Today the World Photography Organisation announced the shortlist for the 2012 Sony World Photography Awards.  Billed as the global photographic event of the year, the Sony World Photography Awards celebrate 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 2012 competition has garnered increased worldwide interest with over 112,000 entries from 171 countries, with the shortlisted images depicting the stories of extraordinary lives from around the world.  The Professional competition reflects a turbulent year of global events with the war in Libya; the Greek and European economic crisis; the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan and the fall of Gaddafi, in the Photojournalism & Documentary categories.  The shortlist for the Fine Art and Commercial categories gets to the very heart of daily life -  a small sheep-farming community in Iceland; the rice harvest in South China; a religious pilgrimage in Poland and gold diggers in Chile.

This year the honorary jury found the quality of work exceptionally strong across all categories, discovering many photographers new to the Sony World Photography Awards roster.  Manuel Geerinck (Belgium);  Lee Chee Wai (China); Alejandro Cartagena (Mexico), Irina Werning (Argentina); Gwenn Dubourthoumieu (Republic of the Congo) and Simon Norfolk (UK), are but a few of the new names to place as finalists and shortlisted photographers.  

Returning photographers from previous years, include 2010 Professional Landscape winner, Peter Franck (Germany); who this year is a finalist in three categories; 2011 Professional Contemporary Issues and Current Affairs winner, Javier Arcenillas (Spain); and Chan Kwok Hung (Hong Kong) whose stunningly dramatic image ‘Buffalo Race’ won the  Overall Open Competition in 2011.

W M Hunt, Chair of the Honorary Judging Committee, commented: ‘As a judge, you bring an open mind and a passion for photography - its presence and its present, its past and its legacy.  You are hopeful and hungry to see great work that is fresh and full, expecting the exceptional.  The rewards are rich and delightful.  It is a pleasure to present this year's selections.’

Astrid Merget, Creative Director of the World Photography Organisation added: ‘Looking at the vast collection of shortlisted work across the categories, is truly gratifying this year.  Within the Professional awards, the bodies of work are beautifully presented and distinctive, whilst in the Open categories, the single snapshots are diverse and demonstrate excellent skill within the amateur market.  The new Youth competition also delighted us, as we were thrilled to find some exceptional budding talent.’

In being shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards, photographers can now look forward to the invaluable support of the World Photography Organisation, which includes having their work exhibited at a major exhibition at London’s Somerset House, to coincide with the award ceremony in April 2012.  

The shortlist for the Professional Competition was selected by the Honorary Judging committee which was chaired by esteemed photographic consultant W.M. Hunt.  This year the Open entries were judged by a pre-selection committee of inspectors from Shutterstock, WPO and representatives from Sony.  The Youth Competition was judged by a WPO and Sony selection committee.

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.  The awards celebration will once again take place alongside World Photo, London, a month-long event which brings an eclectic mix of photographic events for all to enjoy.  The opening weekend of World Photo London will be held at Somerset House from 27 - 30 April with selected events including portfolio reviews, workshops, symposiums and the Sony World Photography Awards winners’ exhibitions, which continue through to 20 May 2012.  Honorary Judges for the 2012 Awards and other international industry experts will be leading many of the festival events.
 

Professional shortlisted photographers

Honorary judging committee

Presiding Chair: W. M. Hunt (USA) Photographic Consultant.

Chairs: Michael Benson (UK) Director, Prix Pictet; James Reid (UK) Photography Director of Wallpaper*; Claudia Hinterseer (Netherlands) Managing Director and co-owner of NOOR.

Additional Jury: Jodi Bieber (South Africa) Photographer; Jon Jones (UK) Director of Photography Sunday Times Magazine; Rebecca Lewis (US) Vice-President and Senior Agent for Art+Commerce; Prabuddha Dasgupta (India) Photographer; Shizuka Yokomizo (Japan) Photographer.

In each category the judges could select up to three finalist photographers and up to seven additional shortlist photographers.  From the finalists, the winners plus 2nd and 3rd place will be chosen and announced at the awards ceremony on 26 April.  

Photographers are listed alphabetically.

