Sony World Photography Awards winners revealed

From haute-couture fashion in Kenya to high-stakes hunting in South America, this collection celebrates the very best in photography from around the world. Immerse yourself in the intimate lives of animals, experience Earth’s highest peaks via sophisticated drone photography, and celebrate the rich diversity of people and cultures of our planet.

Drawn from a staggering 395,000 submissions across more than 220 countries, the winners will go on to compete for the prestigious Open Photographer of the Year title and top prize. See the full set in our gallery below.

A zebra walks peacefully among a group of wildebeest in Kenya’s Masai Mara during the Great Migration. Picture: Pui Sun Tang

Sea Point Promenade in Cape Town stands as a testament to history, now embracing the diversity once denied by apartheid. Picture: Michelle Sank

Moonrise and drone lights reveal Scotland’s Old Man of Storr, showcasing the icy terrain amid a powerful blizzard. Picture: Liam Man

Horses race across thick snow in Inner Mongolia, China. Picture: Chee Kin Wong

In Nairobi, a model emulates haute couture for ‘Twende Ziwani’, a shoot evoking Lake Victoria’s grandeur. Picture: Alvin Kamau

A lone camel thorn tree is dwarfed by a massive sand dune in Sossusvlei, Namibia. Picture: Barry Crosthwaite

A jaguar savours a caiman after a swift battle in the heart of South America’s Pantanal. Picture: Ian Ford

On the last day of the Yellow Double Ducks exhibition at Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, a couple and their dog enjoy a quiet, rainy moment together. Picture: Carlo Yuen

Sir David Attenborough sits on a stool in the grounds where Charles Darwin wrote Origin of the Species. Picture: Mark Harrison

The Fairleigh Dickinson Knights men's basketball team completes its pre-game warm-up with a synchronised dunk in New Jersey. Picture: Ron Ratner

An aerial photo shows the Spanish city of Madrid. Picture: Huanzhen Yang

A close-up portrait of a bumblebee shows the details of its eye and antenna. Picture: Francis Principe-Gillespie

Boys jump from a rock into the ocean near the defensive walls of a colonial fortification in Sri Lanka. Picture: Ryszard Zembrzuski

Otters at play at a zoo in Texas during golden hour, with the setting sun casting a warm glow over the water’s surface. Picture: Jonathan McSwain

A graffiti gorilla grasps as a passer-by in a perfectly-timed shot. Picture: Apolo Sales

Ba Den Mountain is the tallest mountain in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. At its summit stands a 72m-tall Bodhisattva statue, the biggest of its type in Asia. Picture: Tran Tuan Viet

A convent of nuns mountain take a break while walking on Pic d'Orhy in the Pyrenees. Picture: Paul Robertson

Llamas survey the landscape during a chilly dawn at Torres del Paine in Chile’s Patagonia. Picture: Charles Janson

A drone captures the Allée des Baobabs in Madagascar during sunset, showcasing the trees’ majestic silhouettes against the vibrant sky. Picture: John Seager

At Edinburg’s Ole Time Festival in Virginia, a young pageant contestant shines in a street portrait during the parade festivities. Picture: Argus Paul Estabrook

A panoramic view across Vatnajokull National Park in Iceland. Picture: Juan Lopez Ruiz

After eight days at Burning Man festival, 72,000 participants endure an eight-hour queue to exit Black Rock City, Nevada. Picture: Todd Kennedy

In Cappadocia’s Goreme valley, early morning brings hot air balloons and spirited horses together. Picture: Sarah Wouters

Sir Ian McKellen prepares to play Mother Goose in a pantomime at the Duke of York Theatre in London’s West End. Picture: Frederic Aranda

Fishermen use bamboo traps in knee-deep water as they take part in a traditional fishing festival in Pabna, Bangladesh. Picture: Joy Saha

A great blue heron swallows its early morning catch in Madison, Alabama. Picture: Christopher Baker

The “Phoenix Fireworks” dazzle for a five minute display, marking the climax of the Nagaoka Fireworks Festival. Picture: Setsuna Kurouzu

A little dog waits patiently for his owner, fiercely guarding their pint. Picture: Picture: Sonia De Wit

Tegalsambi villagers in Jepara’s Tahunan district, Indonesia, uphold tradition with the ‘torch war’ ceremony. Picture: Herman Morrison

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, carrying the debated X-37B, crosses the Moon’s path. Picture: John Studwell

In Papua New Guinea, a boy and his father from the Insect Hunter tribe showcase their tradition of carrying fire for insect gathering. Picture: Tyler Schiffman

At dawn atop Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong’s highest point, a sea of fog transforms the cityscape into a surreal tableau of silhouetted skyscrapers. Picture: Siu Hang Andrew Tsang

A well-fed male bear cautiously surveys a walrus colony before wisely retreating. Picture: Elodie Ruelleux-Dagorne

Sun shines down on the Mailfell volcano in Iceland. Picture: Marco Capitanio

In Indonesia, a rare sight: a male orang-utan descends from the treetops to the forest floor to forage for ant nests. Picture: Jayaprakash Joghee Bojan

Pamplona, Spain, celebrates during the festival of San Fermin. Picture: Oscar Manso

A capybara visits a house in San Antonio in the Amazon rainforest, Peru. Picture: Sergio Attanasio

An aerial drone reveals the vibrant expanse of an open-air laundry along the Yamuna river, transforming the scene into a colourful tapestry. Picture: Alexandre Pietra

Naples celebrates its soccer team’s third Italian Championship in May 2023, after 33 years, with vibrant festivities and songs. Picture: Stefano Valerio