Opportunity for all photographers as 2019 Sony World Photography Awards launches UK and Irish National Awards

• UK and Irish National Award now open for entries, celebrating local photographic talent and promoting it to a global audience
• Experts from across the photography industry announced as 2019 jury
• New images available for publication available at www.worldphoto.org/press

The World Photography Organisation is delighted to announce that the UK and Irish National Awards are now open for entries. A longstanding part of the Sony World Photography Awards, the National Awards provide the unique opportunity for entrants of all levels, from more than 50 countries, to be recognised in an internationally renowned photography competition.

UK and Irish photographers who enter any of the Sony World Photography Awards’ ten Open categories will be automatically entered into the National Awards. Judges are looking for single images across categories including Architecture, Travel, Culture and Street Photography (see full list below).

The winner of the National Awards will not only receive Sony Imaging kit the image will be promoted globally and shown at the annual Sony World Photography Awards exhibition in London, April 2019.

Now in its 12th year, the Sony World Photography Awards celebrate the finest contemporary photography from the past 12 months across all genres of the medium. All entries are free at www.worldphoto.org/swpa. The Awards’ winning and shortlisted photographers can enjoy worldwide recognition and exposure in addition to cash prizes, the latest digital imaging equipment from Sony and inclusion in global exhibitions.

Announced today, the Awards is judged by a leading international panel of photography industry experts from across museums, publishing, media and festivals. The Open, Youth and National Awards competition’s Chair is Rebecca McClelland, Photography Director & Head of Art Production for Saatchi Saatchi & Prodigious (UK).

For full biographies please go to: https://www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/judges

Offering words of advice to entrants, 2019 Professional Competition Chair, Mike Trow says:

“What makes the Sony World Photography Awards so exciting is the range of subjects and global reach of the stories and images selected. My advice for entrants is to choose your categories carefully and believe in your story. Show how you see the world, and avoid cliché. Photography techniques and styles are getting more adventurous and dynamic, so technical excellence is also necessary. To impress this world-leading panel of judges will take your best output, and the ability to edit your work so it is coherent, dynamic and beautiful.”

Forthcoming deadlines and announcements

The closing dates for the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards are:

• November 30, 2018 (13.00 GMT) – Student competition
• January 4, 2019 (13.00 GMT) – Open, Youth and National Award competitions
• January 11, 2019 (13.00 GMT) – Professional competition

The Open and Youth shortlist for the Awards will be announced on February 5, 2019. The Open and National Awards winners will be announced February 26, 2019. The Professional and Student competitions’ shortlist will be announced on April 2, 2019. The Photographer of the Year, Overall Open, Student, Youth and Professional category winners will be announced April 17, 2019.

For all press enquiries please contact:

Press Department, World Photography Organisation

+ 44 (0) 20 7886 3043 / press@worldphoto.org

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NOTES TO EDITORS

2018 SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS COMPETITIONS & CATEGORIES – see full category descriptions here

• Professional - Judged on a body of work.

Categories: Architecture / Brief / Creative / Discovery / Documentary / Landscape / Natural World & Wildlife / Portraiture / Sport / Still Life

• Open - Judged on a single shot.

Categories: Architecture / Culture (supported by Culture Trip) / Creative / Motion / Landscape / Natural World & Wildlife / Portraiture / Still Life / Street Photography / Travel (supported by Eurostar)

• Youth - For photographers aged 12-19, judged on a single image responding to the brief of “Diversity”.
• Student - For all photographers studying photography, a body of work responding to one brief on the theme of “Evolution”.Shortlisted photographers then submit a series of images responding to a second brief.
• National Awards – Celebrating local photographic talent in more than 50 countries, judged upon a single image.

About World Photography Organisation
The World Photography Organisation is a global platform for photography initiatives. Working across up to 180 countries, our aim is to raise the level of conversation around photography by celebrating the best imagery and photographers on the planet. We pride ourselves on building lasting relationships with both individual photographers as well as our industry-leading partners around the world. The World Photography Organisation hosts a year-round portfolio of events including the Sony World Photography Awards, the world's largest photography competition, and PHOTOFAIRS, international art fairs dedicated to photography with destinations in Shanghai and San Francisco For more details see www.worldphoto.org