I ritratti libici di Edgar Martin vincono il Sony World Photography Award

di Stefano Biolchini

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All’italiano Alessandro Cinque è andato il premio nella nuova categoria Sustainability Prize

14 aprile 2023

3' di lettura

Londra. Gli evocativi e intensamente narrativi ritratti libici “in memoriam” del fotografo portoghese Edgar Martin conquistano il Sony World Photography Awards 2023. Ad essere premiato il progetto “Our War” che Martins ha dedicato al fotoreporter Anton Hammerl, rapito e giustiziato il 5 aprile 2011 dalle milizie governative durante la guerra civile libica. Nell’impossibilità di rinvenire i resti mortali di Hammerl e di condurre un’indagine approfondita sulla fine dell’amico, il fotografo portoghese ha deciso di spostare la propria indagine su una riflessione dai contorni “più metafisici”, e di sicura portata universale, quali il tema dell’assenza e del lutto, oltre che quello della memoria. Ecco dunque che i volti ritratti, e sono quelli dei guerriglieri pro o contro Gheddafi, e di persone comuni incontrate per caso, fermati alla scarna ombra delle palme, tra gli intrichi di giunchi, armati in tuta mimetica o in pose altamente allusive, ricompongono attraverso una sorta di meta-ritratto-collage il “volto impossibile” dell’amico perduto e della guerra che già lui avrebbe voluto raccontare.

