Shortlist, Lifestyle, Professional Category
©Ramil Gilvanov/Rimma Gilvanova, Russia
The World Photography Organization has announced the shortlist for the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards. The shortlist was compiled from a record number of submissions for the competition: 173,444 photographs from 171 countries. Competition winners will be announced April 23, 2015.
Use the following links to view all shortlisted photos in three categories: Professional, Open, and Youth. -Via Colossal
Shortlist, Smile, Open Category
©Simon Morris, United Kingdom
West Bengal, India. Blind girls Sonia, 12, and Anita Singh, 5, are born into poverty with congenital cataract blindness. They must accompany their parents everywhere as they cannot be left alone without risk. The surgery to cure this is simple and takes 15 minutes but because of the level of poverty in this family they have been unable to pursue the necessary operation. India has more than 12 million blind, the majority of which suffer from cataract blindness. Poverty is the main reason these millions of people are trapped in this condition. Donor funding has recently enabled both sisters to finally go for this operation. This essay is an attempt to tell the story of their lives before surgery, during the operation to regain their sight and after as they begin to discover light.
© Brent Stirton, South Africa, Shortlist, Contemporary Issues, Professional Category
Ukrainian protester plays piano on a barricade in front of the riot police line during the continuing protest in Kiev
© Vladyslav Musiienko / UNIAN, Ukraine, Shortlist, Current Affairs, Professional Category
Shortlist, Nature & Wildlife, Open Category
©Melissa Little, Australia
The images were shot from a light aircraft flying at between 4,000 & 5,000 ft. The height was crucial in order to flatten perspective by using long focal lengths. Time of day and cloud cover were also critical, the abstract effect being heightened by complete lack of signifying shadow.
©Simon Butterworth, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Landscape, Professional Category
Shortlist, Panoramic, Open Category
© Alexander Klebe, Germany