From striking landscapes to intimate portraits, these single images represent some of the best global photography from the past year
The Sony World Photography Awards has officially unveiled the 10 category winners and shortlisted photographers for the 2026 Open competition. Now in its 19th year, the competition celebrates the unique power of the single image to pique curiosity, spark the imagination, and reveal a wider narrative about our world.
The selection reflects an incredible diversity of vision, featuring everything from vast, striking landscapes to thoughtful portraits and captivating – sometimes humorous – scenes from the natural world. This year’s shortlist was drawn from a staggering pool of talent, with more than 430,000 images submitted across all competitions from over 200 countries and territories.
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This year’s Open category winners are:
Architecture
Markus Naarttijärvi (Sweden) for his image of the paper mill in Obbola, Sweden, surrounded by layers of shadows, concrete and clouds, on a dark November night.
Creative
Siavosh Ejlali (Iran) for Lost Hope, a carefully composed portrait, using staged and symbolic elements in a poignant ode to Iranian women.
In this image, the photographer describes how the black plastic covering most of the woman’s face is a sign of ‘dark thoughts and the imposition of beliefs’, while the red balloon falling to the ground could be ‘her lost hope’. The background evokes Iranian urban society, which has been the setting for the recent demonstrations involving Iranian women, noting that ‘the red clothes and lips are the bloody price that women have paid.’
Landscape
J Fritz Rumpf (USA) for Shapes and Patterns of the Desert, a study of the geometric composition and the rich, warm colours of the Sossusvlei dunes in Namibia.
Lifestyle
Vanta Coda III (USA) for the portrait of Charlotte and her cow Dolly, keeping cool in the cow barn between events at the 100th State Fair of West Virginia in Lewisburg. Outside, the temperature is upwards of 32°C.
Motion
Franklin Littlefield (USA) for his motion blur shot of a punk concert in Providence, Rhode Island, United States, capturing the dynamism of the moment.
Natural World & Wildlife
Klaus Hellmich (Germany) for a photograph of a blue arctic fox in the Varager Peninsula, Norway. The fox is caught in a blizzard and stands alone braving the wind and snow.
Object
Robby Ogilvie (United Kingdom) for Colour Divides, depicting the juxtaposition of a blue car against bright green and pink buildings of the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood in Cape Town, South Africa.
Portraiture
Elle Leontiev (Australia) for The Barefoot Volcanologist, a striking portrait of Phillip of Tanna, an internationally recognised, self-taught volcano scientist, standing atop a volcanic rock bomb on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu. Tanna has collaborated with international scientists to document information about Vanuatu’s volcanos. In this image he poses in a gifted lava suit on the ash plaine of Yasur
Street photography
Giulia Pissagroia (Italy) for Between the Lines, a candid, comedic black-and-white photograph of a family at Ørnevegen (Eagle Road), Norway, showing their humorous facial expressions as they admire the view.
Travel
Megumi Murakami (Japan) for a glowing photograph capturing the lively Abare Festival, where men leap into the river as torches blaze, a traditional celebration passed down for over three centuries in the Noto region of Japan.
The overall Open Photographer of the Year will be revealed during a gala ceremony in London on 16 April. Along with the title, the winner will receive a US$5,000 cash prize and a range of Sony Digital Imaging equipment.
For those wanting to see the work in person, a selection of the winning and shortlisted images will be on display at Somerset House in London from 17 April to 4 May 2026. Following the London premiere, the exhibition is set to tour various international locations.