SWPA: le foto in concorso

63 foto

La fotografa Rinko Kawauchi (Gettyimages)▲

Photographer Name: Andres Gallardo Albajar Image Name: Muralla Roja Year: 2023 Image Description: Copyright: © Andres Gallardo Albajar, Spain, Finalist, Professional competition, Architecture & Design, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Andres Gallardo Albajar Image Name: Muralla Roja Year: 2023 Image Description: As the sun was coming out and the day was taking over, I started to feel that my visit was coming to an end, but I was running high on excitement and everywhere I looked I found interesting new photographs. Series Name: In Memoriam: Muralla Roja by Ricardo Bofill Series Description: Designed by Ricardo Bofill, the Muralla Roja apartment complex is one of the most iconic pieces of Spanish architecture. Over the years I have revisited this place to photograph it again and again. On my last visit, in December 2021, my goal was to create a totally different series by capturing the Muralla Roja during the day, at sunset, at night and at sunrise. I started shooting very early in the morning and continued well into the night. I then woke early to experience an unforgettable sunrise. Sadly, Bofill passed away just a few weeks after my visit, so I consider this series to be a personal tribute to him and his legacy. Copyright: © Andres Gallardo Albajar, Spain, Finalist, Professional competition, Architecture & Design, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Servaas Van Belle Image Name: Stal Year: 2023 Image Description: Remagne, Belgium. Series Name: Stal - Vernacular Animal Sheds Series Description: Livestock shelters in fields are so common in the Belgian landscape that nobody pays them much attention, but the countryside offers a range of architectural gems in many shapes, materials and colours. For five years I criss-crossed Belgium to find just the right kind of shed, carefully listing them so I was prepared to photograph them in ‘perfect' lighting conditions, by which I mean dense fog. The fog was necessary to isolate and valorise the construction – without it, the shed is just an extra in the landscape. As fog is unpredictable, I never knew how long it would last, and the project took several years to complete. In a way, a photograph of a weather-beaten shed is an allegory for our lives: we all muddle on, we try our best, we carry the scars and we all die horizontally in the end. Humans harbour a deep longing for shelter, warmth and security and that is perhaps what makes these wondrous little structures so human. Copyright: © Servaas Van Belle, Belgium, Finalist, Professional competition, Architecture & Design, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Servaas Van Belle Image Name: Stal Year: 2023 Image Description: Menen, Belgium. Series Name: Stal - Vernacular Animal Sheds Series Description: Livestock shelters in fields are so common in the Belgian landscape that nobody pays them much attention, but the countryside offers a range of architectural gems in many shapes, materials and colours. For five years I criss-crossed Belgium to find just the right kind of shed, carefully listing them so I was prepared to photograph them in ‘perfect' lighting conditions, by which I mean dense fog. The fog was necessary to isolate and valorise the construction – without it, the shed is just an extra in the landscape. As fog is unpredictable, I never knew how long it would last, and the project took several years to complete. In a way, a photograph of a weather-beaten shed is an allegory for our lives: we all muddle on, we try our best, we carry the scars and we all die horizontally in the end. Humans harbour a deep longing for shelter, warmth and security and that is perhaps what makes these wondrous little structures so human. Copyright: © Servaas Van Belle, Belgium, Finalist, Professional competition, Architecture & Design, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Fan Li Image Name: Cement Factory Year: 2023 Image Description: Cement factory Series Name: Cement Factory Series Description: Tieshan Cement Factory is located in Guilin City in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China. The factory was built in 1996 and played an important role in Guilin's economic development and urban construction. However, because it was originally located in the Li River Scenic Area of Guilin, the cement factory has now been relocated, leaving behind the old buildings, water towers, pools and railway tracks. Copyright: © Fan Li, China Mainland, Finalist, Professional competition, Architecture & Design, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Fan Li Image Name: Cement Factory Year: 2023 Image Description: Cement factory Series Name: Cement Factory Series Description: Tieshan Cement Factory is located in Guilin City in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China. The factory was built in 1996 and played an important role in Guilin's economic development and urban construction. However, because it was originally located in the Li River Scenic Area of Guilin, the cement factory has now been relocated, leaving behind the old buildings, water towers, pools and railway tracks. Copyright: © Fan Li, China Mainland, Finalist, Professional competition, Architecture & Design, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Lee-Ann Olwage Image Name: Michealle Naeku Year: 2023 Image Description: Portrait of 12-year-old Michealle Naeku, a student at Kakenya's Dream school in Enoosaen, Kenya. Naeku is an avid reader and dreams of becoming a nurse. The flowers are used to create a playful world where girls are shown exuding pride and joy. In this way the flowers are also used to reclaim their futures and dreams, and to re-imagine the narrative of child marriage. Series Name: The Right To Play Series Description: What do girls dream of? And what happens when a supportive environment is created where girls are empowered and given the opportunity to learn and dream? The Right to Play creates a playful world where girls are shown in an empowered and affirming way. Worldwide, it is estimated that around 129 million girls are out of school and only 49 percent of countries have achieved gender parity in primary education, with the gap widening at secondary school level. Every day, girls face barriers to education caused by poverty, cultural norms and practices such as FGM, poor infrastructure and violence. For this project, I worked with girls from Kakenya's Dream in Enoosaen, Kenya who have avoided FGM and child marriage, showing what the world can look like when girls are given the opportunity to continue learning in an environment that supports them and their dreams. Copyright: © Lee-Ann Olwage, South Africa, Finalist, Professional competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Lee-Ann Olwage Image Name: Purity Ntetia Lopores Year: 2023 Image Description: Portrait of Purity Ntetia Lopores, 14, a student at Kakenya's Dream school, who says: ‘I love art and would love to pursue music in the future.' The flowers are used to create a playful world where girls are shown exuding pride and joy and in this way the flowers are also used to reclaim their futures and dreams and to re-imagine the narrative of child marriage. Series Name: The Right To Play Series Description: What do girls dream of? And what happens when a supportive environment is created where girls are empowered and given the opportunity to learn and dream? The Right to Play creates a playful world where girls are shown in an empowered and affirming way. Worldwide, it is estimated that around 129 million girls are out of school and only 49 percent of countries have achieved gender parity in primary education, with the gap widening at secondary school level. Every day, girls face barriers to education caused by poverty, cultural norms and practices such as FGM, poor infrastructure and violence. For this project, I worked with girls from Kakenya's Dream in Enoosaen, Kenya who have avoided FGM and child marriage, showing what the world can look like when girls are given the opportunity to continue learning in an environment that supports them and their dreams. Copyright: © Lee-Ann Olwage, South Africa, Finalist, Professional competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Edoardo Delille & Giulia Piermartiri Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Márcia Sambo in front of her house on Inhaca island, Mozambique. Most of Mozambique's 3.2 million subsistence farmers grow cereals and pulses in resource-poor environments where crops are rain-fed. This makes them extremely vulnerable to rising temperatures and erratic rainfall. Series Name: Africa Blues Series Description: What will the atlas that future generations study look like? How can a photograph show the future? Due to climate change, some of the most radical transformations to the world map will be visible in just a few decades. Our idea was to find a way to show what the landscape might look like in some places at the end of the century, compared to the world we live in today. Mozambique is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries. Droughts, floods and sudden storms are episodes that now alternate and repeat themselves every year, radically altering the morphology of the landscape. Using a special slide projector, we physically projected an image of the landscape's possible transformation onto the land itself. The result is a series of complex and dreamlike photographs that become a metaphoric projection of a not-too-distant future. Copyright: © Edoardo Delille Giulia Piermartiri, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Edoardo Delille & Giulia Piermartiri Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Urban fields, Jaulane, Mozambique. Fernando Nhaca (49) is a farmer and woodworker who works in the fields to support his wife and their four children. Cyclones, sudden storms and droughts are just a few examples of episodes that are repeated every year. These events particularly affect rural and marginal areas, exacerbating food security problems in smallholder farming communities. Series Name: Africa Blues Series Description: What will the atlas that future generations study look like? How can a photograph show the future? Due to climate change, some of the most radical transformations to the world map will be visible in just a few decades. Our idea was to find a way to show what the landscape might look like in some places at the end of the century, compared to the world we live in today. Mozambique is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries. Droughts, floods and sudden storms are episodes that now alternate and repeat themselves every year, radically altering the morphology of the landscape. Using a special slide projector, we physically projected an image of the landscape's possible transformation onto the land itself. The result is a series of complex and dreamlike photographs that become a metaphoric projection of a not-too-distant future. Copyright: © Edoardo Delille Giulia Piermartiri, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Noemi Comi Image Name: Lupus Hominarius Year: 2023 Image Description: In Satriano, Italy, it was believed that ’u’ lupu pampanu’ had a very light coat of fur, tending to white. It was often mistaken for a goat. Series Name: Lupus Hominarius Series Description: Lupus Hominarius refers to the legends and folk tales of Calabria, Italy, surrounding the figure of the werewolf. According to folklore you could become a werewolf as a result of a curse, or through infections, bites or pacts with the devil. The legend shared by many towns in Calabria relates to the ‘first wedding night', in which the bride dies at the hands of her werewolf husband while the two are consummating their marriage. Very often, such tales were created to prevent women from going out alone in the village, especially at night. People would take advantage of these tales by wearing wolf masks to instil fear in local residents, preventing them from leaving their homes while they rob the village cellars. Lupus Hominarius offers a contemporary reading of the myths surrounding werewolves, recreating partial and ambiguous scenarios. Copyright: © Noemi Comi, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Noemi Comi Image Name: Lupus Hominarius Year: 2023 Image Description: The Lycanthrope of Nicastro, daughter of Baron Arena and wife of the Count of Misano. After making her nature known, the woman was locked up inside the family castle and later burned alive. Series Name: Lupus Hominarius Series Description: Lupus Hominarius refers to the legends and folk tales of Calabria, Italy, surrounding the figure of the werewolf. According to folklore you could become a werewolf as a result of a curse, or through infections, bites or pacts with the devil. The legend shared by many towns in Calabria relates to the ‘first wedding night', in which the bride dies at the hands of her werewolf husband while the two are consummating their marriage. Very often, such tales were created to prevent women from going out alone in the village, especially at night. People would take advantage of these tales by wearing wolf masks to instil fear in local residents, preventing them from leaving their homes while they rob the village cellars. Lupus Hominarius offers a contemporary reading of the myths surrounding werewolves, recreating partial and ambiguous scenarios. Copyright: © Noemi Comi, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Mohammed