Sony World Photography Awards 2024: The year’s best images unveiled

Images of a rhino in captivity, a Slovakian spa facility and a German finger wrestling champion are among the finalists and shortlisted entries in the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards 2024.

A total of 30 finalists were chosen across the competition’s 10 professional categories, which span portraiture, sport, landscape and the environment, with a further three to seven photographers shortlisted in each category.

The winners will be announced in April and an exhibition of the photos is set to go on display at London’s Somerset House.

The World Photography Awards organizes several different competitions each year, including youth and student prizes, with its national and regional winners unveiled last month. This year’s program attracted over 395,000 images, according to a press release. A representative for the World Photography Organization declined to tell CNN how many of those photos were eligible for the professional contest, but said that they had received the highest number of entries in the competition’s 17-year history.

In a press statement, jury chair Monica Allende lauded the “diverse, high-quality and creative spectrum” of this year’s selection. “The jury was captivated by the passionate storytelling; capturing both the joys and the challenges of human existence across our planet,” she added.

Scroll down to see a selection of finalists and shortlisted entries in this year’s awards.

Karol Pałka was recognized in the architecture and design category for her project looking at the role spa facilities play in Slovakian community life. - Karol Pałka/Sony World Photography Awards
Karol Pałka was recognized in the architecture and design category for her project looking at the role spa facilities play in Slovakian community life. - Karol Pałka/Sony World Photography Awards
Malaysian photographer Nick Ng was one of seven people shortlisted in the architecture and design category. - Nick Ng/Sony World Photography Awards
Malaysian photographer Nick Ng was one of seven people shortlisted in the architecture and design category. - Nick Ng/Sony World Photography Awards
An image from Sujata Setia's project about the survivors of domestic abuse in the UK’s South Asian community, - Sujata Setia/Sony World Photography Awards
An image from Sujata Setia's project about the survivors of domestic abuse in the UK’s South Asian community, - Sujata Setia/Sony World Photography Awards
Diana-Cheren-Nygren was shortlisted in the competition's creative category. - Diana Cheren Nygren/Sony World Photography Awards
Diana-Cheren-Nygren was shortlisted in the competition's creative category. - Diana Cheren Nygren/Sony World Photography Awards
An image by Brent Stirton shows two trans women who fled harsh anti-LGBTQ laws in Uganda and are now living in a safe house in Nairobi, Kenya. - Brent Stirton/Sony World Photography Awards
An image by Brent Stirton shows two trans women who fled harsh anti-LGBTQ laws in Uganda and are now living in a safe house in Nairobi, Kenya. - Brent Stirton/Sony World Photography Awards
Jens Juul's photo from the Roskilde festival in Denmark. - Jens Juul/Sony World Photography Awards
Jens Juul's photo from the Roskilde festival in Denmark. - Jens Juul/Sony World Photography Awards
An image from photographer Maurizio Di Pietro's project "Zero Hunger," which  looks at how insects are being used as a food source. - Maurizio Di Pietro/Sony World Photography Awards
An image from photographer Maurizio Di Pietro's project "Zero Hunger," which looks at how insects are being used as a food source. - Maurizio Di Pietro/Sony World Photography Awards
Katie Orlinksy's image of a woman processing a caribou in Alaska's Anaktuvuk Pass. - Katie Orlinsky/Sony World Photography Awards
Katie Orlinksy's image of a woman processing a caribou in Alaska's Anaktuvuk Pass. - Katie Orlinsky/Sony World Photography Awards
Eddo Hartmann’s series "The Sacrifice Zone" documents a remote area of Kazakhstan that was once used by the Soviet Union for nuclear testing. - Eddo Hartmann/Sony World Photography Awards
Eddo Hartmann’s series "The Sacrifice Zone" documents a remote area of Kazakhstan that was once used by the Soviet Union for nuclear testing. - Eddo Hartmann/Sony World Photography Awards
An aerial shot by Ekrem Sahin was shortlisted in the landscape category. - Ekrem Sahin/Sony World Photography Awards
An aerial shot by Ekrem Sahin was shortlisted in the landscape category. - Ekrem Sahin/Sony World Photography Awards
Angelika Kollin's series "Parenthood" features black and white portraits of parents and their children. - Angelika Kollin/Sony World Photography Awards
Angelika Kollin's series "Parenthood" features black and white portraits of parents and their children. - Angelika Kollin/Sony World Photography Awards
Adali Schell was nominated in the portraiture category for portraying his friends in their first cars. - Adali Schell/Sony World Photography Awards
Adali Schell was nominated in the portraiture category for portraying his friends in their first cars. - Adali Schell/Sony World Photography Awards
Chinese photographer Liang Chen was nominated for "Donghai Island People," his series documenting life in his hometown in Guangdong province. - Liang Chen/Sony World Photography Awards
Chinese photographer Liang Chen was nominated for "Donghai Island People," his series documenting life in his hometown in Guangdong province. - Liang Chen/Sony World Photography Awards
A photo by Angelika Jakob shows Josef Utzschneider, light heavyweight champion in the German finger wrestling championship. - Angelika Jakob/Sony World Photography Awards
A photo by Angelika Jakob shows Josef Utzschneider, light heavyweight champion in the German finger wrestling championship. - Angelika Jakob/Sony World Photography Awards
An image by James Rokop, official photographer for the USA Artistic Swimming team. - James Rokop/Sony World Photography Awards
An image by James Rokop, official photographer for the USA Artistic Swimming team. - James Rokop/Sony World Photography Awards
Beth Galton combined tree bark and "manipulated self portraits" in her artistic series, "London Plane Tree" - Beth Galton/Sony World Photography Awards
Beth Galton combined tree bark and "manipulated self portraits" in her artistic series, "London Plane Tree" - Beth Galton/Sony World Photography Awards
In "1000 Places to See Before You Die..." Helen McLain documented items in her home during a period of illness. - Helen McLain/Sony World Photography Awards
In "1000 Places to See Before You Die..." Helen McLain documented items in her home during a period of illness. - Helen McLain/Sony World Photography Awards
Haider Khan documented two rhinos in captivity in Germany and India. - Haider Khan/Sony World Photography Awards
Haider Khan documented two rhinos in captivity in Germany and India. - Haider Khan/Sony World Photography Awards
Lukas Zeman's shot captures a pair of desert foxes. - Lukas Zeman/Sony World Photography Awards
Lukas Zeman's shot captures a pair of desert foxes. - Lukas Zeman/Sony World Photography Awards

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