes. Despite her challenges, she hasn’t lost her sense of humour and still loves life. For this portrait, the photographer decorated the oxygen system with small flowers to symbolise the flow of life. (Photo: Anel Bazylova, Kazakhstan, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

Description: A local farmer and his family have breakfast, having worked since the early morning at a paddy field in the Old Bagan, Myanmar. (Photo: Zay Yar Lin, Myanmar, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

A group of freedivers skilfully defy gravity, suspended upside down beneath a boat in clear water. Their silhouettes create a mesmerising scene that is reminiscent of the ‘Spider-Verse’; their forms seem to dance in harmony with the underwater world, blending the artistry of human movement with the fluidity of aquatic life. (Photo: Wan Yong Chong, Malaysia, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

Photographing a black rhino on a misty morning, in such an atmospheric setting, emphasises its beauty and majesty. The mist adds a dreamlike quality to the scene. (Photo: Mohammad Mirza, Kuwait, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

Mount Merapi is a highly active volcano in Indonesia; lava is still flowing from it today. (Photo: Sim Jhones Gozali, Indonesia, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

This photograph was taken during a campus sports festival in the Philippines. The photographer carefully adjusted their shutter speed to freeze the moment the ball hit the rim. (Photo: Renzer Rev Damaso, Philippines, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

This image is part of a series that captures the intimate journey of a couple navigating the complexities of love and life together. The series explores themes of connection, vulnerability and the enduring power of companionship. Each frame reflects the delicate balance of individuality and unity, as the couple weave their shared narrative against the backdrop of time and circumstance. (Photo: Nsikanabasi Effiong, Nigeria, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

An electrifying concert by the French band La Femme, who were performing in Warsaw, Poland. The atmosphere at the event was truly mesmerising, as psychedelic rock and an infectious energy swept through the crowd. This unforgettable moment was captured when one of the musicians spontaneously leapt into the audience. (Photo: Hanna Kantor, Poland, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

Burning together, these sparklers created a mesmerising image. (Photo: Ali Sohail, Pakistan, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

Toji train station in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The station is bustling with people returning from jama’ah prayer, reflecting community and faith. (Photo: Mohammed Muhtasib, Saudi Arabia, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025)

The world-famous Coming True Fire Group put on a free performance of their Firemosa tour for a group of local children. This decisive moment was captured during their Fire Fall dance, which lit up the eyes of the audience. (Photo: Chen De-Huang, Taiwan, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025). DM