Salem Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Kamilia Kuhail (35) looks after her 2-month-old son, Ahmed, in Sheikh Shaban cemetery in Gaza City, where she lives with her family. The Kuhail family's house was built on the graves of two unknown people whose remains are now buried under the foundations. ‘If the dead could talk, they would tell us to get out of here', says Kamilia. Series Name: Gaza struggles to accommodate the living and the dead as the population grows Series Description: While the authorities grapple with a growing demand for new housing in the densely populated Gaza Strip, a battle for space is pitting the living against the dead, as homeless squatters settle in the area's cemeteries, The pressure on space in the cemeteries reflects a mounting demographic crisis in Gaza, where the population is set to more than double within the next 30 years. Land is running out and competition for scarce Gaza real estate is understandably fierce, with an ever-increasing demand for both housing and farming land to help feed the growing population. Now, even the dead are affected, as their resting places are pressured by squatters and the relentless realities of a growing population with nowhere else to go. Copyright: © Mohammed Salem, State of Palestine, Finalist, Professional competition, Documentary Projects, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Mohammed Salem Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Khadija Kuhail (30), holds her son, Mohanad (1), in the doorway of their family home at Sheikh Shaban cemetery. Visitors have to climb three steps to get into the sparsely furnished house, where they encounter a strong smell. Kamilia Kuhail calls it ‘the smell of death'. Series Name: Gaza struggles to accommodate the living and the dead as the population grows Series Description: While the authorities grapple with a growing demand for new housing in the densely populated Gaza Strip, a battle for space is pitting the living against the dead, as homeless squatters settle in the area's cemeteries, The pressure on space in the cemeteries reflects a mounting demographic crisis in Gaza, where the population is set to more than double within the next 30 years. Land is running out and competition for scarce Gaza real estate is understandably fierce, with an ever-increasing demand for both housing and farming land to help feed the growing population. Now, even the dead are affected, as their resting places are pressured by squatters and the relentless realities of a growing population with nowhere else to go. Copyright: © Mohammed Salem, State of Palestine, Finalist, Professional competition, Documentary Projects, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Tariq Zaidi Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: A man carries a large fish on his head from the old port to the nearby Hamar Weyne fish market in Mogadishu, Somalia. This market is the busiest in the city due to its proximity to the port. Series Name: Inside the Hamar Weyne Fish Market - the Heart of Mogadishu, Somalia Series Description: The Hamar Weyne fish market, in the heart of Mogadishu, is a vital hub for the fish trade. Located just a few metres from the old port, it is the busiest and most important fish market in the city, with hundreds of fishermen relying on it to sell their catch. Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing civil war and a lack of investment in the sector, the market remains a key source of employment and economic activity. Copyright: © Tariq Zaidi, United Kingdom, Finalist, Professional competition, Documentary Projects, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Tariq Zaidi Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: A man carries a large fish through the auction area of the Hamar Weyne fish market. Series Name: Inside the Hamar Weyne Fish Market - the Heart of Mogadishu, Somalia Series Description: The Hamar Weyne fish market, in the heart of Mogadishu, is a vital hub for the fish trade. Located just a few metres from the old port, it is the busiest and most important fish market in the city, with hundreds of fishermen relying on it to sell their catch. Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing civil war and a lack of investment in the sector, the market remains a key source of employment and economic activity. Copyright: © Tariq Zaidi, United Kingdom, Finalist, Professional competition, Documentary Projects, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Jonas Kakó Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: The water level of Lake Mead has decreased drastically over the last few years. Arizona/Nevada, November 2021 Series Name: The Dying River Series Description: The Colorado River once stretched for more than 2,000km (1,200 miles) across the western United States, from the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California. However, extensive agriculture, dams, huge canal systems and the diversion of water to growing cities in the desert have changed the river, which has been drying up and no longer reaches the delta. Today, more than 44 million people depend on the water of the Colorado, but less snowfall in the mountains has intensified the struggle for water rights, with farmers having to file for bankruptcy and hedge funds buying farms to get their water rights. Copyright: © Jonas Kakó, Germany, Finalist, Professional competition, Environment, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Jonas Kakó Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Antonia Torres Gonzáles on the banks of the Colorado near El Mayor, Mexico. Antonia fears that with the river and its fish both disappearing, the traditions of the Cucupá will fade, as younger people of the tribe move away to find work. Antonia tries to preserve their culture by teaching the young generations beadwork and rituals. Series Name: The Dying River Series Description: The Colorado River once stretched for more than 2,000km (1,200 miles) across the western United States, from the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California. However, extensive agriculture, dams, huge canal systems and the diversion of water to growing cities in the desert have changed the river, which has been drying up and no longer reaches the delta. Today, more than 44 million people depend on the water of the Colorado, but less snowfall in the mountains has intensified the struggle for water rights, with farmers having to file for bankruptcy and hedge funds buying farms to get their water rights. Copyright: © Jonas Kakó, Germany, Finalist, Professional competition, Environment, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Madeline Akida speaks while a soldier looks on during a dialogue event between local women and a Congolese army commando unit stationed at a garrison nearby. Peace activists hosted a dialogue between the military garrison and local communities to share grievances openly and resolve tensions to prevent community violence. Beni, North Kivu Province, DRC. Series Name: The Women's Peace Movement in Congo.o. Series Description: Nearly 20 years on from a conflict that killed five million people and upended tenfold more lives, the Democratic Republic of Congo is once again sliding into chaos. As renewed conflict with the M23 rebels, massacres and regional militarisation caught the world's attention this year, the vital contribution of women to peace remains invisible. Despite escalating violence, some women are working to create dialogue between armed actors and communities. They track human rights violations, warn of impending violence and plead with rebel leaders to stop attacks. In doing so, they take immense risks. Pairing rare visuals of the frontlines with portraits and in-depth stories from women, this long-term project follows activists as they mobilise. While media crews come in briefly to shoot scenes of war and displacement, I have spent many months in hard to access areas covering conflict and documenting the slow work of peace from a unique perspective. Copyright: © Hugh Kinsella Cunningham, United Kingdom, Finalist, Professional competition, Documentary Projects, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Peace activist Liberata Buratwa. ‘I have been working for peace since I was very young', she says. In 2008, at the height of a spate of massacres, Liberata led a delegation of women to meet Laurent Nkunda, the leader of the CNDP rebel group. ‘We told him, “my son, rebellion will lead you nowhere, the bush is for the animals, not for the people”'. Rutshuru, North Kivu Province, DRC. Series Name: The Women's Peace Movement in Congo.o. Series Description: Nearly 20 years on from a conflict that killed five million people and upended tenfold more lives, the Democratic Republic of Congo is once again sliding into chaos. As renewed conflict with the M23 rebels, massacres and regional militarisation caught the world's attention this year, the vital contribution of women to peace remains invisible. Despite escalating violence, some women are working to create dialogue between armed actors and communities. They track human rights violations, warn of impending violence and plead with rebel leaders to stop attacks. In doing so, they take immense risks. Pairing rare visuals of the frontlines with portraits and in-depth stories from women, this long-term project follows activists as they mobilise. While media crews come in briefly to shoot scenes of war and displacement, I have spent many months in hard to access areas covering conflict and documenting the slow work of peace from a unique perspective. Copyright: © Hugh Kinsella Cunningham, United Kingdom, Finalist, Professional competition, Documentary Projects, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Marisol Mendez & Federico Kaplan Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: A group of Wayuu children in Polumacho with Emilio, the leader of the village, in November 2021. Emilio told us: ‘At the moment we don't have enough water; what water we do have we can't use for drinking. The times of drought have always been difficult. That happens in the months of January, February, from then for about three or four months. If the year goes by and it doesn't rain, it is very difficult.' Series Name: Miruku Series Description: Miruku focuses on the Wayuus, an indigenous population from La Guajira, Colombia's coastal desert. Commissioned by 1854/British Journal of Photography and WaterAid, the project examines how a combination of climate change issues and human negligence have led its various members to experience a stifling water shortage. In the region, the problem is cyclical and polymorphous. While some communities can achieve certain stability during rainy seasons, temperatures are bound to rise, drying up the land again. Global warming only aggravates this, causing droughts and famine, and spoiling the facilities and installations that help source clean water. We framed the story from a female perspective to get a better understanding of how gender inequality and climate vulnerability interrelate. We sought to highlight the strength and resourcefulness of the Wayuu women, as we found it inspiring that, even under such conditions, they have established themselves as community leaders, teachers and climate activists. Through our diptychs we wanted to convey a visual balance between a raw and a lyrical documentation, and achieve a nuanced portrayal of a multihued situation. Copyright: © Marisol Mendez (Bolivia) & Federico Kaplan (Argentina), Finalist, Professional competition, Environment, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Marisol Mendez & Federico Kaplan Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Left: Nina (7), a girl from Polumacho, displays the stickers she got for completing her colouring activities. Right: A dead bird at the door of a house in Pesuapa. For the Wayuu communities, women are authorities, artisans, carers, providers – and ultimately – water defenders. Many Wayuu women travel for hours to source water from wells or natural aquifers called jagüeyes. Series Name: Miruku Series Description: Miruku focuses on the Wayuus, an indigenous population from La Guajira, Colombia's coastal desert. Commissioned by 1854/British Journal of Photography and WaterAid, the project examines how a combination of climate change issues and human negligence have led its various members to experience a stifling water shortage. In the region, the problem is cyclical and polymorphous. While some communities can achieve certain stability during rainy seasons, temperatures are bound to rise, drying up the land again. Global warming only aggravates this, causing droughts and famine, and spoiling the facilities and installations that help source clean water. We framed the story from a female perspective to get a better understanding of how gender inequality and climate vulnerability interrelate. We sought to highlight the strength and resourcefulness of the Wayuu women, as we found it inspiring that, even under such conditions, they have established themselves as community leaders, teachers and climate activists. Through our diptychs we wanted to convey a visual balance between a raw and a lyrical documentation, and achieve a nuanced portrayal of a multihued situation. Copyright: © Marisol Mendez (Bolivia) & Federico Kaplan (Argentina), Finalist, Professional competition, Environment, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

hotographer Name: Kacper Kowalski Image Name: Woodland Kids Year: 2023 Image Description: From a height of around 100 metres (330 feet), a frozen lake reveals fox tracks, streaks of fresh snow and dark structures of wet ice; the holes and bush-like forms are caused by methane bubbling up. I didn't know what I would see when I was flying – I allowed instinct to take over, like a bird taking off from its nest. Series Name: Event Horizon Series Description: At the start of winter I set out on a journey in search of harmony. Driven by instinct, I ventured further and further until I passed the boundaries of rationality. Whether it was fog or snow, frost or thaw, I took to the sky to see if it was possible to fly. When I could, I flew over frozen bodies of water, fascinated by their icy forms. Between January and March I made 76 solo flights in a gyrocopter or a motorised paraglider, covering around 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles) and spending 200 hours in the air. My photographs were taken from a height of approximately 50-150 metres (165-495 feet) above bodies of water near Tricity in northern Poland. Copyright: © Kacper Kowalski, Poland, Finalist, Professional competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Kacper Kowalski Image Name: The Sound of the Night Year: 2023 Image Description: The surface of old ice on a lake in northern Poland. Sometimes my dog hears the sounds of the forest, pricks up his ears and feels nature's call. I wonder how much of the wild wolf remains in him. And then I look in the mirror and wonder how much of the natural wildness remains in people? Series Name: Event Horizon Series Description: At the start of winter I set out on a journey in search of harmony. Driven by instinct, I ventured further and further until I passed the boundaries of rationality. Whether it was fog or snow, frost or thaw, I took to the sky to see if it was possible to fly. When I could, I flew over frozen bodies of water, fascinated by their icy forms. Between January and March I made 76 solo flights in a gyrocopter or a motorised paraglider, covering around 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles) and spending 200 hours in the air. My photographs were taken from a height of approximately 50-150 metres (165-495 feet) above bodies of water near Tricity in northern Poland. Copyright: © Kacper Kowalski, Poland, Finalist, Professional competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Bruno Zanzottera Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: A warning to careless drivers along the road between the northern province of Kunduz and Kabul. Series Name: Postcards from Afghanistan after forty years of war Series Description: Central Asia was once traversed by numerous peoples, traders and armies. Afghanistan was at the heart of this world, as it welcomed those who travelled across Asia, yet arguably none of the invaders ever completely left. These images document a journey through Afghanistan after 40 years of war and four years of drought. Copyright: © Bruno Zanzottera, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Bruno Zanzottera Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Series Name: Postcards from Afghanistan after forty years of war Series Description: Central Asia was once traversed by numerous peoples, traders and armies. Afghanistan was at the heart of this world, as it welcomed those who travelled across Asia, yet arguably none of the invaders ever completely left. These images document a journey through Afghanistan after 40 years of war and four years of drought. Copyright: © Bruno Zanzottera, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Fabio Bucciarelli Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: A tukul – a typical house in South Sudan – in floodwaters near Mayendit, Unity state, South Sudan. Unprecedented flooding has submerged large swathes of the country and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. In the villages, most of the houses are built with straw wood and plastic sheeting, which has further aggravated the consequences of the floods. Series Name: Loss and Damage Series Description: South Sudan has been plagued by political violence and instability since its independence from Sudan in 2011. Now it is experiencing massive floods for the fourth consecutive year. Since 2019, unprecedented rainy seasons have submerged large parts of the country's landscape. Heavy rains and floods have swept away people's homes, properties, crops, livestock, schools and healthcare centres, and caused extensive infrastructural damage to roads and bridges. The climate crisis is bringing further challenges to this already vulnerable country. Copyright: © Fabio Bucciarelli, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Fabio Bucciarelli Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: A car submerged by floodwaters in Mayendit, Unity state, South Sudan. Mayendit is one of the many villages disappearing under water. In 2020 more than 12,000 people were living there, but in the last two years around ⅔ of them have left, becoming internally displaced persons. Series Name: Loss and Damage Series Description: South Sudan has been plagued by political violence and instability since its independence from Sudan in 2011. Now it is experiencing massive floods for the fourth consecutive year. Since 2019, unprecedented rainy seasons have submerged large parts of the country's landscape. Heavy rains and floods have swept away people's homes, properties, crops, livestock, schools and healthcare centres, and caused extensive infrastructural damage to roads and bridges. The climate crisis is bringing further challenges to this already vulnerable country. Copyright: © Fabio Bucciarelli, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Jean-Claude Moschetti Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: An Egungun in a voodoo convent. He is wearing multiple talismans, which provide him with a strong power. Porto-Novo, Benin Series Name: Egungun Voodoo Society, Benin Series Description: The Egungun association is a secret voodoo society that honours the spirits of their ancestors and perpetuates their memories. These ancestral spirits are believed to be in constant watch over their living relatives; they bless, protect and warn them, but can also punish them depending on whether they remember or neglect them. The spirits can also protect a community against evil spirits, epidemics, witchcraft and evil doers, ensuring their well-being, and may even be invited to come to earth physically. When they do, the Egungun are the receptacles of these spirits, appearing in the streets day or night, leaping, dancing or walking, and uttering loud cries. The spirit is supposed to have returned from the land of the dead to ascertain what is going on, so can be considered a kind of supernatural inquisitor who appears from time to time to inquire into the general domestic conduct of people and punish misdeeds. Copyright: © Jean-Claude Moschetti, France, Finalist, Professional competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Jean-Claude Moschetti Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Two ‘ghosts' pose in front of their ancestors' house. Porto-Novo, Benin Series Name: Egungun Voodoo Society, Benin Series Description: The Egungun association is a secret voodoo society that honours the spirits of their ancestors and perpetuates their memories. These ancestral spirits are believed to be in constant watch over their living relatives; they bless, protect and warn them, but can also punish them depending on whether they remember or neglect them. The spirits can also protect a community against evil spirits, epidemics, witchcraft and evil doers, ensuring their well-being, and may even be invited to come to earth physically. When they do, the Egungun are the receptacles of these spirits, appearing in the streets day or night, leaping, dancing or walking, and uttering loud cries. The spirit is supposed to have returned from the land of the dead to ascertain what is going on, so can be considered a kind of supernatural inquisitor who appears from time to time to inquire into the general domestic conduct of people and punish misdeeds. Copyright: © Jean-Claude Moschetti, France, Finalist, Professional competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Ebrahim Noroozi Image Name: Afghanistan's Girl Athletes Year: 2023 Image Description: A girls soccer team poses for a photograph while wearing a burqa. Kabul, Afghanistan, 22 September 2022 Series Name: Afghanistan's Girl Athletes Series Description: A number of women and girls who used to play sports pose for portraits with the equipment of the sports they loved. They hid their identities with their burqas, the robes and hood that cover the face, leaving only a mesh to see through. They don't normally wear the burqa, but said they sometimes choose to when they go outside and want to remain anonymous and avoid harassment. The ban on sports is just one way the Taliban has shut down life for girls and women since their takeover in August 2021. It has also barred girls from attending middle and high school; ordered all women to be thrown out of universities; severely limited women's ability to work outside the home; and, in November 2022, the Taliban's Ministry of Virtue prohibited women and girls from going to parks or gyms. Copyright: © Ebrahim Noroozi, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Finalist, Professional competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Ebrahim Noroozi Image Name: Afghanistan's Girl Athletes Year: 2023 Image Description: A Muay Thai girl poses for a photograph while wearing a burqa. Kabul, Afghanistan, 17 September 2022 Series Name: Afghanistan's Girl Athletes Series Description: A number of women and girls who used to play sports pose for portraits with the equipment of the sports they loved. They hid their identities with their burqas, the robes and hood that cover the face, leaving only a mesh to see through. They don't normally wear the burqa, but said they sometimes choose to when they go outside and want to remain anonymous and avoid harassment. The ban on sports is just one way the Taliban has shut down life for girls and women since their takeover in August 2021. It has also barred girls from attending middle and high school; ordered all women to be thrown out of universities; severely limited women's ability to work outside the home; and, in November 2022, the Taliban's Ministry of Virtue prohibited women and girls from going to parks or gyms. Copyright: © Ebrahim Noroozi, Iran, Islamic Republic Of, Finalist, Professional competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Marjolein Martinot Image Name: Boys in Trees, Summer 2020, Indre, France Year: 2023 Image Description: A core image in the Riverland project. Series Name: Riverland and Other Projects Series Description: A portfolio of work from different projects including Riverland, an analogue photography project that I started in 2020. It depicts various scenes – portraits, still lifes and landscapes – taken in and around the rivers and waterways of Southern France. With the series I want to portray the way a meandering river echoes the continuing and unexpected course that life takes. Copyright: © Marjolein Martinot, Netherlands, Finalist, Professional competition, Portfolio, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Marjolein Martinot Image Name: After a Swim, 2021 Year: 2023 Image Description: From the Riverland project. Series Name: Riverland and Other Projects Series Description: A portfolio of work from different projects including Riverland, an analogue photography project that I started in 2020. It depicts various scenes – portraits, still lifes and landscapes – taken in and around the rivers and waterways of Southern France. With the series I want to portray the way a meandering river echoes the continuing and unexpected course that life takes. Copyright: © Marjolein Martinot, Netherlands, Finalist, Professional competition, Portfolio, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Edgar Martins Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Gaddafi lookalike in abandoned regime compound Series Name: Our War Series Description: In 2011, my dear friend and the photojournalist, Anton Hammerl, travelled to Libya to cover the conflict between pro-regime and anti-Gaddafi forces. On 5 April he was forcefully abducted and killed by government militia. Frustrated by the lack of progress in the investigation to find his mortal remains, in 2022 I took matters into my own hands and travelled to Libya. This previously unseen body of work is structured as a self-portrait of Anton Hammerl through the people he photographed and met, and others involved in the conflict (freedom fighters or their descendants, ex-militia, local residents, Gaddafi loyalists or lookalikes, and so on). They were selected because they resembled him, espoused similar ideas and beliefs, or reminded me of him at different stages of our friendship. This project portrays a complex story, warped by absence, that talks of the difficulty of documenting, testifying, witnessing, remembering, honouring and imagining. Copyright: © Edgar Martins, Portugal, Finalist, Professional competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Edgar Martins Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Gaddafi lookalike in abandoned regime compound Series Name: Our War Series Description: In 2011, my dear friend and the photojournalist, Anton Hammerl, travelled to Libya to cover the conflict between pro-regime and anti-Gaddafi forces. On 5 April he was forcefully abducted and killed by government militia. Frustrated by the lack of progress in the investigation to find his mortal remains, in 2022 I took matters into my own hands and travelled to Libya. This previously unseen body of work is structured as a self-portrait of Anton Hammerl through the people he photographed and met, and others involved in the conflict (freedom fighters or their descendants, ex-militia, local residents, Gaddafi loyalists or lookalikes, and so on). They were selected because they resembled him, espoused similar ideas and beliefs, or reminded me of him at different stages of our friendship. This project portrays a complex story, warped by absence, that talks of the difficulty of documenting, testifying, witnessing, remembering, honouring and imagining. Copyright: © Edgar Martins, Portugal, Finalist, Professional competition, Portraiture, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Marylise Vigneau Image Name: Portrait of a Veteran, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, May 2022 Year: 2023 Image Description: World War 2 veteran Acek Urmanbetov (98) is recovering from Covid. He is reluctant to evoke the war, but remembers the leg he lost in Belarus, the people he shot and the dead rotting in the trenches. He follows international politics and is devastated by Ukraine's current war. Series Name: Portfolio Series Description: In 2022, much of the world reopened, and I could finally continue some of my long-term projects that had been interrupted by the Covid crisis. These images are a collection of contrasting moments found on the way: a Cuban actress shines in the Havana night; a woman about to turn 100 recalls the Soviet famine that took her father; a young girl crowned with dandelions embodies the spirit of youth. 2022 was a cruel year in many ways, but the possibility of encountering people again and listening to their stories was genuine solace. Copyright: © Marylise Vigneau, France, Finalist, Professional competition, Portfolio, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Marylise Vigneau Image Name: Heroes, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, October 2022 Year: 2023 Image Description: A moment in the Cambodian countryside. Series Name: Portfolio Series Description: In 2022, much of the world reopened, and I could finally continue some of my long-term projects that had been interrupted by the Covid crisis. These images are a collection of contrasting moments found on the way: a Cuban actress shines in the Havana night; a woman about to turn 100 recalls the Soviet famine that took her father; a young girl crowned with dandelions embodies the spirit of youth. 2022 was a cruel year in many ways, but the possibility of encountering people again and listening to their stories was genuine solace. Copyright: © Marylise Vigneau, France, Finalist, Professional competition, Portfolio, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Ines Vansteenkiste-Muylle Image Name: Nixie Year: 2023 Image Description: Nixie is a non-binary person who lives with Eddy, who is also non-binary. At the time of this portrait, which was taken in 2021 at their home in Ghent, Belgium, Eddy was pregnant. They are now raising the child with a gender-neutral parenting style. Series Name: Communities I Love Series Description: These are pictures from a small series I started myself. Each one is a collaboration, or a depiction of a community. My recent work has seen me work with the LGBTQ+, Afro-Caribbean and Muslim communities. I allow my curiosity to lead me in my work and talking to the people/community I'm depicting is a very important part of the process. Copyright: © Ines Vansteenkiste-Muylle, Belgium, Shortlist, Professional competition, Portfolio, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Ines Vansteenkiste-Muylle Image Name: Headwear in Our Pool Year: 2023 Image Description: This is part of a 2022 collaboration between myself, Marc Martha and Eveline Briand, which aims to represent people who wear hijabs or other headpieces in the water, either because of their religion or to protect their hair. We were shocked by the number of public pools that did not accept this. However, Aqua Heaven – a private sauna – accepted us because they often have people with hijabs in their pools. Series Name: Communities I Love Series Description: These are pictures from a small series I started myself. Each one is a collaboration, or a depiction of a community. My recent work has seen me work with the LGBTQ+, Afro-Caribbean and Muslim communities. I allow my curiosity to lead me in my work and talking to the people/community I'm depicting is a very important part of the process. Copyright: © Ines Vansteenkiste-Muylle, Belgium, Shortlist, Professional competition, Portfolio, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Sriram Murali Image Name: The Forest Comes Alive at Night Year: 2023 Image Description: Millions of synchronously flashing fireflies light up the forests of Anamalai Tiger Reserve while the stars twinkle above. This image was created by stacking several photographs taken over a 16 minute period. Series Name: Billions of Synchronous Fireflies Light up a Tiger Reserve Series Description: Searching for stars near my hometown of Pollachi, India, I was led to the forests of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve. The further I moved away from the towns and their lights, the darker it got and the more I could see stars and fireflies. I was fascinated by the hundreds of fireflies flashing at the edge of the forest, but recalled hearing stories of trees laden with fireflies deep in the forest. So, in April 2022, I set out to a remote area of the reserve with forest officials. Flashes of green started appearing at twilight and as the place grew dark, millions of fireflies started synchronising their flashes across several trees. The flashes would start in one tree and continue across other trees like a Mexican wave. Such large congregations of fireflies are very rare, and this series captures the phenomenon of fireflies turning an entire forest into a magical carpet of yellowish-green light. The images were created by stacking several photographs. Copyright: © Sriram Murali, India, Finalist, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Sriram Murali Image Name: A Valley of Fireflies Year: 2023 Image Description: Anamalai Tiger Reserve is a biodiversity hotspot known for its megafauna and flora, but for a few days every year it is this tiny insect that steals the show at night. This image was created by stacking several photographs taken over a 16 minute period. Series Name: Billions of Synchronous Fireflies Light up a Tiger Reserve Series Description: Searching for stars near my hometown of Pollachi, India, I was led to the forests of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve. The further I moved away from the towns and their lights, the darker it got and the more I could see stars and fireflies. I was fascinated by the hundreds of fireflies flashing at the edge of the forest, but recalled hearing stories of trees laden with fireflies deep in the forest. So, in April 2022, I set out to a remote area of the reserve with forest officials. Flashes of green started appearing at twilight and as the place grew dark, millions of fireflies started synchronising their flashes across several trees. The flashes would start in one tree and continue across other trees like a Mexican wave. Such large congregations of fireflies are very rare, and this series captures the phenomenon of fireflies turning an entire forest into a magical carpet of yellowish-green light. The images were created by stacking several photographs. Copyright: © Sriram Murali, India, Finalist, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Adalbert Mojrzisch Image Name: Water Flea (4x) Year: 2023 Image Description: Water flea in polarised light. Series Name: Small Backlit Animals Series Description: Small, inconspicuous, mostly grey insects, spiders and crabs reveal many colours and interesting structures under high magnification and polarised backlight. All of these high-resolution photographs were taken through a microscope using a self-made setup, and the raw images were processed, stacked and retouched. Copyright: © Adalbert Mojrzisch, Germany, Finalist, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Adalbert Mojrzisch Image Name: Hard-Bodied Tick (20x) Year: 2023 Image Description: Backlit hard-bodied tick. Series Name: Small Backlit Animals Series Description: Small, inconspicuous, mostly grey insects, spiders and crabs reveal many colours and interesting structures under high magnification and polarised backlight. All of these high-resolution photographs were taken through a microscope using a self-made setup, and the raw images were processed, stacked and retouched. Copyright: © Adalbert Mojrzisch, Germany, Finalist, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: James Deavin Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Two migrant workers at the beach during Eid celebrations. Eid is a holiday for all in Saudi and the beaches are full of people from all walks of life, although most say it is still too cold to swim. Series Name: Portfolio Series Description: This portfolio was shot in the first half of 2022 in Saudi Arabia, where I was based at the time. Given more time, I think these pictures would have fallen into more defined projects or narratives, perhaps relating to the large migrant worker and expat population (of which I was part), or Saudi car culture. As it is, I believe this collection shows my style and technique as a photographer – there is no deliberate connection between the images other than I was searching for special photographs that could eventually develop into projects. Copyright: © James Deavin, United Kingdom, Finalist, Professional competition, Portfolio, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: James Deavin Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Couple at the corniche looking out to sea. I like very much how she is holding the slender tree. Series Name: Portfolio Series Description: This portfolio was shot in the first half of 2022 in Saudi Arabia, where I was based at the time. Given more time, I think these pictures would have fallen into more defined projects or narratives, perhaps relating to the large migrant worker and expat population (of which I was part), or Saudi car culture. As it is, I believe this collection shows my style and technique as a photographer – there is no deliberate connection between the images other than I was searching for special photographs that could eventually develop into projects. Copyright: © James Deavin, United Kingdom, Finalist, Professional competition, Portfolio, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Corey Arnold Image Name: City Howl Year: 2023 Series Name: Cities Gone Wild Series Description: Cities Gone Wild is an exploration of three savvy animals --- black bears, coyotes and raccoons --- that have uniquely equipped to survive and even thrive in the human built landscape while other animals are disappearing. I tracked these animals in cities across America to reveal a more intimate view of how wildlife is adapting to increased urbanization. Copyright: © Corey Arnold, United States, Finalist, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Corey Arnold Image Name: Janice and Cubs Year: 2023 Series Name: Cities Gone Wild Series Description: Cities Gone Wild is an exploration of three savvy animals --- black bears, coyotes and raccoons --- that have uniquely equipped to survive and even thrive in the human built landscape while other animals are disappearing. I tracked these animals in cities across America to reveal a more intimate view of how wildlife is adapting to increased urbanization. Copyright: © Corey Arnold, United States, Finalist, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Kechun Zhang Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Tree Series Name: The Sky Garden Series Description: Landscape gardening is a practice dating back to ancient times; Nebuchadnezzar II of the Babylonian Empire built a garden complex in the sky for his homesick princess consort, which was known as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The Sky Garden series takes its name from this history. Three years ago I settled down in Wenjiang, and there is a tree nursery within walking distance of my home. Exotic trees and rocks from all over the world can be seen there, including Japanese black pines and maple trees. There are workers lifting these trees and rocks with mobile cranes every day, transporting them and planting them in newly built parks, neighbourhoods or streets in the city. I walk through the woods and take photographs when the trees and rocks are being lifted into the air. Together, these images create The Sky Garden series. Copyright: © Kechun Zhang, China Mainland, Finalist, Professional competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Kechun Zhang Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Tree Series Name: The Sky Garden Series Description: Landscape gardening is a practice dating back to ancient times; Nebuchadnezzar II of the Babylonian Empire built a garden complex in the sky for his homesick princess consort, which was known as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The Sky Garden series takes its name from this history. Three years ago I settled down in Wenjiang, and there is a tree nursery within walking distance of my home. Exotic trees and rocks from all over the world can be seen there, including Japanese black pines and maple trees. There are workers lifting these trees and rocks with mobile cranes every day, transporting them and planting them in newly built parks, neighbourhoods or streets in the city. I walk through the woods and take photographs when the trees and rocks are being lifted into the air. Together, these images create The Sky Garden series. Copyright: © Kechun Zhang, China Mainland, Finalist, Professional competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Carloman Macidiano Céspedes Riojas Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: ‘I bring the fish frozen so he can cook it inside. They only allow me to bring two oranges and two onions.' Series Name: La Visita Series Description: ‘Don’t bring anything, I just want you to come and visit me' is one of the phrases most repeated by the inmates of Picsi prison, located in the city of Chiclayo in northern Peru. But many visitors do not want to arrive empty-handed, despite the strict controls. Guisella D explains how ‘I get up at five in the morning to cook fried fish with cassava, which is one of my husband's favourite dishes. Then I go to the market to buy permitted fruits like bananas and oranges, and by six in the morning I am in the queue to enter the prison. Sometimes it is stressful: the lines are endless and the murderous sun and the earth ruin your skin. The only consolation is to arrive and meet my partner again. Then you forget about the shameful controls, and the sun, until next Sunday'. These images represent different visits; the tenderness, affection and the company of parents, brothers, children and wives. The one who visits also suffers. Copyright: © Carloman Macidiano Céspedes Riojas, Peru, Finalist, Professional competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Carloman Macidiano Céspedes Riojas Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: ‘Today I prepared dried lamb, as it is my son's favourite dish.' Series Name: La Visita Series Description: ‘Don’t bring anything, I just want you to come and visit me' is one of the phrases most repeated by the inmates of Picsi prison, located in the city of Chiclayo in northern Peru. But many visitors do not want to arrive empty-handed, despite the strict controls. Guisella D explains how ‘I get up at five in the morning to cook fried fish with cassava, which is one of my husband's favourite dishes. Then I go to the market to buy permitted fruits like bananas and oranges, and by six in the morning I am in the queue to enter the prison. Sometimes it is stressful: the lines are endless and the murderous sun and the earth ruin your skin. The only consolation is to arrive and meet my partner again. Then you forget about the shameful controls, and the sun, until next Sunday'. These images represent different visits; the tenderness, affection and the company of parents, brothers, children and wives. The one who visits also suffers. Copyright: © Carloman Macidiano Céspedes Riojas, Peru, Finalist, Professional competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Jagoda Malanin Image Name: Cryogenia 1 Year: 2023 Image Description: Objects I photograph are small treasures chosen by my daughter and frozen into ice shapes. Is it done in order to survive the catastrophe? What will become of us? Series Name: Cryogenia Series Description: I started working with Astrida Neimanis' concept of hydrofeminism and ‘becoming a body of water'. In addition to the rapid melting of Arctic glaciers, Neimanis also cites studies that show elevated levels of toxins in Inuit mother's milk, which gets there from pollution in rivers, oceans and precipitation, as well as from the poisoned seafood they ingest. I am interested not in the flux, but in the moment of freezing and the Cryogenian period. The Cryogenian was a time of drastic biosphere changes that saw the start of severe glaciation and the entire planet entering a state known as Snowball Earth. The objects I photograph are small treasures chosen by my daughter that are frozen into ice shapes. Is it done in order to survive the catastrophe? What will become of us? Of all our treasures? Of the tons of rubbish floating in the water? I do not know. I only know that the question is worth asking. Copyright: © Jagoda Malanin, Poland, Finalist, Professional competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Jagoda Malanin Image Name: Cryogenia 4 Year: 2023 Image Description: Objects I photograph are small treasures chosen by my daughter and frozen into ice shapes. Is it done in order to survive the catastrophe? What will become of us? Series Name: Cryogenia Series Description: I started working with Astrida Neimanis' concept of hydrofeminism and ‘becoming a body of water'. In addition to the rapid melting of Arctic glaciers, Neimanis also cites studies that show elevated levels of toxins in Inuit mother's milk, which gets there from pollution in rivers, oceans and precipitation, as well as from the poisoned seafood they ingest. I am interested not in the flux, but in the moment of freezing and the Cryogenian period. The Cryogenian was a time of drastic biosphere changes that saw the start of severe glaciation and the entire planet entering a state known as Snowball Earth. The objects I photograph are small treasures chosen by my daughter that are frozen into ice shapes. Is it done in order to survive the catastrophe? What will become of us? Of all our treasures? Of the tons of rubbish floating in the water? I do not know. I only know that the question is worth asking. Copyright: © Jagoda Malanin, Poland, Finalist, Professional competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Nicola Zolin Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: The procession for Pelé reaches the house of his mother, Dona Celeste, and his sister, in the city of Santos. Series Name: Adeus ’O Rey’ Series Description: Series description: The last goodbye to ‘O Rey' Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pelé, the most famous Brazilian footballer ever. Considered the best footballer in the world by many people, Pelé, who died at the age of 82, scored over 1,000 goals in his career. Copyright: © Nicola Zolin, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Sport, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards▲

Photographer Name: Nicola Zolin Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Series Name: Adeus ’O Rey’ Series Description: Series description: The last goodbye to ‘O Rey' Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pelé, the most famous Brazilian footballer ever. Considered the best footballer in the world by many people, Pelé, who died at the age of 82, scored over 1,000 goals in his career. Copyright: © Nicola Zolin, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Sport, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Al Bello Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Kelsie pitches in the bullpen before a game against the Charleston Dirty Birds at Richmond County Bank Ballpark, Staten Island, New York, on 8 July 2022. Series Name: Female Pro Baseball Player Succeeds in All Male Pro League Series Description: Kelsie Whitmore is the first female professional baseball player to play in an all-male pro league. She plays outfield and pitches for the Staten Island Ferryhawks in the Atlantic League of professional baseball. Her debut in the Atlantic League was as a pinch runner on 22 April 2022, and on 1 May she became the first woman to start an Atlantic League game, when she played as a left fielder. Just three days later she was the first woman to pitch in an Atlantic League game and on 3 September 2022 Kelsie became the first woman to record a hit in association with Major League Baseball. Copyright: © Al Bello, United States, Finalist, Professional competition, Sport, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Al Bello Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Kelsie stands with her teammates before their game against the Long Island Ducks at Fairfield Properties Ballpark, Central Islip, New York, on 7 July 2022. Series Name: Female Pro Baseball Player Succeeds in All Male Pro League Series Description: Kelsie Whitmore is the first female professional baseball player to play in an all-male pro league. She plays outfield and pitches for the Staten Island Ferryhawks in the Atlantic League of professional baseball. Her debut in the Atlantic League was as a pinch runner on 22 April 2022, and on 1 May she became the first woman to start an Atlantic League game, when she played as a left fielder. Just three days later she was the first woman to pitch in an Atlantic League game and on 3 September 2022 Kelsie became the first woman to record a hit in association with Major League Baseball. Copyright: © Al Bello, United States, Finalist, Professional competition, Sport, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Andrea Fantini Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Women's competition. Series Name: Mundialito Series Description: Mundialito is the nickname of one of the most important indigenous football cups in South America. The event started in 1992 and currently gathers 80 men's and 32 women's teams from Peruvian, Bolivian and Colombian Amazonian communities in a 12-day championship. However, its importance goes far beyond the football championship. The Mundialito is a place where bonds between the indigenous communities are consolidated. Dances and celebrations are essential parts of this competition, which fulfils an important social and political function of resistance and empowerment against the disintegrating forces acting on the native Amazonian communities. Copyright: © Andrea Fantini, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Sport, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Andrea Fantini Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: Opening ceremony. Series Name: Mundialito Series Description: Mundialito is the nickname of one of the most important indigenous football cups in South America. The event started in 1992 and currently gathers 80 men's and 32 women's teams from Peruvian, Bolivian and Colombian Amazonian communities in a 12-day championship. However, its importance goes far beyond the football championship. The Mundialito is a place where bonds between the indigenous communities are consolidated. Dances and celebrations are essential parts of this competition, which fulfils an important social and political function of resistance and empowerment against the disintegrating forces acting on the native Amazonian communities. Copyright: © Andrea Fantini, Italy, Finalist, Professional competition, Sport, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Axel Javier Sulzbacher Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Image Description: In packing factories like this one in Aztecavo, work is done in shifts, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Michoacan is the only region in the world where avocados can be harvested all year. Series Name: Green Dystopia Series Description: The popularity of avocado has exploded in recent decades, with the burden of the rising demand falling mainly on the Mexican state of Michoacan. High international demand has led to more extensive and numerous plantations, with forests now being cleared illegally to plant more avocados. It is easy to see why, as more than 300,000 jobs directly or indirectly depend on the production and trade of avocados in the region, which generates an annual revenue of US$2.5 billion. In 2021, Michoacán produced some 1.8 million tons of the green fruit and drug cartels have now become drawn to the revenue potential from the avocado trade. As violence escalates, the government has had to send in the military to maintain order, and in mid-2022, exports to the United States – the largest consumer of the fruit – had to be halted temporarily. Copyright: © Axel Javier Sulzbacher, Germany, Finalist, Professional competition, Environment, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Photographer Name: Axel Javier Sulzbacher Image Name: Untitled Year: 2023 Series Name: Green Dystopia Series Description: The popularity of avocado has exploded in recent decades, with the burden of the rising demand falling mainly on the Mexican state of Michoacan. High international demand has led to more extensive and numerous plantations, with forests now being cleared illegally to plant more avocados. It is easy to see why, as more than 300,000 jobs directly or indirectly depend on the production and trade of avocados in the region, which generates an annual revenue of US$2.5 billion. In 2021, Michoacán produced some 1.8 million tons of the green fruit and drug cartels have now become drawn to the revenue potential from the avocado trade. As violence escalates, the government has had to send in the military to maintain order, and in mid-2022, exports to the United States – the largest consumer of the fruit – had to be halted temporarily. Copyright: © Axel Javier Sulzbacher, Germany, Finalist, Professional competition, Environment, Sony World Photography Awards 2023▲

