Juliette Pavy wins Sony World Photography Awards 2024

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN WINNER: Siobhán Doran (Ireland) for her series Sala Mayor (Living Room) Finalists: 2nd place Karol Pałka (Poland); 3rd place Yaser Mohamad Khani (Islamic Republic of Iran) 

CREATIVE WINNER: Sujata Setia (United Kingdom) for her series A Thousand Cuts Finalists: 2nd place Mackenzie Calle (United States); 3rd place Tine Poppe (Norway) 

DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS WINNER: Juliette Pavy (France) for her series Spiralkampagnen: Forced Contraception and Unintended Sterilisation of Greenlandic Women Finalists: 2nd place Brent Stirton (South Africa); 3rd place Davide Monteleone (Italy) 

ENVIRONMENT WINNER: Mahé Elipe (France) for her series Echoes of the Hive Finalists: 2nd place Jean-Marc Caimi & Valentina Piccinni (Italy); 3rd place Maurizio Di Pietro (Italy) 

LANDSCAPE WINNER: Eddo Hartmann (Netherlands) for his series The Sacrifice Zone Finalists: 2nd place Jim Fenwick (United Kingdom); 3rd place Fan Li (China Mainland) 

PORTFOLIO WINNER: Jorge Mónaco (Argentina) for his series Portraits and Landscapes Finalists: 2nd place Aly Hazzaa (Egypt); 3rd place Angelika Kollin (Estonia) 

PORTRAITURE WINNER: Valery Poshtarov (Bulgaria) for his series Father and Son Finalists: 2nd place Adali Schell (United States); 3rd place Drew Gardner (United Kingdom) 

SPORT WINNER: Thomas Meurot (France) for his series Kald Sòl (Cold Sun) Finalists: 2nd place Angelika Jakob (Germany); 3rd place Tommaso Pardini (Italy) 

STILL LIFE WINNER: Federico Scarchilli (Italy) for his series Flora Finalists: 2nd place Peter Franck (Germany); 3rd place Beth Galton (United States) 

WILDLIFE & NATURE WINNER: Eva Berler (Greece) for her series Suspended Worlds Finalists: 2nd place Haider Khan (India); 3rd place Jasper Doest (Netherlands) To find out more about this year’s winning and finalist projects please visit our online winners galleries. 

SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE Kathleen Orlinsky (United States) was announced as this year’s Sustainability Prize winner for her series America’s First Wilderness and won a $5,000 cash prize (USD). Orlinsky’s series looks at the landscape, wildlife and people of the Gila Wilderness of southeastern New Mexico, exploring the conservation efforts which have gone into maintaining the untouched natural environment and protecting the biodiversity of the area. Orlinsky’s project looks at the ways in which the people inhabiting the wilderness peacefully coexist with the nature around them, and promote the conservation of this space. Commenting on her win, Orlinsky says: ‘I am thrilled and honoured to be awarded, and especially excited to be able to raise awareness about pressing environmental and conservation issues right now in the throes of the climate crisis.’ The Sustainability Prize is part of Creators for the Planet, a global year-round engagement programme set by Creo and developed in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation and Sony Pictures, which recognises the stories, people and organisations whose actions highlight one of the United Nations’ environmental Sustainable Development Goals.

OPEN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR The Open competition celebrates the power and dynamism of a single image. Winning photographs are chosen for their ability to communicate a remarkable visual narrative combined with technical excellence. Chosen from the 10 Open category winners, Liam Man (United Kingdom) is Open Photographer of the Year 2024 and the recipient of the $5,000 (USD) cash prize, Sony digital imaging equipment and international exposure. Liam Man won for his photograph Moonrise Sprites over Storr, depicting the well-known rock formation of the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, lit by drone lights and the rising orange moon. Taken late at night, during a powerful blizzard, this image highlights the vast mountainous landscape and the striking winter sky. Speaking of his win, Man says: ‘Every year, I admire the winning photographs and envision my work being displayed amongst them. Being selected as Open Photographer of the Year in the Sony World Photography Awards is a dream turned reality, and leaves me feeling deeply grateful, overjoyed and absolutely speechless!’ 

STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR For this year’s Student competition, photography students were invited to submit a series of five to 10 images responding to the brief of Home, highlighting their personal perspectives on place, community, identity and belonging. Kayin Luys (Belgium) of LUCA School of Arts Sint Lukas Brussels has been awarded the title of Student Photographer of the Year, winning Sony digital imaging equipment worth €30,000 for his university. Luys’s series Don’t Trust Pretty Girls is an intimate portrait of his in-laws, highlighting the ways in which he has come to know his partner’s family, and has become part of their day-to-day traditions and rituals. Commenting on his win Luys says: ‘Photography has been an important way for me to further explore my surroundings. In my work, I relate to and take inspiration from the stories confided in me. I am touched and honoured that those big and small stories are reaching a wider audience and gaining further recognition, due to the Sony World Photography Awards.‘ 

YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR This year entrants to the Youth competition were invited to respond to the theme Through Your Eyes and share their unique understanding of the world around them. Selected from a shortlist of 10 photographers aged 19 and under, Daniel Murray (United Kingdom, 15 years-old) is the Youth Photographer of the Year, receiving Sony digital imaging kit and global exposure. Murray’s photograph of a solitary surfer on an empty Cornish beach captures the quiet atmosphere of the end of the summer season, and the expansive beach landscapes of the English seaside. Through its soft tones, the image captures the warm light of late summer. Commenting on his win, Murray says: ‘I'm very happy and proud of myself, as this is a great achievement as a young photographer. This motivates me to keep going and improve as a photographer. Thanks to the Sony World Photography Awards for this opportunity!’

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO PHOTOGRAPHY This year’s Outstanding Contribution to Photography prize has been awarded to the esteemed photographer Sebastião Salgado. One of the most accomplished photographers working today, Sebastião Salgado has achieved international acclaim for his remarkable black-and-white compositions captured over a career spanning more than 50 years. More than 40 images by the photographer will be on view at the Sony World Photography Awards 2024 exhibition at Somerset House. The selection, made by the photographer, highlights the key themes and milestones over the last five decades of his career, featuring works from his iconic early projects such as Gold (1986) and Workers (1993), and more recent bodies of work like Genesis (2011) and Amazônia (2019).