PHOTOJOURNALISM & DOCUMENTARY

Current Affairs

Finalists

●        Fernando Alfonso Brito Lizárraga                     Mexico

(El Debate de Culiacan)              

●        Rémi Ochlik (IP3 Press)                                      France

●        Donald Weber (VII PHOTO)                                Canada

Shortlisted

●        Javier Arcenillas                                              Spain  

●        Fabio Bucciarelli                                              Italy

●        Pietro Masturzo                                                Italy

●        Giorgos Moutafis                                             Greece

●        Goran Tomasevic                                            United Kingdom

Contemporary Issues

Finalists

●        Kasia Bielska                                                    Poland

●        Alessandro Grassani                                        Italy

●        Gustavo Jononovich                                        Argentina

Shortlisted

●        Francesco Giusti                                              Italy

●        Sebastian Liste                                                Spain

●        Ivor Prickett                                                      Ireland

●        Jose Luis Rodriguez Maldonado                      Columbia

●        Natasha Shulte                                                Ukraine

●        Anastasia Taylor-Lind                                      United Kingdom

●        Donald Weber (VII PHOTO)                              Canada 

People

Finalists

●        Alejandro Cartagena                                       Mexico

●        Maja Daniels                                                    Sweden

●        Simon Norfolk                                                  United Kingdom

Shortlisted

●        Philippe Leroux                                                France

●        Kerry Mansfield                                               United States

●        Francesca Oggiano                                        Italy

●        Huage Shang                                                  China

●        Salvi Danés Vernedas                                    Spain

Sport

Finalists

●        Pawel Kopczynski (Thomson Reuters)          Polish

●        Andrew McConnell                                         Ireland

●        Palmer + Pawel                                               United Kingdom

Shortlisted

●        Delfosse Colin                                                  Belgium

●        Alvaro Deprit                                                   Italy

●        Mikhail Domozhilov                                           Russian Federation

●        Adam Pretty                                                    Australia

●         Scott Robin Barbour                                       New Zealand

●        Robin Utrecht                                                  Netherlands

Nature & Wildlife

Finalists

·         David Chancellor (Institute)                            United Kingdom   

·         Jacek Kusz                                                    Poland

·         Palani Mohan                                                  India

Shortlisted

·         Salil Bera                                                         India

·         Terence du Fresne                                          Switzerland

·         Barbara Leven                                                United States

·         Suren Manvelyan                                            Armenia

·         Tapash Paul                                                     Bangladesh

Arts and Culture

Finalists

●        Rob Hornstra                                                   Netherlands

●        Anastasia Taylor-Lind                                      United Kingdom

●        Mattia Vacca                                                    Italy

Shortlisted

●        Javier Arcenillas                                              Spain

●        Jacek Swierczynski                                        Poland

●        Yannick Cormier                                              France

●        Alvaro Deprit                                                   Italy

●        Susana Girón                                                  Spai

●        Davide Monteleone                                          Italy    

●        Andrea Santolaya                                           Spain  

COMMERCIAL

Campaign

Finalists

●        Javier Arcenillas                                              Spain

●        Peter Franck (Büro stoltenhoff)                      Germany

●        Laura Pannack                                                United Kingdom

Shortlisted

●        Michael Blann                                                  United Kingdom

●        Felipe Cantillana                                              Chile

●        Jan von Holleben                                            Germany

●        Miguel Navarro                                               United Kingdom

●        Michelle Siu                                                     Canada

●        Roberto Soares-Gomes                                  Brazil

●        Daniele Testa                                                   Italy

Travel

Finalists

●        Jan Brykczynski                                               Poland

●        Luis Henry Agudelo Cano                                Colombia

●        Peter Franck                                                     Germany

Shortlisted

●        Giancarlo Ceraudo                                         Italy

●        Andrea Hamilton                                             United Kingdom

●        Cristina De Middel                                           Spain

●        Yurian Quintanas Nobel                                 Spain

●        Gianluca Pulcini                                              Italy

●        Lisa Wiltse                                                     United States

Fashion

Finalists

●        Peter Franck                                                          Germany

●        Elizaveta Porodina                                          Germany

●        Jayden Tang                                                    United Kingdom

Shortlisted

●        Michelle Beatty                                               United Kingdom

●        Susi Belianska                                               Italy

●        Romano Decker Dejan Kutic                          Croatia

●        Filippo Del Vita                                                Italy

●        Alice Pavesi                                                   Italy

●        Dasha Ketsko                                                Ukraine

●        Frauke Thielking                                             Germany

FINE ART

Architecture

Finalists

●        Igor Chirikov                                                    Russian Federation

●        David Ibernón Boria                                        Spain

●        Simon Norfolk                                                 United Kingdom