Il potere della memoria

E’ quella di Martin una narrazione dalla forte tensione, emergente e spiazzante, che attraverso un sapiente gioco di mise en abyme ci interroga, e si interroga al contempo, sul perenne mistero della morte, per provare a colmarne l’incommensurabilità del vuoto. Un’odissea contemporanea, per un’Itaca irragiungibile, quella di Martin, cui è di conforto, ancora e sempre davanti alla forza altrimenti annullatrice della morte, il potere umano della memoria. “Come narrare una storia senza testimoni diretti, tracce, prove o protagonisti?” è stato il quesito a cui Martin ha fornito una possibile risposta attraverso i volti delle persone incontrate e poeticamente ritratte.

Libia

Entrato in Libia di nascosto grazie a un contrabbandiere di petrolio, l’autore delle foto si è subito dovuto scontrare con l'enorme difficoltà di lavorare in condizioni così precarie. In “Our War” ha dunque operato sull’ellissi traverso un processo evocativo, dai contorni densamente allusivi. I contatti libici dell’amico morto e coloro che avevano partecipato al conflitto (combattenti per la libertà o i loro discendenti, ex soldati delle milizie, residenti, fedeli o sosia di Gheddafi, sono così divenuti i protagonisti di questo progetto, tutti scelti perché avevano lo stesso aspetto, le stesse idee e le stesse convinzioni di Hammerl, oppure perché ricordavano a Martins i diversi momenti della loro amicizia. Il progetto, che ha dunque documentato al contempo il conflitto libico pone l’accento sull'idea stessa di frammentarietà e contraddittorietà insita in tutti i conflitti.

Il commento al premio

“È un immenso onore ricevere questo riconoscimento”, è stato il suo commento. E ancora: “anche se di solito ho un approccio abbastanza distaccato nei confronti dei premi e sono consapevole della natura soggettiva delle scelte personali, sapere che quest'anno il concorso Professional ha ricevuto oltre 180.000 candidature rimette tutto in prospettiva. In questo caso particolare, è stato molto emozionante poter rendere omaggio a un amico su un palcoscenico internazionale e portare all'attenzione del pubblico la lotta della famiglia per ritrovare i suoi resti. Nessun altro premio ha la stessa portata dei Sony World Photography Awards.”

Martins è stato selezionato tra i primi classificati delle 10 categorie del concorso Professional, proclamati insieme ai secondi e terzi posti di ciascuna categoria e ai vincitori assoluti dei concorsi Open, Youth e Student.

Alessandro Cinque

All’italiano Alessandro Cinque è andato il premio nella nuova categoria Sustainability Prize, ideato in collaborazione con la United Nations Foundation e l'iniziativa Picture This di Sony Pictures. I suoi scatti sulle “invasion”, ovvero le favelas andine alla periferia di Lima, con l’ingegnoso sistema di barriere in grado di catturare la condensa per poi fornire acqua alle abitazioni di fortuna disseminate sul deserto andino, gli hanno valso il riconoscimento.

Dal 14 aprile al 1° maggio 2023 si terrà presso la Somerset House di Londra la mostra di con oltre 200 stampe e di centinaia di altre immagini digitali di tutti i fotografi vincitori e finalisti.

A queste si aggiungeranno anche le opere di Rinko Kawauchi - tra cui le sublimi fotografie di “incendi rigeneranti” della nota fotografa giapponese - a cui è stato conferito il premio Outstanding Contribution to Photography.

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