Wednesday 07 December, the World Photography Organisation, issues a last call for entries for the 2012 Sony World Photography Awards, the world’s most comprehensive photography competition. The deadline for entries is Wednesday 04 January 2012 giving photographers from across the world just four weeks left to enter.
The Sony World Photography Awards is free to enter and open to photographers of every ability, whose work will be judged by an esteemed panel including such international experts as curator & writer Susan Bright (2012 Chair of Judges) and Jon Jones, Director of Photography for the Sunday Times Magazine. The winner of the L’Iris d’Or/ Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year Award will receive $25,000 (USD) and the overall Open Competition winner, $5,000. All category winners will also be presented with Sony’s latest digital imaging products.
All shortlisted and winning images will be exhibited at a major exhibition at London’s Somerset House, to coincide with the award ceremony in April 2012. Furthermore, all winners will receive the invaluable support of the World Photography Organisation with their work featuring across the WPO website, in international exhibitions and inside the annual Sony World Photography Awards book, offering unparalleled exposure.
The competition has made a significant impact on the careers of many photographers around the world. 2011 L’Iris d’Or/ Sony World Photography Awards Professional Photographer of the Year, Alejandro Chaskielberg from Argentina, said:
‘The Sony World Photography Awards has had an important effect on my career, and since winning the award my work has been published worldwide. I was honoured to receive L’Iris d’Or this year and I would strongly encourage photographers everywhere -whatever their ability – to enter the competition.’
Astrid Merget, Creative Director of the World Photographer Organisation added:
‘Over the years, we have had the pleasure of watching winning photographers at various stages of their careers move forward with incredible success. This award can truly be a spring board for photographers who claim the recognition and capitalise on all the benefits and support it comes with.’
The 2012 Sony World Photography Awards is more comprehensive than ever before – with an extensive range of awards, appealing to photographers of different levels. In addition to the Professional and Open (amateur) competitions across categories ranging from travel and current affairs, to still life and people, other competitions include the Moving Image and 3D Award, Student Focus competition – for higher education photography students aged 18-28, and new for 2012, the Youth Award.
For a second year running the hugely successful festival, World Photo, London, and Sony World Photography Awards exhibitions will be held at Somerset House in London in April – May 2012. Billed as the global photographic event of the year, World Photo, London, and the Sony World Photography Awards, celebrates the very best in photography from around the world, from the next generation of emerging photographers through to the established masters of the art.
The opening weekend of World Photo, London, will be held at Somerset House from 27 – 30 April with selected events and the Sony World Photography Awards winners exhibitions, continuing through to 20 May 2012.
The annual Sony World Photography Awards ceremony and gala dinner will take place on 26 April at the Hilton Hotel in London’s Park Lane, where 2012 L’Iris d’Or/ Sony World Photography Awards Professional Photographer of the Year and Open Photographer of the Year will be announced.
Full details about the World Photography Organisation and Sony World Photography Awards can be found at: www.worldphoto.org
