By @SimonCocking. Title picture by Peter Voss, SONY awards shortlist. Details on their new a6300 camera here. See also our review of the A7R last year here.

In a booming time for photography, here are some spectacular images  from the 2016 edition of the Sony World Photography Awards. The world’s biggest photography competition, organised by the World Photography Organisation, announced the shortlists for its Professional, Open and Youth competitions.

This year’s shortlist is defined by its sheer internationality, with over 270 photographers from nearly 60 countries being represented, the most in the awards’ nine-year history. Also significant was the substantial growth in the Professional competition, with entries up 45% on 2015.

The last five days of Kartika month are known as Bhisma-Panacaka. Grandfather Bhisma fasted for these five days, preparing to give up his life. However one observes Kartika-vrata, he should intensify it for the last five days. The best way to observe the Kartika-vrata is to abstain from eating grains for the whole month, and to take only milk or water for the last five days. If one eats grains during the month, he should avoid them for the last five days. Also, one should only eat once a day

The last five days of Kartika month are known as Bhisma-Panacaka. 

A record-breaking 230,103 images were entered into the Professional, Open and Youth competitions from 186 countries. The total number of entries received by the Sony World Photography Awards since its launch has now surpassed 1 million images, reinforcing the awards’ position as one of the most respected and influential photography competitions in the world.

Recognising the best contemporary photography from 2015, the Honorary Jury, chaired by Dominque Green (Consultant, UK) and Sue Steward (Writer/ Curator, UK), have identified exceptional work by both emerging talent and seasoned photographers from all corners of the world.

DC 2234.55 001 trophy lion, springbok and spotted hyena, hunting convention, reno, nevada, USA-from the series 'Lion'-David Chancellor At annual conventions in the US hunters will book hunts, select animals, professional hunters, and taxidermist services. Here at the Safari Club International Convention in Reno, Nevada, USA, a taxidermist displays his work from a clients previous trip to Africa. There are now more captive Lions in South Africa than wild ones; approx 8000 compared to 2000 living in the wild. Many of these animals are reared specifically to be shot and owned by wealthy tourists from Europe and North America. Between 2001-2006 1830 Lion trophies were exported from South Africa, in the following five years 4062 trophies were exported from SA an increase of 122%. As result of this increase in 2011 the South African government effectively banned the practise of ‘canned hunting’ by requiring an animal to roam free for two years before it could be hunted, severley restricting breeders and hunters' profitability. But lion breeders challenged the policy in South Africa's courts and a high court judge eventually ruled that such restrictions were ‘not rational’. The number of trophy hunted animals has since soared. Demand from the Far East is also driving profits for lions breeders. In 2001, two lions were exported as "trophies" to China, Laos and Vietnam; in 2011, 70 lion trophies were exported to those nations. While the trade in tiger parts is now illegal, demand for lion parts for traditional Asian medicine is soaring. In 2009, five lion skeletons were exported from South Africa to Laos; in 2011, it was 496. The legal export of lion bones and whole carcasses has also soared. Breeders argue it is better that hunters shoot a captive-bred lion than further endanger the wild populations, but conservationists and animal welfare groups dispute this. Wild populations of lions have declined by 80% in 20 years, so the rise of lion farms and canned hunting

DC 2234.55 001 trophy lion, springbok and spotted hyena, hunting convention, reno, nevada, USA-from the series ‘Lion’-David Chancellor

Originality and a strong sense of empathy stood out for the judges across the shortlist. From the thousands of submissions, subtle themes also appeared for the judges – the delicate handling of intimate, private moments by photographers; the capturing of the major public stories dominating the news, from the conflict in the Ukraine to the endless lines of refuges in search of a better life in Europe; and the use of new technology to create work, including drone and underwater photography.

Included on the 2016 shortlist are those familiar to the awards: Christian Aslund (Sweden, winner 2013); Ed Kashi (United States, shortlist, 2013); David Chancellor (United Kingdom, shortlist 2011 and 2nd place 2012); Espen Rasmussen (Norway, shortlist 2010 and 2011); Jonathan Carvajal (Colombia, shortlist, 2015); Julia Fullerton-Batten (United Kingdom, shortlisted 2015); Ruben Salgado Escudero (Spain, winner 2015) and Fan Li (China, winner 2015).

All shortlisted photographers across the three competitions are listed below.

Scott Gray, CEO of the World Photography Organisation and organiser of the awards comments: “We are extremely pleased with our jurors’ choices this year. Despite the increase in the number of photographers, and the amount of imagery that required judging, this year above all others we have witnessed a wealth of powerful imagery in the traditionally strong social documentary categories as well as the art and conceptual work. It is wonderful for the medium that it can offer such rich diversity.”

Those in the awards’ Professional categories will now compete for a $25,000 prize and the L’Iris d’Or/ Photographer of the Year title. The recipient, along with the winners of the Professional categories, overall Youth and Student winners plus the Open Photographer of the Year, who receives a $5,000 prize, will all be announced at the Sony World Photography Awards Gala Ceremony in London Thursday 21st April. All winners will receive the latest digital imaging equipment from Sony.

The winning and shortlisted images will go on show at Somerset House, London from 22nd April – 8th May and published in the 2016 edition of the Sony World Photography Awards book. To book your exhibition ticket, book here:

131002051749953612_Stephan_Zirwes_Germany_Shortlist_Professional_Architecture_2016_5.PR

The exhibition will also include the first major European exhibition of the artistic duo and fine art photographers RongRong & inri, recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award. RongRong (China) & inri (Japan) have shaped contemporary photography in Asia and are being recognised for both their careers as artists and their significant impact on Asian photography. The exhibition will include new works from their critically acclaimed series Tsumari Story.

Reindeer farmer kids in Mongolia

If you would like to have your company featured in the Irish Tech News Business Showcase, get in contact with us at [email protected] or on Twitter: @SimonCocking

More about Irish Tech News

Irish Tech News are Ireland’s No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland’s No.1 Tech Podcast too.

You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news

If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at [email protected] now to discuss.

Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at [email protected] now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience.

You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Irish Tech News

Pin It on Pinterest