Sony World Photography Awards finalists and shortlists 2025 Professional competition

The Professional competition rewards outstanding series

Unter dem gleichen Himmel

Ludwig Spaude

For many years, I could not remember: Where was I when I was a child? My physical body was still bound to Berlin, but while dissociating, I escaped.

The duality of nature

Ekaterina Mikryukova

Each of my photos, no matter who or what I'm shooting, is a way to convey my own view of a moment or situation and an opportunity to share that view with other people.

Prix Pictet Humanity Explored

Prix Pictet Human presented by twelve international photographers

The Song of Trees

Julia Casesnoves

The Song of Trees is Julia Casesnoves's project that centres around trees as the main subject, exploring them as connectors within nature.

Sakir Khader Yawm al-Firak

Sakir Khader

Yawm al-Firak, Arabic for Day of Separation, is the first solo museum exhibition by the Palestinian-Dutch photographer Sakir Khader.

Ghost Trees - Vestiges of Change

Aya Okawa

In my mother’s home state, South Carolina, ghost forests are evocative reminders of impermanence and constant change.

The Distant Swell of the Open Ocean

Mara Magyarosi-Laytner

Mara Magyarosi-Laytner's The Distant Swell of the Open Ocean explores loss and liminal spaces, weaving family archives into a poignant study of absence and connection.

Reverting

Francisco Gonzalez Camacho

Reverting is a visual exploration of the commodification of nature within Iceland’s tourist industry.

Trás-os-Montes landscape

Paulo Monteiro

Here, I've come across the morning fogs, the rivers, the birds and the trees.

Sorry for the lack of contact

Katerina Kouzmitcheva

Sorry for the Lack of Contact—this phrase has become a recurring refrain in the past few years of my life.

Motion and Emotion

Adam Docker

For me, photography is more than a visual medium—it is a profound exploration of humanity, culture, and identity.

In the evening, in the woods

Paola Tornambè

My photography is artistic and based on long exposure that allows me to melt different layers of images to create a pictorial effect.

Crisis of Faith

Viktoriia Sorochuk

What is religion and what is faith? What is the connection between the two?

DO NOT PASS

ZeWei Peng

Contemporary China resembles a runaway high-speed train, leaving my memories and language trailing behind.

The Artivists

Issue nr. 1 2022

Artdoc Issue #1 2022, The Artivists, brings the views of artivist photographers about topics like justice, environment and genocide. We present two major projects of Gideon Mendel about the devastating effect of climate change. In addition, we show the work of Jan Banning, who is fighting for the release of an innocent prisoner. Barry Salzman visualises traumas of modern-day holocausts, photographing landscapes at different sites of genocide. Finally, Nicolas Boyer shows the dark side of everyday life in Japan. In the face of the recent horrific developments, the work of honest photographers remains highly relevant.

Female Visions

Issue nr. 6 2021

In this last issue of the year, Artdoc Photography Magazine presents the vision of female photographers. Female photographers have a great capacity for empathy with which they metaphorically portray the world of emotions and personal experiences. Through the camera lens, they do not record factual reality but they show their expressive and subjective vision of the turbulent world. Featured in Issue 6 Female Visions: Rania Matar, Cecilia Reynoso, Katja Liebmann, Catherine Dovellos, Daria Dar, Maura Jamieson, Lara Gilks and Paula Rae Gibson.

Lens Based Art

Issue nr. 5 2021

In this issue #5, Artdoc brings the photographer as the lens-based artist, who shows us the reality we tend to overlook. Michele Borzoni photographs the often hidden places where people work. Peter Bialobrzeski showed the chaos in the outskirts of Mumbai. Dario Mitidieri photographed Syrian families in an open-air studio. Chloe Sells constructs landscapes with layers of textures and colours to express her experience of nature. And the exhibition Lens Based Art shows the work of experimental photographers.

Invisible Realities

Issue nr. 4 2021

In Artdoc Issue #4 2021we bring photographers who investigate our complex reality. French photographer Mathieu Asselin said this about his documentary project Monsanto: a photographic investigation: “You can have your own truth, but you cannot have your own facts.” Indian photographer Alakananda Nag delved into her city’s history, concluding that the Armenians could be the founding fathers of Calcutta. French photographer Florian Ruiz distorted his images as a metaphor for the environmental distortion of the radioactive sites in China. The Artdoc exhibition Documentary Stories shows different photographers who all engage in new ways of visual storytelling. In his essay, Koray Değirmenci discusses the validity of the manipulated digital image. We should read modern multi-layered photographs as metaphors of invisible realities.

Where is Paradise?

