© 2025 New Atlas
Photography

The astonishing winners of the 2020 Sony World Photography Awards

By Rich Haridy
April 14, 2020
The astonishing winners of the 2020 Sony World Photography Awards
Shortlist, Motion, The Floating Point. A diving dog in an outdoor pool in Colorado, USA
Shortlist, Motion, The Floating Point. A diving dog in an outdoor pool in Colorado, USA
View 25 Images
Shortlist, Architecture, Line. A clear line separates the crowded village houses and the forest reserve in Guangzhou, China
1/25
Shortlist, Architecture, Line. A clear line separates the crowded village houses and the forest reserve in Guangzhou, China
Winner, Architecture, Emotional Geometry. Fiumara d'Arte, an open museum showcasing sculptures made by contemporary artists, located along the banks of the Tusa River
2/25
Winner, Architecture, Emotional Geometry. Fiumara d'Arte, an open museum showcasing sculptures made by contemporary artists, located along the banks of the Tusa River
Shortlist, Culture, Demigods of Malabar. Theyyam rituals are performed in temples in the north of Kerala, India. The performer transforms from human to a demigod through music, dance, make-up and costume
3/25
Shortlist, Culture, Demigods of Malabar. Theyyam rituals are performed in temples in the north of Kerala, India. The performer transforms from human to a demigod through music, dance, make-up and costume
Winner, Motion, Going Down! Despite measuring 125 metres high, it took the four cooling towers of Ironbridge Power Station in Shropshire, England, just 10 seconds to be demolished on 6 December 2019
4/25
Winner, Motion, Going Down! Despite measuring 125 metres high, it took the four cooling towers of Ironbridge Power Station in Shropshire, England, just 10 seconds to be demolished on 6 December 2019
Shortlist, Motion, Under Siege. A large wave scales the harbour wall at Newhaven in East Sussex, UK
5/25
Shortlist, Motion, Under Siege. A large wave scales the harbour wall at Newhaven in East Sussex, UK
Shortlist, Architecture, Pinball Pier. Brighton Pier illuminated at dusk
6/25
Shortlist, Architecture, Pinball Pier. Brighton Pier illuminated at dusk
Shortlist, Landscape, Dawn at Walakiri Beach. This iconic dancing mangrove tree is found at Walakiri Beach, Sumba, Indonesia
7/25
Shortlist, Landscape, Dawn at Walakiri Beach. This iconic dancing mangrove tree is found at Walakiri Beach, Sumba, Indonesia
Shortlist, Architecture, Untitled.
8/25
Shortlist, Architecture, Untitled.
Shortlist, Motion, The Floating Point. A diving dog in an outdoor pool in Colorado, USA
9/25
Shortlist, Motion, The Floating Point. A diving dog in an outdoor pool in Colorado, USA
Shortlist, Architecture, Illustration or Photograph?
10/25
Shortlist, Architecture, Illustration or Photograph?
Winner, Landscape, Ice Reflections. A solitary iceberg, set against the fjord walls in Northeast Greenland National Park
11/25
Winner, Landscape, Ice Reflections. A solitary iceberg, set against the fjord walls in Northeast Greenland National Park
Winner, Natural World & Wildlife, Tai Chi Diagram. These cheetahs had just eaten an antelope, and were licking the bloodstains off each other’s faces
12/25
Winner, Natural World & Wildlife, Tai Chi Diagram. These cheetahs had just eaten an antelope, and were licking the bloodstains off each other’s faces
Shortlist, Street Photography, Etiquette. Taken during the Extinction Rebellion uprising in October 2019 in London
13/25
Shortlist, Street Photography, Etiquette. Taken during the Extinction Rebellion uprising in October 2019 in London
Shortlist, Travel, The Pool. Roof pool in Singapore, November 2019
14/25
Shortlist, Travel, The Pool. Roof pool in Singapore, November 2019
Shortlist, Street Photography, Mass Yoga Training in Park. People attending a yoga session in Tsaritsyno Park, Moscow, Russia, to mark International Day of Yoga on 23 June 2019
15/25
Shortlist, Street Photography, Mass Yoga Training in Park. People attending a yoga session in Tsaritsyno Park, Moscow, Russia, to mark International Day of Yoga on 23 June 2019
Winner, Culture, Mark 5:28. Audience members were invited on stage to dance at an Iggy Pop concert in Sydney Opera House, Australia, on 17 April 2019
16/25
Winner, Culture, Mark 5:28. Audience members were invited on stage to dance at an Iggy Pop concert in Sydney Opera House, Australia, on 17 April 2019
Shortlist, Architecture, Ice Trap. In the spring of 2019, this Newfoundland cove was overrun by sea ice. The fishermen were waiting for an opportunity to go out between tides to lay their lobster traps
17/25
Shortlist, Architecture, Ice Trap. In the spring of 2019, this Newfoundland cove was overrun by sea ice. The fishermen were waiting for an opportunity to go out between tides to lay their lobster traps
Shortlist, Natural World & Wildlife, Connection. A mother and baby orangutan interacting in Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo, Indonesia
18/25
Shortlist, Natural World & Wildlife, Connection. A mother and baby orangutan interacting in Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo, Indonesia
Shortlist, Architecture, The Orange Bowl
19/25
Shortlist, Architecture, The Orange Bowl
Shortlist, Creative, Metamorphosis. This image was taken in the summer of 2019 in the Baltic states, Russia
20/25
Shortlist, Creative, Metamorphosis. This image was taken in the summer of 2019 in the Baltic states, Russia
Winner, Travel, Riding a Saharan Freight Train. At 2.5km long, the iron-ore train in Mauritania is one of the longest trains in the world. It covers over 700km on its journey from the coastal town of Nouadhibou to the Saharan wilderness of Zouérat
21/25
Winner, Travel, Riding a Saharan Freight Train. At 2.5km long, the iron-ore train in Mauritania is one of the longest trains in the world. It covers over 700km on its journey from the coastal town of Nouadhibou to the Saharan wilderness of Zouérat
Winner, Creative, Knot
22/25
Winner, Creative, Knot
Shortlist, Landscape, Come on In. A small path in the ancient forests of the Anaga Mountains in Tenerife, Spain
23/25
Shortlist, Landscape, Come on In. A small path in the ancient forests of the Anaga Mountains in Tenerife, Spain
Shortlist, Travel, Gaucho
24/25
Shortlist, Travel, Gaucho
Shortlist, Architecture, Marcin Giba from the Series Human on Earth. A city pool in Rybnik, Poland
25/25
Shortlist, Architecture, Marcin Giba from the Series Human on Earth. A city pool in Rybnik, Poland
View gallery - 25 images

