Sony World Photography Awards 2025 for Students & Professional Photographers

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About Sony World Photography Awards 2025

The Sony World Photography Awards is the leading competition for photographers and artists working in photography. Made up of four competitions (Professional, Open, Student and Youth), all entries are free and the top prize is $25,000. The Awards is regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious photography competitions by elevating photographers’ careers – from established to emerging – since it started 16 years ago. 

 

• Sponsor Organisation: Sony

Benefits of Sony World Photography Awards 2025

• The top prize is $25,000

Sony World Photography Awards 2025 Requirements

Professional competition

• Free to enter
• Open to anyone submitting a series of 5 to 10 images per category
• Ten diverse categories to enter 
• Awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place photographers plus up to 7 shortlisted photographers per category
• One overall winner receives the Photographer of the Year title 
• Please see ‘Rules’ below for full image eligibility criteria
• Photographer of the Year is rewarded with a solo presentation of their work as part of the Sony World Photography Awards London exhibition the following year
• Deadline is January 10 2025 at 13.00 GMT

Open Competition

 

• Free to enter and open to anyone submitting single images taken in 2024
• Enter up to three single images for free
• Ten diverse categories to enter 
• Awards for category winners plus up to 15 shortlisted photographers per category
• One overall winner receives the Open Photographer of the Year title
• Please see ‘Rules’ below for full image eligibility criteria
• Deadline is 3 January, 2025 at 13.00 GMT

Youth Competition

• Competition runs from 1 June 2024 to 3 January 2025
• Photographers can enter up to three images relating to the theme ‘Through Your Eyes’Judges will select a shortlist of up to 10 photographers
• Shortlist compete for Youth Photographer of the Year title
• Overall winner receives Youth Photographer of the Year title and Sony digital imaging kit
• Please see ‘Rules’ below for full image eligibility criteria
• Deadline for entries is 3 January 2025 at 13:00 (GMT)

Student Competition

• Free to enter for anyone aged from 18 to 30 years-old undertaking a full-time photography programme*
• Students answer a set brief with 5 to 10 images
• Up to 10 shortlisted photographers
• One overall winner receives the Student Photographer of the Year title
• Deadline for entries is 29 November 2024 at 13:00 (GMT)

Competitions Timeline

• Sony World Photography Awards 2025 open 1 June 2024, 13:00 (BST)
• Student competition closes 29 November 2024, 13:00 (GMT)
• Youth competition closes 3 January 2025, 13:00 (GMT)
• Open competition (including National & Regional Awards and Alpha Female Award) closes 3 January 2025, 13:00 (GMT)
• Professional competition (including Latin America Professional Award and Sustainability Prize) closes 10 January 2025, 13:00 (GMT)

 

Application Date and Process

• Click on the link to the application website to apply based on your category.

Scholarship Application Portal

View details of Sony World Photography Awards 2025

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