The Sony World Photography Awards are now open for entries. Photographers are welcome to enter their work for free into any of the awards’ four competitions: Professional, Open, Youth and Student Focus. The 2017 edition also sees new categories introduced across the all competitions challenging photographers to push their creative boundaries. In addition to the Professional, Open, Youth and Student Focus competitions, the hunt is also on to find the UK’s best photographer in the UK National award. Entries to the UK National Award will be taken from those with British nationality entering any of the ten Open categories. The Sony World Photography Awards shortlist will be announced on 28 February 2017, Open and National Awards winners revealed on March 28 and overall winners announced on April 20.

Sony Press Release

2017 Sony World Photography Awards now open for entries

• World's largest photography competition celebrates its 10th anniversary
• New categories in Professional, Open and Youth competitions
• Hunt launched to discover UK’s best photographer

"We are committed to challenging photographers to push their creative boundaries in the years to come." Scott Gray, CEO, World Photography Organisation

The Sony World Photography Awards, the world's largest photography competition, opens for entries today. Created by the World Photography Organisation, 2017 marks the awards’ 10th anniversary.

In addition to the Professional, Open, Youth and Student Focus competitions, the hunt is also on to find the UK’s best photographer in the UK National award.

The Sony World Photography Awards annually recognizes the world’s best photography. Open to all photographers, the awards are an authoritative voice in the photographic industry that has the power to shape the careers of its winning and shortlisted photographers.Each year the competition attracts both emerging talent and established artists and presents the world’s best photography from the last 12 months to a global audience.

“I am honoured to be recognized by the Sony World Photography Awards, which I have followed for many years and contributed to my passion in photographing the lesser seen areas of the world." Tino Solomon, Winner, United Kingdom National Award 2016

"Winning the Portrait category was life-changing! Professionally, winning the award helped kick-start my career" Sophie Gamand, Winner, Professional Portrait category 2015

"Winning brought more attention to my work and I started receiving more collaboration proposals and job opportunities” Kylli Sparre, Winner, Open Enhanced category 2014

"The award changed my life and beyond the great visibility obtained allowed me to create solid relations of friendships and professional collaborations that I otherwise would not have been able to obtain” Andrea Roseate, 3rd Place, Professional Candid category 2016 and Italy National Award winner 2015

Photographers are welcome to enter their work for free into any of the awards’ four competitions: Professional, Open, Youth and Student Focus via www.worldphoto.org The newly re-launched website gives a greater visual platform to the awards’ photographers and makes the entry process simpler than ever before.

Entries to the UK National Award will be taken from those with British nationality entering any of the ten Open categories.

The 2017 edition also sees new categories introduced across the all competitions challenging photographers to push their creative boundaries.

The Sony World Photography Awards offer a wide range of benefits for its winning photographers, including:

·        The latest Sony digital imaging equipment

·        $25,000 (USD) for the winner of the Photographer of the Year title

·        $5,000 (USD) for the winner of the Open competition

·        Leading Sony Digital Imaging equipment for National Awards winners

·        Inclusion in the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition in London

·        Inclusion in the annual Sony World Photography Awards winners book

·        Worldwide media exposure and increased recognition

Scott Gray, CEO of World Photography Organisation, comments: "We are extremely proud to reach our 10th anniversary. Since launching in 2007 the Sony World Photography Awards has grown consistently in both size and credibility. Across the years the awards have discovered and celebrated a huge variety of photography. I am honored that emerging photographers across the word have been able to use the awards to launch their careers, and established photographers can use us to extend their networks. We are committed to challenging photographers to push their creative boundaries in the years to come."

The 2016 Sony World Photography Awards attracted a record-breaking 230,103 entries to from 186 countries. The 2016 Professional Photographer of the Year title was awarded to Iranian photojournalist Asghar Khamseh for his series 'Fire of Hatred'. The UK National Award was presented to Tino Solomon.

The Sony World Photography Awards shortlist will be announced on February 28, Open and National Awards winners revealed on March 28 and overall winners announced on April 20, 2017, with an exhibition at Somerset House, London, running from April 21 – May 7 2017.

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Photo: Kei Nomiyama, Open Photographer of the Year

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