Sony World Photography Awards 2013

Arts and Culture

The last time we checked in with the Sony World Photography Awards competition, they had shortlisted a few hundred photos. Just yesterday, they started to announce their first batch of winners which include all Open Competition category winners as well as the Youth Award winners. Today, we bring you these photos, the ones that have risen above the rest because they're able to capture the current trends and the poignant moments happening in our world today.

For the Open Competition, nearly 55,000 entries by amateur photographers were submitted. There were 10 diverse categories, subjects we're all familiar with, like Architecture and Arts and Culture, as well as ones we wouldn't quite expect, like Split Second and Smile.

“Amateurs constantly amaze me,” says Damien Demolder, Presiding Chair of Jury for the Open Competition and Editor of Amateur Photographer magazine, “not only with their determination, their passion and their internal drive, but also with the astonishing quality they are capable of achieving.”

In the Youth Award, photographers aged 19 and under submitted their best shots. Here, the competition uncovered the next generation of photography talent. The young, talented and determined photographers who have both the talent and the courage to seize the moment and share their view with the world.

Now here are the Open Competition's ten category winners as well as the Youth Award winners. Professional category winners and the coveted L’Iris D’Or/ Sony World Photography Awards Professional Photographer of the Year title will be announced at a grand ceremony in April.

Above photo credit: © Gilbert Yu, Hong Kong/China, Winner, Arts and Culture, Open Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Architecture

© Martina Biccheri, Italy, Winner, Architecture, Open Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Enhanced

© Hoang Hiep Nguyen, Vietnam, Winner, Enhanced, Open Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Low Light

© Elmar Akhmetov, Kazakhstan, Winner, Low Light, Open Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Nature and Wildlife

© Krasimir Matarov, Bulgaria, Winner, Nature and Wildlife, Open Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Panoramic

© Yeow Kwang Yeo, Singapore, Winner, Panoramic, Open Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

People

© Hisatomi Tadahiko, Japan, Winner, People, Open Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Smile

© Ming Hui Guan (Mac Kwan), China, Winner, Smile, Open Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Split Second

© Matías Gálvez, Chile, Winner, Split Second, Open Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Travel

© Manny Fajutag, Philippines, Winner, Travel, Open Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Youth Award Winner, Portraits

© Berta Vicente, Spain, Winner, Portraits, Youth Award, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Youth Award Winner, Environment

© 為碩許, Taiwan, Winner, Environment, Youth Award, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Youth Award Winner, Culture

© Alecsandra Raluca Dragoi, Romania, Winner, Culture, Youth Award, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards