The Sony World Photography Awards, now in its 18th year, honours the photography shaping our visual language and is among the most prestigious photography programmes globally. Organised by Creo under the World Photography Organisation and supported by Sony, the Awards provide photographers with career-defining opportunities and help elevate the conversation around photography. With its unparalleled reach, the programme contributes to the development of photographic culture by offering a global platform to today’s talent. Entry is completely free, and photographers are judged anonymously by a panel of industry-leading experts. The judging panel and London exhibition dates for the 2025 edition were announced today.
2025 JUDGES
Following an exceptional 2024 Awards, which saw a record number of entries in the Professional competition, Monica Allende returns for her second year as Chair of the Jury for the Professional Competition and curator of the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 exhibition at Somerset House, London. Joining Allende is a panel of prominent industry figures, offering a wealth of knowledge and diverse expertise in photography.
Professional competition:
- Monica Allende, Independent Curator and Photography Consultant, Chair of the Jury
- Yves Chatap, Independent Curator, Publisher, and Art Critic, Cameroon & France
- Aldeide Delgado, Founder and Director, Women Photographers International Archive (WOPHA), United States
- Vicky Ismach, Curatorial Coordinator, Montevideo Centre of Photography (CdF), Uruguay
- Manuel Sigrist, Head of Exhibitions and Programmes, Photo Elysée, Switzerland
- Isabella Tam, Curator of Visual Art, M+, Hong Kong
Open & Youth competitions: Claudia Grimaldi Marks, Senior Manager, New Creator Strategy, Getty Images, United States
Student competition: Charlotte Jansen, Author, Journalist and Critic, UK
2025 LONDON EXHIBITION AND 2024 INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION TOUR DATES
The Sony World Photography Awards 2025 exhibition returns to Somerset House, London from 17 April to 7 May 2025.
Following the London exhibition and subsequent presentations through the Spring and Summer in Lenzburg, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the Sony World Photography Awards 2024 exhibition continues its tour to the following international destinations:
- Milan, Italy, 6 June – 29 September 2024
- Busan, Republic of Korea, 22 August – 22 September 2024
- Montreal, Canada, 29 August – 15 October 2024
- Hastings, New Zealand, 14 – 22 September 2024
- Berlin, Germany, 11 October 2024 – 19 January 2025
To find out more about our exhibitions, please visit worldphoto.org/exhibition.
NEW IN 2025
New Professional competition category: Perspectives
In 2025, the Awards introduces an engaging new category in the Professional competition; entrants will have the opportunity to submit a body of work to the Perspectives category, which welcomes series that tell a story through a variety of formats and genres – from using a documentary or creative approach to mixing portraiture, landscapes and still life.
2025 PRIZES AND DEADLINES
The Sony World Photography Awards 2025 opened on 1 June 2024. Full competition and category descriptions can be found at worldphoto.org/swpa.
Deadlines for submission across the Awards’ four competitions are:
Professional: 10 January 2025, 13:00 GMT
Open: 3 January 2025, 13:00 GMT
Student: 29 November 2024, 13:00 GMT
Youth: 3 January 2025, 13:00 GMT
The winners across all categories in the Professional, Open, Youth, and Student competitions will receive digital imaging equipment from Sony. In addition, cash prizes of $25,000 (USD) will be awarded to the Photographer of the Year, and $5,000 (USD) to the Open Photographer of the Year. The Photographer of the Year will also be honored with a solo presentation of their work at the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition in London the following year. Winning and shortlisted images will be showcased at the annual London exhibition, which will later tour internationally. Additionally, the winning photographs will be featured in the Awards’ annual book.