Shortlisted

●        Robin Broderick                                               Canada

●        Riccardo Budini                                               Italy

●        Tamas Bujnovszky                                          Hungary

●        Alejandro Cartagena                                      Mexico

●        Paula Gortazar                                               United Kingdom

●        David de Jong                                                Netherlands

●        Michael Joseph                                               United States

Portraiture

Finalists

●        Lei Liu                                                           China

●        Paolo Marchetti                                              Italy

●        Irina Werning                                                 Argentina

Shortlisted

●        Gwenn Dubourthoumieu                               The Democratic Republic of Congo

●        Lavinia Parlamenti                                          Italy

●        Johann Rousselot                                          France

●        Javier Arcenillas                                            Spain

●        George Mayer                                                Russian Federation

Landscape

Finalists

●        Rona Chang                                                   United States

●        Lee Chee Wai                                                 Malaysia

●        Mitch Dobrowner                                           United States

Shortlisted

●        Regis Boileau                                                   France

●        Ximena Etchart                                                Argentina

●        Jeroen Hofman                                                Netherlands

●        Zhang Kechun                                                 China

●        Matthias H. Risse                                             Germany

●        Chaoliang Shen                                               Taiwan, Province of China

●        Stephen Wilkes                                                United States

Still Life

Finalists

●        Renan Cepeda                                                 Brazil

●        Rena Effendi (INSTITUTE)                                Azerbaijan

●        Helen Thompson                                              United Kingdom

Shortlisted

●        Michal Cole                                                      United Kingdom

●        Peter Franck                                                    Germany

●        Martina Geccelli                                              United Kingdom

●        Miri Mor                                                            Israel

●        Song Nian Ang                                                Singapore

●        Gicheol Shin                                                    Republic of Korea

Conceptual

Finalists

●        Manuel Geerinck                                                Belgium

●        Luis Mallo                                                           United States

●        Cristina De Middel                                              Spain

Shortlisted

●        Carlo D'Orta                                                    Italy

●        Photographer Hal                                           Japan

●        Giuseppe Parisi                                              Italy

●        Carlos Henrique Reinesch                             Brazil

●        Sanne Maloe Slecht                                       Netherlands

●        Frauke Thielking                                             Germany

●        Patricia van de Camp                                     Netherlands

Open shortlisted photographers

In each category judges were able to select up to ten images.

Architecture

●        Babul Bhatt                                                      India

●        Patrice Carré                                                   France

●        Filippo Di Rosa                                                 Italy

●        Fabrizio Intonti                                                 Italy

●        Francisco Mendes                                          Portugal

●        Rui Nunes                                                       United Kingdom

●        Fulvio Pellegrini                                                Italy

●        José Ramón Montes                                        Spain

●        Thai Son Huynh                                              Vietnam

Arts & Culture

●        Dovile Dagiene                                               Lithuania

●        Levi Fanan                                                     Brazil

●        Kushal Gangopadhyay                                  India

●        Antonio Iubatti                                                Italy

●        Sanket K                                                        India

●        Klaartje Lambrechts                                      Belgium

●        Oliver Mezger                                                Germany

●        Tan Nono Rahardian                                       Indonesia

●        Samanta Sollima                                             Italy

●        Paul Störm                                                      Australia

Enhanced

●        Alexandr Afonin                                              Russian Federation

●        Sandra Cifo                                                     United States

●        Paul Irving                                                        United Kingdom

●        Milan Makarský                                                Czech Republic

●        Frank Martin Eisele                                           Germany

●        Rodolfo Mejías                                                 Venezuela

●        Jochen Resch                                                  Germany

●        Oren Shved                                                      Israel

●        Victor Vargas Villafuerte                                 Canada

●        Antonios Vlachou                                            Slovakia

Low Light

●        Elmar Akhmetov                                               Kazakhstan

●        Edoardo Brotto                                                 Italy

●        Ignasi cunill                                                      Spain

●        Teng Hin Khoo                                                 Malaysia

●        Sergey Kochmak                                             Russian Federation

●        Christoph Krüger                                             Germany

●        Belentsova Natalia                                          Russian Federation

●        Pansiri Pikunkaew                                           Thailand

●        Derrick Woo                                                    Hong Kong

●        Heng Zee Kek                                                  Singapore

Nature & Wildlife

●        Nadav Bagim                                                   Israel

●        Anita Erdmann                                                Canada

●        Handri Fitrido                                                   Indonesia

