San Diego, CA—The World Photography Organization announced the overall winners of the 2022 Sony World Photography Awards. Adam Ferguson (Australia) garnered the Photographer of the Year title, a $25,000 cash prize and a range of Sony digital imaging kit.
Also announced were the 10 category winners alongside second and third place finishers of the Professional competition. In addition, the WPO unveiled overall winners of the Open, Student and Youth competitions.
The winners were revealed in a celebratory video featuring interviews and reactions. It’s available to view via worldphoto.org/ceremony-2022.
In addition, the Sony World Photography Awards 2022 exhibition opened at Somerset House, London, on April 13. Continuing through May 2, 2022, it features more than 300 prints and hundreds of additional images in digital displays from winning as well as short-listed photographers.
The exhibit also includes works by this year’s Outstanding Contribution to Photography, the renowned Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky.
Photographer of the Year
Migrantes is Adam Ferguson’s series of black-and-white self-portraits of migrants in Mexico. What’s more, the photos were taken as they waited to cross the border into the United States. Photographed in collaboration with the subjects, Ferguson set up the scene for each image; he mounted a medium-format camera on a tripod with a cable release. He then allowed the individuals to choose the moment of capture and participate in the process of documenting their lives.
“Through collaborating with migrants, this series of photographs was an attempt to make images that inspired empathy, rather than sympathy. By surrendering the control of capture and giving each migrant agency in the process of their representation, I hoped to subvert the narrative of marginalization and create a story that felt more human, relatable as well as honest,” commented Ferguson.
“I’m grateful to the brave and resilient individuals who agreed to work with me; I receive this award on behalf of them also. Winning the Photographer of the Year award gives this story another life. It allows a new audience to connect with the important stories of the individuals who shared their story with me.”
Professional Category Winners
Following are the winners as well as second and third place finishers in each of the Professional awards 10 categories.
Architecture & Design
Winner: Domagoj Burilović (Croatia)
2nd place Javier Arcenillas (Spain)
3rd place Yun Chi Chen (Taiwan)
Creative
Winner: Alnis Stakle (Latvia)
2nd place Raphaël Neal (United Kingdom)
3rd place Sarah Grethe (Germany)
Environment
Winner: Shunta Kimura (Japan)
2nd place Gideon Mendel (South Africa)
3rd place Giacomo d’Orlando (Italy)
Landscape
Winner: Lorenzo Poly (Italy)
2nd place Andrius Repšys (Lithuania)
3rd place Gareth Iwan Jones (United Kingdom)
Portfolio
Winner: Hugh Fox (United Kingdom)
2nd place Julian Anderson (United Kingdom)
3rd place Anna Neubauer (Austria)
Portraiture
Winner: Adam Ferguson (United Kingdom)
2nd place George Tatakis (Greece)
3rd place Brent Stirton (South Africa)
Sport
Winner: Ricardo Teles (Brazil)
2nd place Adam Pretty (Australia)
3rd place Roman Vondrouš (Czech Republic)
Still Life
Winner: Haruna Ogata (Japan) & Jean-Etienne Portail (France)
2nd place Cletus Nelson Nwadike (Sweden)
3rd place Alessandro Gandolfi (Italy)
Wildlife & Nature
Winner: Milan Radisics (Hungary)
2nd place Federico Borella (Italy)
3rd place Oana Baković (Romania)
Open Photographer of the Year
Moreover, the Open competition celebrates the power of single images. Winning photographs are selected for their ability to communicate a remarkable visual narrative combined with technical excellence.
Chosen from 10 Open category winners, Scott Wilson (United Kingdom) is the Open Photographer of the Year 2022. He is also the recipient of the $5,000 cash prize, Sony’s digital imaging equipment and global exposure.
Furthermore, Wilson won for his powerful photograph Anger Management, entered in the Natural World & Wildlife category. The black-and-white image depicts a dirt-caked wild mustang kicking up a dust storm in northwestern Colorado.
Student Photographer of the Year
In addition, Ezra Bohm (Netherlands) of the Nederlandse Acedemie voor Beeldcreatie was awarded Student Photographer of the Year 2022. He garnered $32,500 worth of Sony photography equipment for his institution.
What’s more, Bohm was chosen for his series The Identity of Holland. It was created in response to the brief connections that challenged students to present a story highlighting how they, or someone they documented, interact with the world.
For his winning series, Bohm photographed the residents of close-knit communities in the Netherlands who maintain a traditional way of life. He highlighted their extraordinarily detailed customary dress as well as their connection to Dutch cultural history.
Youth Photographer of the Year
In addition, selected from six category winners, Tri Nguyen (Vietnam, 18 years old) won Youth Photographer of the Year 2022 for his image Under the Moonlight. The photograph depicts a young man basking in artificial moonlight, standing against a derelict background.
Furthermore, the moonlight symbolizes a spotlight shining on the young man and his longing to accept his flaws. The photo is part of a series that investigates self-reflection as well as a yearning to break the mold and celebrate one’s imperfections.
Outstanding Contribution to Photography
This year’s Outstanding Contribution to Photography was presented to the renowned Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky. Widely regarded as one of the world’s most accomplished contemporary photographers, Burtynsky is best known for his sweeping images of industrial landscapes as well as the wider environmental crisis.
Furthermore, in striking depictions of vast human-altered landscapes, Burtynsky lays bare the awesome scale of infrastructure and destruction. Moreover, he presents vistas of scarred mountain ranges; desiccated bodies of water; and sprawling urbanism distilled into painterly abstractions of color and form.
