Ahead of their upcoming 2026 awards, a prestigious photography competition have revealed some of their stunning entries.
Alongside the breathtaking images, the Sony World Photography Awards have announced the jury line-up and exhibition dates for their 19th edition, set to open in London next spring.
Established in 2007, the Awards are widely regarded as one of the world’s leading photography competitions, celebrating the most compelling stories and images shaping contemporary visual culture.
- Advertisement -
Organised by Creo under the World Photography Organisation and partnered with Sony, the Awards continue to provide a global platform for photographers at every stage of their careers.
Following a record-breaking 2025 edition, which attracted over 419,000 entries, the 2026 competition once again welcomes Monica Allende as Chair of the Jury.
Allende, an independent curator and photography consultant, also returns as curator of the London exhibition at Somerset House.
Joining her on the Professional Competition jury are:
• Daniel Brena, Director of the Centro de las Artes de San Agustín, Mexico. • Yumi Goto, independent curator, editor and publisher, Japan. • Zack Hatfield, Managing Editor of Aperture magazine, USA. • Paul Ninson, Founder and Executive Director of the Dikan Center, Ghana. • Bindi Vora, artist and Senior Curator at Autograph, UK.
- Advertisement -
Ruby Rees-Sheridan, Assistant Curator of Photography at the National Portrait Gallery, will oversee judging for the Open and Youth competitions, while Tess Raimbeau, Photo Editor at Libération, will chair the Student competition.
The 2026 Sony World Photography Awards exhibition will run at Somerset House, London, from 17 April to 4 May.
Alongside winning and shortlisted works, the show will include presentations by 2025 Photographer of the Year Zed Nelson and this year’s Outstanding Contribution to Photography recipient, to be announced in November.
- Advertisement -
The 2025 travelling exhibition continues its global tour, with stops in Milan until 28 September, followed by Berlin from 16 October 2025 to 18 January 2026, before moving on to Tokyo in the spring.
Photographers have until 28 November 2025 (Student), 6 January 2026 (Open and Youth), and 13 January 2026 (Professional) to enter. Entry is free, and all submissions are judged anonymously by the panel.
Prizes include digital imaging equipment from Sony and cash awards of $25,000 for Photographer of the Year, $5,000 for Open Photographer of the Year, and $5,000 for the Sustainability Prize.
Winners also gain international exposure through exhibitions and publication in the annual Awards book.
A second edition of Insights – a professional development programme for the ten Professional category winners – will also take place, offering tailored sessions with curators, editors and industry leaders in London.
Full details and exhibition updates can be found at worldphoto.org/exhibition.
READ MORE: Artist’s optical illusion transforms the way people see the world