●        Felicitas Frei                                                    Switzerland

●        Giovanni Frescura                                           Italy

●        Peter Krejzl                                                      Czech Republic

●        Chan Kwok Hung                                            Hong Kong

●        William Lee                                                      United States

●        Kuntal Paul                                                      India

●        Petar Sabol                                                      Croatia

Panoramic

●        Pramiga Aditya                                                Indonesia

●        Ionut Hrenciuc                                                 Romania

●        Istvan Nagy                                                     Netherlands

●        Noel Plaszkó                                                    Hungary

●        Matthew Post                                                  Australia

●        James Rider                                                     United Kingdom

●        Terry Soo                                                         Australia

●        Ian Taylor                                                         United Kingdom

●        steve Williams                                                  United Kingdom

●        Denise Worden                                                United States

People

●        Victoria Bolshemennik                                     Israel

●        Tommy Braxton                                                United Kingdom

●        Thomas Dymond                                              United Kingdom

●        Mehmet Fatih Yaldiz                                        Turkey

●        Ana Gregorič                                                   Slovenia

●        Paul MacKinnon                                               United Kingdom

●        Christine Pearl                                                 United States

●        Fulvio Pellegrini                                                Italy

●        Zulkifli Thalib                                                    Indonesia

●        Игорь Лобанов                                              Russian Federation

Smile

●        Ricky Alexander                                              Indonesia

●        Nguyen Duc Tri                                               Vietnam

●        Gerold Guggenbuehl                                      Switzerland

●        Arnold Jumpay                                                Philippines

●        Anom Manik Agung                                        Indonesia

●        Kivera Mara                                                    Réunion

●        Diana Mrazikova                                             Slovakia

●        Meghann Prouse                                            United States

●        Nick Redman                                                  United Kingdom

●        Piotr Stasiuk                                                    Poland

Split Second

●        Cemhan Biricik                                                United States

●        Tobias Bräuning                                              Germany

●        Samuel Chan                                                  China

●        Andrzej Chrobot                                              Poland

●        Alessandro Falco                                            Italy

●        Don Horne                                                       Ireland

●        Johnny Joo                                                      United States

●        Gustavo Magnavacca                                    Argentina

●        Greg Parker                                                     United Kingdom

●        Peter Prazenka                                                Slovakia

Travel

●        Krzysztof Browko                                           Poland

●        Krzysztof Browko                                           Poland

●        Marco Lachmann-Anke                                   Germany

●        John Lai Teck Kee                                            Malaysia

●        Carlos Macedonio                                           Brazil

●        N S Ng                                                             Singapore

●        Keith Pace                                                       Malta

●        Suprijanto Suprijanto                                       Indonesia

●        George Turnbull                                               United Kingdom

●        Malte Wittmann                                                Germany

Youth shortlisted photographers

Culture

·         Hanne Grannestad                                          Norway

·         Lam Ka Ho                                                       Hong Kong

·         Sahil Lodha                                                      India

·         Merijn Mulder                                                   Netherlands

·         Carolina Paltrinieri                                            Italy

·         Adrian Pelegrin  Bonet                                     Spain

·         Kolyaskin Sergey                                             Russian Federation

·         Benedek Varga                                               Hungary

Environment

·         Alla Aliokhina                                                  Ukraine

·         Kolyaskin Sergey                                           Russian Federation

·         Thamyres Matarozzi                                       Brazil

·         Adrian Pelegrin Bonet                                    Spain

·         Bernard Pieterse                                             South Africa

·         Imanuel Thallinger                                           Austria

·         Kazi Sudipto                                                    Bangladesh

·         Kseniya Sovenko                                           United States

Portraits

·         Tertious Alio                                                     Russian Federation

·         Hadi Asgari                                                      Iran

·         Lidia K                                                              United Kingdom

·         Darya Kasyanova                                            Russian Federation

·         Samujjwal Sahu                                               India

·         Karina Sembe                                                  Ukraine

·         Kolyaskin Sergey                                            Russian Federation

·         Felicia Simion                                                   Romania

·         Marina Tkhorzhevskaya                                   Russian Federation

·         Berta Vicente                                                   Spain

Key dates 2012

07 February         Student Focus finalists announcement              
20 March             Open (amateur) category winners announced
26 April                Sony World Photography Awards, gala ceremony held London Hilton
27 April                Sony World Photography Award Winners and World Photo, London exhibitions open at Somerset House London