Sony World Competition — Global photographers capturing distinctive lifestyles and creativity
The Sony World Competition announced the winners and shortlists for their 2026 open category awards. The Awards spotlights photographers telling the stories of our time. Here is the selection of images from the open competition in the creative and lifestyle categories.
Charlotte lies with 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. (Photo: Vanta Coda III, United States, Winner, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)
At dawn in Hokkaido, Japan, small boats harvest kombu, the ‘green gold’ of the northern seas, and a cornerstone of Japanese cooking. Giant kelp sways beneath calm waters around the island, growing for years before it is cut and dried. Each sheet reflects centuries of tradition, and Hokkaido’s enduring coastal identity. (Photo: Tomek Kozlowski, Poland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) A lazy summer afternoon at a lakeside camp site. Conversations drift, dishes wait to be washed, and time stretches slowly between shade, heat and rest. (Photo: Sebastian Szczepanowski, Poland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) This Sudanese family witnessed the horrors of war and fled, but the conflict left its mark on their young daughters. (Photo: Mustafa Shorbaji, Egypt, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) An homage to the grandeur of the Kingdom of Benin, where power, heritage and divinity intertwine. Red symbolises the sacred essence of royalty and the bloodline of warriors, while green represents the fertility of the land and the endurance of its people, and gold echoes the kingdom’s artistic and spiritual wealth. (Photo: Chukwudebelu Ojekwe, Nigeria, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) A group of models get ready for a fashion show in Medellín, Colombia. (Photo: Hernan Jaramillo, Colombia, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards) A family photographed at the end of J'ouvert, the early-morning opening ceremony of London’s Notting Hill carnival, where colourful powder and paint are thrown at one another. This family was heading to sleep, as they planned to rejoin the carnival later in the day. (Photo: Ethan Parker, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) Dame Judi Dench in her garden. (Photo: Charlie Clift, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) Gauchos prepare a traditional barbecue over an open fire. Barbecue cooked over an open fire is one of the greatest traditions of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and dates back to the cattle drovers, who saw in this practice a simple way to have their meals during the long work of conducting cattle. (Photo: Camila de Medeiros Fantinel, Brazil, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) A group of riders pass through the streets of a town in Chile during a gathering. A young boy rides alongside the adults, dressed in traditional clothing. This image captures a scene where everyday life, family and cultural tradition intersect, revealing how shared practices and customs are passed down. (Photo: Brian Arancibia, Chile, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) Three young mothers in their rugby kit stand after the final whistle has blown, each breastfeeding her baby. This tableau of strength and nurture, muscle and milk, competition and care shows a sporting world where motherhood isn’t an interruption but part of the playbook. (Photo: Anita Clark & Paul Wenham-Clarke, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) Magda, an 86-year-old former actress, sits in her bedroom full of memories. (Photo: Andreas Kanellopoulos, Greece, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) ‘Mugen Hoyo (Dreams, Phantoms, Bubbles, and Shadows) is a Buddhist term for impermanence.’ To create this image, the photographer applied dental chemicals to a Tokyo nightscape photograph, dissolving the ink to visualise decay. In this way, tools of creation were used to manifest destruction, highlighting the ambiguity of human endeavour and civilisation’s duality. (Photo: Toshio Ishido, Japan, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) 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.’ (Photo: Siavosh Ejlali, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Winner, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) A Persian carpet of a thousand patterns set against white snow. The warmth of the carpet’s traditional patterns creates a striking contrast with the silence and cold of nature. (Photo: Shabnam Maleki, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) The Pulse Within is a story about Shirley Elle and her connection to Vogue dance. It is part of a series where the photographer created a virtual world for voguers to showcase the beauty of the body, regardless of the time and space in which they live. Here, the dancer and her virtual avatar unite, imagining an endless performance, spanning universes. (Photo: Sai Ma, China Mainland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) Details of an ice cave in Iceland. (Photo: Marie-Line Dentler, France, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) This double exposure image was created near Yellowstone National Park, USA. The photographer aimed to create a contrast between something rough and sharp, and something fluid, moving and calm, so the first exposure was of a lake and the second was of the mountain range. (Photo: Maja Schubert, Germany, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) Unseen is a black-and-white series of faceless portraits and abstract close-ups of the female body, exploring its delicacy through light and shadow. The photographer and model were exploring a variety of poses and compositions, and the model moved her arm in front of her face, inspiring this photograph. (Photo: Jay Tang, Netherlands, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) This image was taken in Villa Epecuén, a small coastal village in Argentina that was under water for almost 30 years after a nearby dam collapsed in a storm. The photographer set the scene with a large-scale print of a photograph of a forest, contrasted with the dead trees on the beach, reflecting on the bond between humanity and nature. (Photo: Claudia Behrensen, Argentina, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) The main part of this image is a partial photograph of an ancient tree, and a new visual landscape is constructed in digital post-production. The photographer explains ‘a telescope is a useful item to give people a better view of the scenery.’ (Photo: Chen Zijun, China Mainland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) Some of the first ice forming on Lake Superior in North America. Like a chilly cauldron, the ice is thrown together to create an abstract image that the photographer notes ‘looks like electricity.’ This photograph was taken during a snow storm, and the streaks of the snowflakes add to the chaos. (Photo: Cameron Wilcox, United States, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) Prodromal is a medical term describing the subtle signs that appear before a condition fully reveals itself. The photographer describes how ‘the image gently points to the importance of paying attention to the early, quiet symptoms of depression in our loved ones and in ourselves, before they deepen into silence or become trapped in their window of thought’. (Photo: Ben Mozafari, Canada, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) This photograph was taken in the Hoanib Valley in northwestern Namibia. During dry periods, desert elephants seek out the Ana trees for their pods. The elephants do not break the trees, though, but instead trim them using their trunks; they are the gardeners of this gorgeous, harsh environment. (Photo: Anne-Marie Etienne, France, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) This photograph was captured in a modern architectural space in Tehran. The final image is composed of three photographs, all taken on location, and later merged. (Photo: Ali Zolghadri, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026) Following rainfall near an industrial zone, a discarded plastic bottle floats within a swirling, iridescent oil slick. The photographer explains the vibrant, psychedelic patterns created by the chemical runoff mimic a beautiful abstract painting, ‘serving as a haunting visual metaphor for the environmental poison hidden beneath a colourful surface.’ (Photo: Abdulla AL-Mushaifri, Oman, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)
/file/attachments/orphans/TomekKozlowskiPolandShortlistOpenCompetitionLifestyleSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026copy_583782.jpg "At dawn in Hokkaido, Japan, small boats harvest kombu, the ‘green gold’ of the northern seas, and a cornerstone of Japanese cooking. Giant kelp sways beneath calm waters around the island, growing for years before it is cut and dried. Each sheet reflects centuries of tradition, and Hokkaido’s enduring coastal identity. (Photo: Tomek Kozlowski, Poland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/SebastianSzczepanowskiPolandShortlistOpenCompetitionLifestyleSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_133118.jpg "A lazy summer afternoon at a lakeside camp site. Conversations drift, dishes wait to be washed, and time stretches slowly between shade, heat and rest. (Photo: Sebastian Szczepanowski, Poland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/MustafaShorbajiEgyptShortlistOpenCompetitionLifestyleSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_756960.jpg "This Sudanese family witnessed the horrors of war and fled, but the conflict left its mark on their young daughters. (Photo: Mustafa Shorbaji, Egypt, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/2988/Screenshot2026-03-24at162253_297545.png "An homage to the grandeur of the Kingdom of Benin, where power, heritage and divinity intertwine. Red symbolises the sacred essence of royalty and the bloodline of warriors, while green represents the fertility of the land and the endurance of its people, and gold echoes the kingdom’s artistic and spiritual wealth. (Photo: Chukwudebelu Ojekwe, Nigeria, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/HernanJaramilloColombiaShortlistOpenCompetitionLifestyle2026SonyWorldPhotographyAwardscopy_742665.jpg "A group of models get ready for a fashion show in Medellín, Colombia. (Photo: Hernan Jaramillo, Colombia, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards)")
/file/attachments/orphans/EthanParkerUnitedKingdomShortlistOpenCompetitionLifestyleSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_984587.jpg "A family photographed at the end of J'ouvert, the early-morning opening ceremony of London’s Notting Hill carnival, where colourful powder and paint are thrown at one another. This family was heading to sleep, as they planned to rejoin the carnival later in the day. (Photo: Ethan Parker, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/CharlieCliftUnitedKingdomShortlistOpenCompetitionLifestyleSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_580524.jpg "Dame Judi Dench in her garden. (Photo: Charlie Clift, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/CamiladeMedeirosFantinelBrazilShortlistOpenCompetitionLifestyleSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026copy_271311.jpg "Gauchos prepare a traditional barbecue over an open fire. Barbecue cooked over an open fire is one of the greatest traditions of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and dates back to the cattle drovers, who saw in this practice a simple way to have their meals during the long work of conducting cattle. (Photo: Camila de Medeiros Fantinel, Brazil, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/BrianArancibiaChileShortlistOpenCompetitionLifestyleSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_211444.jpeg "A group of riders pass through the streets of a town in Chile during a gathering. A young boy rides alongside the adults, dressed in traditional clothing. This image captures a scene where everyday life, family and cultural tradition intersect, revealing how shared practices and customs are passed down. (Photo: Brian Arancibia, Chile, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/AnitaClarkPaulWenham-ClarkeUnitedKingdomShortlistOpenCompetitionLifestyleSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026copy_759225.jpg "Three young mothers in their rugby kit stand after the final whistle has blown, each breastfeeding her baby. This tableau of strength and nurture, muscle and milk, competition and care shows a sporting world where motherhood isn’t an interruption but part of the playbook. (Photo: Anita Clark & Paul Wenham-Clarke, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/AndreasKanellopoulosGreeceShortlistOpenCompetitionLifestyleSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_498398.jpeg "Magda, an 86-year-old former actress, sits in her bedroom full of memories. (Photo: Andreas Kanellopoulos, Greece, Shortlist, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/ToshioIshidoJapanShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_343394.jpg "‘Mugen Hoyo (Dreams, Phantoms, Bubbles, and Shadows) is a Buddhist term for impermanence.’ To create this image, the photographer applied dental chemicals to a Tokyo nightscape photograph, dissolving the ink to visualise decay. In this way, tools of creation were used to manifest destruction, highlighting the ambiguity of human endeavour and civilisation’s duality. (Photo: Toshio Ishido, Japan, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/SiavoshEjlaliIranIslamicRepublicOfWinnerOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_903658.jpg "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.’ (Photo: Siavosh Ejlali, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Winner, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/ShabnamMalekiIranIslamicRepublicOfShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_610452.jpg "A Persian carpet of a thousand patterns set against white snow. The warmth of the carpet’s traditional patterns creates a striking contrast with the silence and cold of nature. (Photo: Shabnam Maleki, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/SaiMaChinaMainlandShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_681305.jpg "The Pulse Within is a story about Shirley Elle and her connection to Vogue dance. It is part of a series where the photographer created a virtual world for voguers to showcase the beauty of the body, regardless of the time and space in which they live. Here, the dancer and her virtual avatar unite, imagining an endless performance, spanning universes. (Photo: Sai Ma, China Mainland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/Marie-LineDentlerFranceShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_565938.jpg "Details of an ice cave in Iceland. (Photo: Marie-Line Dentler, France, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/MajaSchubertGermanyShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_816967.jpeg "This double exposure image was created near Yellowstone National Park, USA. The photographer aimed to create a contrast between something rough and sharp, and something fluid, moving and calm, so the first exposure was of a lake and the second was of the mountain range. (Photo: Maja Schubert, Germany, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/JayTangNetherlandsShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026copy_561148.jpg "Unseen is a black-and-white series of faceless portraits and abstract close-ups of the female body, exploring its delicacy through light and shadow. The photographer and model were exploring a variety of poses and compositions, and the model moved her arm in front of her face, inspiring this photograph. (Photo: Jay Tang, Netherlands, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/ClaudiaBehrensenArgentinaShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_132645.jpg "This image was taken in Villa Epecuén, a small coastal village in Argentina that was under water for almost 30 years after a nearby dam collapsed in a storm. The photographer set the scene with a large-scale print of a photograph of a forest, contrasted with the dead trees on the beach, reflecting on the bond between humanity and nature. (Photo: Claudia Behrensen, Argentina, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/ChenZijunChinaMainlandShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_217528.jpg "The main part of this image is a partial photograph of an ancient tree, and a new visual landscape is constructed in digital post-production. The photographer explains ‘a telescope is a useful item to give people a better view of the scenery.’ (Photo: Chen Zijun, China Mainland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/CameronWilcoxUnitedStatesShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_910529.jpg "Some of the first ice forming on Lake Superior in North America. Like a chilly cauldron, the ice is thrown together to create an abstract image that the photographer notes ‘looks like electricity.’ This photograph was taken during a snow storm, and the streaks of the snowflakes add to the chaos. (Photo: Cameron Wilcox, United States, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/BenMozafariCanadaShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_458237.jpeg "Prodromal is a medical term describing the subtle signs that appear before a condition fully reveals itself. The photographer describes how ‘the image gently points to the importance of paying attention to the early, quiet symptoms of depression in our loved ones and in ourselves, before they deepen into silence or become trapped in their window of thought’. (Photo: Ben Mozafari, Canada, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/Anne-MarieEtienneFranceShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_998424.jpg "This photograph was taken in the Hoanib Valley in northwestern Namibia. During dry periods, desert elephants seek out the Ana trees for their pods. The elephants do not break the trees, though, but instead trim them using their trunks; they are the gardeners of this gorgeous, harsh environment. (Photo: Anne-Marie Etienne, France, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/AliZolghadriIranIslamicRepublicOfShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_678261.jpg "This photograph was captured in a modern architectural space in Tehran. The final image is composed of three photographs, all taken on location, and later merged. (Photo: Ali Zolghadri, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
/file/attachments/orphans/AbdullaAL-MushaifriOmanShortlistOpenCompetitionCreativeSonyWorldPhotographyAwards2026_782320.jpg "Following rainfall near an industrial zone, a discarded plastic bottle floats within a swirling, iridescent oil slick. The photographer explains the vibrant, psychedelic patterns created by the chemical runoff mimic a beautiful abstract painting, ‘serving as a haunting visual metaphor for the environmental poison hidden beneath a colourful surface.’ (Photo: Abdulla AL-Mushaifri, Oman, Shortlist, Open Competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)")
Charlotte lies with 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. (Photo: Vanta Coda III, United States, Winner, Open Competition, Lifestyle, Sony World Photography Awards 2026)