Issue nr. 3 2021

In many parts of the world, humans are looking for a better life in political freedom, social justice, and happiness. In Artdoc Issue #3-2021, we bring stories of defectors, refugees and survivors. Tim Franco photographed North Korean defectors in Seoul. Charlotte Schmitz took images of refugees arriving at the Greek islands. In Peru, Max Cabello Orcasitas captured the grief of the survivors of the battles between the government and the Shining Path. Sébastien Cuvelier searched for Paradise in Iran and found walled gardens. Finally, Simon Norfolk photographed the struggle against global warming in the Swiss glaciers.

Art and Documentary

Issue nr. 2 2021

Is documentary photography art? In Artdoc Issue #2-2021, we bring artistic approaches to documentary photography. First, Cuban photographer, Ricardo Miguel Hernández, shows that national identity is a construction of collected memories. Next, Chris Dorley-Brown digitally blended many shots of East London corners into realistic and natural photographs. Romanian photographer Roxana Savin staged her pictures of the monotonous life in a gated residence. Argentinian photographer Guillermo Srodek-Hart photographed the many old rural bars and shops in his country. Finally, Russian photojournalist Valery Melnikov documented the last Armenian inhabitants of the self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh.

What is Art Photography

E-Guide on understanding photography as an art medium

Art photography is a compelling blend of creativity and visual storytelling, transcending traditional photography to stir the imagination and evoke emotions. It goes beyond capturing moments, using images to communicate ideas, provoke thought, and establish a deep connection with viewers. This guide explores the essence of art photography, revealing its role as a window into human experience and a reflection of societal issues. You’ll discover its power as a communication tool and its ability to merge art with documentary photography. Dive in to understand this expressive art form and unleash your creative potential through the lens.

How to read images

Learn how to read photographs as a visual language

We have to understand photography as a language. A photograph is an image in which various signs are embedded, just like texts have words. Words form a sentence, and the sentences together tell a story. We can read pictures the way we can read a book. We can search in the photograph and look for the meaning. But in a picture, there are no words and sentences. We have to grasp meaning from the totality of the image, in which every detail plays a part. In this guide, you will learn how to read images and the way the photographer produces meaning in photographs.

How to create a photo project

Create a meaningful story as a photo project

A photo project is more than just a collection of images—it's a unique narrative told through a harmonious blend of style, emotion, message, subject, and technique. Each photograph within the series works together to convey a compelling story. By approaching your photo series with the same care and intention as you would a written story, you can create a powerful visual narrative. Unlock the secrets to creating captivating photo projects with our comprehensive guide. Start creating your unique photo project today. In this guide, you will learn to develop a distinctive and personal visual language that sets your work apart. Learn how to select and refine subjects that form the foundation of your photo projects, and you will master the art of constructing a cohesive and compelling photo series that tells a powerful story.

How to get into a gallery

Essential tips for photographers: How to Get Your Work into a Gallery

Securing a spot in a gallery is a highly sought-after accomplishment for many photographers in the ever-evolving art world. The significance of such an achievement is not limited to the mere display of artwork but extends to the attainment of recognition. Recognition in the art world is crucial as it validates an artist's work, increases their reputation, and opens doors to new opportunities. This guide delves into the nuanced art of gallery representation, offering practical and actionable advice to art photographers on gaining their audience's attention and admiration, thereby increasing their chances of recognition.

Beyond the Frame

Artdoc Group Exhibition

Beyond the Frame brings together art photographers who push the boundaries of storytelling through innovative and imaginative perspectives.

Life Today

Artdoc Group Exhibition

The Life Today exhibition celebrates the beauty, complexity, and diversity of life in all its forms.

The Unobserved

Artdoc Group Exhibition

The Unobserved" showcases photographers who are inspired to uncover the extraordinary within the ordinary, revealing the hidden beauty in everyday moments.

Expressive Nature

Artdoc Group Exhibition

The 'Expressive Nature' online group exhibition invites you on an immersive journey into the emotional and artistic resonances of the natural world.

Invisible Threads

Artdoc Group Exhibition

This online photo exhibition, Invisible Threads, delves into the subtle and often overlooked bonds that form the fabric of our existence.

Human Stories

Artdoc Group Exhibition

Human Stories is an online photography exhibition that aims to capture and convey the essence of the human experience through documentary storytelling.

At Home in London: The Mansion Block

Karin Templin

The Heart is a Sandwich

Jason Fulford

Jamais je ne t’oublierai

Carolle Bénitah

Illuminance

Rinko Kawauchi

The Beginning

Tina Barney

Priviledged Mediocrity

Kris Graves

Fo­to­stif­tung Schweiz

Switzerland

Founded in 1971, Fotostiftung Schweiz is a private non-profit foundation, devoted to preserving, researching and conveying photographic works.

Foto Colectania

Spain

STANLEY/BARKER

UK

Each book that STANLEY/BARKER publishes is produced with the utmost care.

Dewi Lewis Publishing

England

Dewi Lewis Publishing is best known as a photobook publisher

PHOTOFAIRS New York

USA

Impressions Gallery

United Kingdom