After receiving a record-breaking 350,000 submissions, the Sony World Photography Awards has revealed the best single images from its massive 2020 competition. This year’s winning images feature a spectacular array of the world’s most impressive photographs from the past twelve months.

Following last month’s national winner announcement, the Sony World Photography Awards second wave of winners focuses on the best single images in its Open competition. Spanning ten categories, covering the usual Architecture, Landscape and Travel themes, the Open competition includes both professional and amateur photographers.

Winner, Travel, Riding a Saharan Freight Train. At 2.5km long, the iron-ore train in Mauritania is one of the longest trains in the world. It covers over 700km on its journey from the coastal town of Nouadhibou to the Saharan wilderness of Zouérat
Winner, Travel, Riding a Saharan Freight Train. At 2.5km long, the iron-ore train in Mauritania is one of the longest trains in the world. It covers over 700km on its journey from the coastal town of Nouadhibou to the Saharan wilderness of Zouérat

The winning highlights include an incredible shot from Australian photographer Adrian Guerin aboard one of the world’s longest freight trains carrying iron-ore across the Sahara; an impeccably composed snap of an old power station being demolished, from UK photographer Alec Connah; and a sublime image of a solitary iceberg in Greenland.

Winner, Motion, Going Down! Despite measuring 125 metres high, it took the four cooling towers of Ironbridge Power Station in Shropshire, England, just 10 seconds to be demolished on 6 December 2019
Winner, Motion, Going Down! Despite measuring 125 metres high, it took the four cooling towers of Ironbridge Power Station in Shropshire, England, just 10 seconds to be demolished on 6 December 2019

Antoine Veling’s surreal photograph of Iggy Pop during a 2019 concert in the Sydney Opera House won the Culture category. Veling’s snap turns a moment of genuine spontaneity, when the audience were invited up to dance on the stage, into something akin to a biblical Caravaggio painting.

Winner, Culture, Mark 5:28. Audience members were invited on stage to dance at an Iggy Pop concert in Sydney Opera House, Australia, on 17 April 2019
Winner, Culture, Mark 5:28. Audience members were invited on stage to dance at an Iggy Pop concert in Sydney Opera House, Australia, on 17 April 2019

A large volume of shortlisted images were also revealed in this new announcement, highlighting the impressive depth of quality in this year’s competition. Many of the shortlisted images could easily have won major prizes in a lesser competition, such as Stephen Tomlinson’s gorgeous drone shot of Brighton pier that turns the location into a strange real-life pinball machine.

Shortlist, Architecture, Pinball Pier. Brighton Pier illuminated at dusk
Shortlist, Architecture, Pinball Pier. Brighton Pier illuminated at dusk

The Sony World Photography Awards has cancelled this year’s annual exhibition and award ceremony due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The overall top winners will be revealed in early June. In the meantime the organization has launched a Stay Connected initiative, to help support and inspire photographic communities through online activities over the coming months.

Take a look through our gallery at more highlights from this year’s stellar competition.

Source: Sony World Photography Awards

View gallery - 25 images

Tags

PhotographyPhotographyAwardsCompetitionSonyDrone photographyPhotographersSony World Photography Awards
3 comments
Rich Haridy
Rich Haridy
Rich has written for a number of online and print publications over the last decade while also acting as film critic for several radio broadcasters and podcasts. His interests focus on psychedelic science, new media, and science oddities. Rich completed a Masters degree in the Arts back in 2013 before joining New Atlas in 2016.

Most Viewed

Load More
3 comments
guzmanchinky
I gotta say, the diving dog just blows me away.
foxpup
What a fantastic collection of images for people who are stuck at home to enjoy!!! :-)
Troublesh00ter
Astonishing, beautiful work!