Sony World Photography Awards 2026: General winners introduced

The Sony World Photography Awards 2026 lit up London on the night of 16 April as the general winners had simply been revealed at a high-energy ceremony filled with the trade’s brightest names. Photographers, curators, gallerists, and media voices from world wide gathered to have a good time a defining second in modern images.

The environment was electrical – a real celebration of image-making at its highest stage. The room was crammed with anticipation, admiration and the shared pleasure of seeing this 12 months’s strongest photographic work honoured.

The week of celebrations continues with the exhibition opening in London on 17 April, marking one of many standout moments of the 12 months for images. Book tickets now.

Youth Photographer of the Year

The gala started with presenter Noreen Khan welcoming company and setting the tone for the night, adopted by a speech from Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki.

The Youth Photographer of the Year was the primary to take the stage – congratulations to Philip Kangas, a 16 12 months outdated from Stockholm, Sweden. Kangas captured an enchanting second exhibiting firefighters transporting artwork items to security, following a fireplace on the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in central Stockholm.

Kangas wins Sony Digital Imaging tools, inclusion within the London exhibition and the annual ebook, in addition to promotion by way of the World Photography Organisation’s channels.

Student Photographer of the Year

Next in line was the Student Photographer of the Year – congratulations to Jubair Ahmed Arnob, a Dhaka-born photographer finding out at Counter Foto – a Center for Visual Arts in Bangladesh. In his collection The Place Where I Used to Play, Arnob returns to Green Model Town in Dhaka. Through a dreamy, poetic fashion, Jubair pictures its vibrant group and tranquil panorama, now disappearing underneath concrete.

Jubair and his college obtain roughly €30,000 value of Sony Digital Imaging tools, flights and lodging to the awards ceremony in London, inclusion within the London exhibition and the annual ebook in addition to promotion by way of the World Photography Organisation’s channels.

Open Photographer of the Year

Elle Leontiev, an Australian photographer was revealed because the Open Photographer of the Year for her portrait of a barefoot volcanologist. Philip, who grew up beneath the lively volcano, stands on ash plains of Mount Yasur, on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu. The volcano smoulders behind him, sending a plume of fuel and sulphur into the sky.

Elle wins $5,000, Sony Digital Imaging tools, inclusions on this 12 months’s exhibition and ebook, press and media protection in addition to promotion by way of the World Photography Organisation’s channels.

Photographer of the Year

The prestigious title of the Photographer of the Year was awarded to Citlali Fabián, a visible artist from the Yalalteca Indigenous group in Mexico, now based mostly within the UK.

Her profitable collection Bilha, Stories of my Sisters was created to encourage younger women with constructive position fashions. It affords a glimpse into the world of activists and artists from varied Indigenous communities in southern Mexico. Shaped by means of a collaborative course of between the photographer and her topics, the collection utilises a mixed-media strategy to images.

She receives $25,000, Sony Digital Imaging tools, inclusions on this 12 months’s ebook and exhibition, a solo show on the London exhibition the next 12 months, press and media protection and promotion by way of World Photography Organisation’s channels.

Professional Competition Category Winners

The 10 Professional class winners additionally took to the stage that night time to have a good time their victory. They all obtain Sony Digital Imaging tools, and had been invited to take part in Insights, a day of specialized periods with trade consultants in London. Congratulations to:

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
WINNER: Joy Saha (Bangladesh) for Homes of Haor
Finalists: 2nd place André Tezza (Brazil); third place Chen Liang (China Mainland)

CREATIVE
WINNER: Citlali Fabián (Mexico) for Bilha, Stories of My Sisters
Finalists: 2nd place Pablo Ramos (Mexico); third place Ben Brooks (United Kingdom)

DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS
WINNER: Santiago Mesa (Colombia) for Under the Shadow of Coca
Finalists: 2nd place Colin Delfosse (Belgium); third place Alexandre Bagdassarian (France)

ENVIRONMENT
WINNER: Isadora Romero (Ecuador) for Notes on How to Build a Forest
Finalists: 2nd place Matteo Trevisan (Italy); third place Shane Hynan (Ireland)

LANDSCAPE
WINNER: Dafna Talmor (United Kingdom) for Constructed Landscapes
Finalists: 2nd place Andreas Secci (Germany), third place Michael Blann (United Kingdom)

PERSPECTIVES
WINNER: Seungho Kim (Republic of Korea) for Sunny Side Up: A Portrait of the Most Average Okay-Parenting Today
Finalists: 2nd place Hayate Kurisu (Japan); third place Fredrik Lerneryd (Sweden)

PORTRAITURE
WINNER: Jean-Marc Caimi & Valentina Piccinni (Italy) for The Faithful
Finalists: 2nd place Marisa Reichert (Germany); third place Federico Borella (Italy)

SPORT
WINNER: Todd Antony (New Zealand) for Buzkashi
Finalists: 2nd place Morgan Otagburuagu (Nigeria); third place Rob Van Thienen (Belgium)

STILL LIFE
WINNER: Vilma Taubo (Norway) for Talking Without Speaking
Finalists: 2nd place Gargi Sharma (India); third place Daniele Vita (Italy)

WILDLIFE & NATURE
WINNER: Will Burrard-Lucas (United Kingdom) for Crossing Point
Finalists: 2nd place Anita Pouchard Serra (Argentina); third place Wolfgang Duerr (Germany)

Outstanding Contribution to Photography

Joel Meyerowitz was additionally honoured over the course of the night and awarded the distinguished Outstanding Contribution to Photography. Meyerowitz’s follow is marked by his observant eye, finely tuned to the currents and textures of life. His work exhibits a fascination with life taking place round him, and a outstanding intuition for framing photographs which can be directly revealing and enigmatic, imbued with magnificence and wit.

A choice of works by Meyerowitz, together with excerpts from his collection Europa (1966-1967) and two new artist movies, are on view at Somerset House as a part of the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition, providing an perception into the spirit and curiosity that has characterised his follow for the previous six many years.

Exhibition

Don’t miss the possibility to view these award-winning photographs, proven alongside different unimaginable pictures, on the Sony World Photography Awards 2026 exhibition, opening from tomorrow 17 April till 4 May.

Held at Somerset House, a river-side cultural hub, the exhibition brings fascinating tales visualised by means of highly effective images to the center of London.

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