‘Heading Down’. One of these riders was about to fall after he tried to stand on his horse’s back, but his colleague supported him and held his hand. This photograph was taken in the Sultanate of Oman, where horse races are still organised in the classic peer-to-peer racing tradition. © Abdulla AL-Mushaifri, Qatar, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘A Colourful Dream’. “I took this in a felt ball factory while I was shooting a documentary video. This small girl was curious about my camera, so while I was on a break I took her picture. I saw these felt balls lying on the ground and had the idea to photograph the little girl there, covered with the colourful material and asking her to close her eyes as if she were asleep. Image: © Bibek Kunwar, Nepal, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Fantasy Shapes’. A close-up photograph of an arrangement of dry leaves and a snail shell on a black tile. Image: © Lourens Durand, South Africa, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘At the Salon’. “I took this photograph in a salon, and was drawn to the way in which the girl’s green uniform seemed to be in conversation with the green of the wall. When I positioned her, I realised that the hair extensions hanging on the wall behind her, and her own short hair, covered by her beret, seemed to say something about a person shielded from the harrowing world of beauty ‘standards’.” Image: © Onyekachi Iloh, Nigeria, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Pabbajja Samanera’. The warm light of the lanterns illuminates the hearts of pabbajja novices in the courtyard of Borobudur temple, Indonesia. Image: © Dhiky Aditya, Indonesia, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Red Beauty’. “This picture is part of my Unattainable Beauty series, which explores the artificial creation of beauty. The ‘flower model’ was hand assembled using needles and wires, and photographed in the studio. I adjusted the saturation, contrast, colour and brightness in Capture One, then used Photoshop to remove the needles and wires and clean the picture.” Image: © Natalie Strohmaier, Germany, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘The Fisherman’s Life’. Inle Lake in Myanmar is known for its picturesque scenery. The local fishermen use a unique leg-rowing technique to propel their boats, and this photograph reveals a serene scene, as a couple fish beneath the shade of a majestic, sprawling tree. The reflections on the water add an extra touch of beauty to the moment. Image: © Kyaw Htet, Myanmar, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘To the Moon’. A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket transits the moon carrying the X-37B space plane into orbit. Shockwaves from the rocket cause a ripple effect across the moon. Image: © Pascal Fouquet, United States, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Light of a New Day’. A man walking along the beach towards Vestrahorn mountain in Iceland. Image: © Thanayu Jongwattanasilkul, Thailand, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

“Quiet Sea, Quiet People”. This photograph was taken in Dahab, Egypt, and captures a diver taking a deep breath in a very calm sea. Image: © Lee Jongkee, Korea, Republic Of, 1st Place, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Feathers in Focus’. “The European shag is a medium-sized seabird belonging to the cormorant family. I took this photograph during a winter trip to Hornoya island in Norway, which gave me the unique opportunity to capture the resilience and beauty of this remarkable bird in its natural habitat.” Image: © Mohammad Mirza, Kuwait, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Lost in Translation’. “This image was inspired by my favourite movie, Lost in Translation, which resonated with my sense of loneliness as a 20 year old. I had met the model in Paris the previous year and she came to Tokyo (where I live) on a sightseeing trip. We do not share a common language, but I had her stand in the crowd and photographed her ‘urban loneliness’.” Image: © Kenichiro Hagiwara, Japan, 1st Place, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

These Pashtun men run an open-air dried fruit market alongside the main road in Gujranwala City, Pakistan, in what is supposed to be a bus stop. It was captured on a bright, sunny day in winter and is a reflection of life in the city. Image: © Muhammad Saddique Inam, Pakistan, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Highest Mountain in the South of Vietnam’. With an elevation of 996 metres, Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh is the highest mountain in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. At its summit stands a Bodhisattva statue, which was cast from more than 170 tons of red bronze. At 72 metres tall it is the tallest bronze Buddha statue in Asia to be located on a mountain peak. Image: © Tran Tuan Viet, Vietnam, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’. “I captured this sunrise over Tehran in March. The sunlit building reminded me of the monolith in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.” Image: © Reginald James Lorico, Philippines, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Gas Station in Winter Garb’. “I took this photograph on my way home from work.” Image: © Tomáš Havrda, Czech Republic, Winner, Regional Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Fidel’. “My son, Fidel, a few days after he turned 20.” Image: © Marcos Azulay, Argentina, Winner, Latin America Regional Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Falling Out of Time’. Bathed in soft evening light, a lighthouse rises into the clear sky, its clean, sleek, geometric design contrasting with the coastal landscape. Positioned at its base is a figure – a contemplative man gazing out at the expanse of the ocean before him. The juxtaposition of the solitary silhouette against the infinite horizon creates a moment of reflection and connection with the vastness of the ocean. Image: © Ana Skobe, Slovenia, Winner, Regional Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘At the Border’. To find yourself at a border, having to leave your life and go looking for another one, is something that has become more and more common in recent years. Image: © Vladimir Karamazov, Bulgaria, Winner, Regional Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

A supermoon sits at the top of the Saudi Public Investment Fund tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Image : © Yasser Alomari, Saudi Arabia, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Approaching Danger’. A lone tree stands, in the vast expanse, A sentinel of resilience, in the dry dance. Beside, a puddle, a tiny oasis so dear, Mirroring the threat of drought drawing near. Image: © Okan Yilmaz, Turkey, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Elephant Sand Bath’. A sand bath protects an elephant’s skin against insect bites and keeps it warm in the cooler winter months. The fine sand found along the Narayani River makes a perfect ‘bath’. Image: © Ju Shen Lee, Singapore, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Tree of Life’. Photographed at a beach in Fujian province, China, this image serves as a metaphor for the ‘tree of life’: the receding tide leaves a trace that looks like the roots of a tree, while a local fisherwoman walks through it. Image: © Chia Jung Chou, Taiwan, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Child Sleeping at a Construction Site’. The young child of a daily wage construction worker napping in a makeshift bed at a construction site. Image: © Mitul Kajaria, India, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Rehearsal’. Competitors practise for Bon Om Touk, a traditional festival that is also known as the Cambodian Water Festival. Image: © Davuth Van, Cambodia, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Illuminated Sanctuary’.
“When I went to Loknath Brahmachari temple in Barodi, Narayanganj, Dhaka, Bangladesh, I observed this Temple and the way it was illuminated in the candlelights of the people, as well as the smoke from the burning candles.” Image: © Mahdin Shafiq Omi, Bangladesh, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘September’. Baltic Sea, Tuja. Image: © Viktors Rimarevs, Latvia, Winner, Regional Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024

‘Traffic Circle’. The design of the Pearl Ring Roundabout in Beijing, China, harmonises seamlessly with the detailed patterns of its surroundings. Image: © Lim Chien Ting, Malaysia, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2024 DM