Sony World Photography Awards 2025
Winners announced
The overall winners of the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards 2025 have been announced and it’s been another year packed with amazing images.
Photographer of the Year / Documentary Projects winner
Zed Nelson / United Kingdom
Series: The Anthropocene Illusion
© Zed Nelson, United Kingdom, Photographer of the Year, Professional competition, Wildlife & Nature, Sony World Photography Awards 2025
The Anthropocene Illusion is a long-term documentary project, spanning six years and four continents, which explores the deeply fractured relationship between humans and the natural world. Taking the concept of the ‘Anthropocene’, a term for the current period in Earth’s history which is characterised by humans being the dominant influence on the environment, Nelson’s series focuses on humanity’s response to its impact on the planet. The project looks at artificial spaces, created by humans as a means to ‘experience’ and interact with nature, from safari parks, nature reserves and resorts, to natural history museums, zoos and green cities. Nelson uses these constructions as a lens through which to explore the dissonance between the human desire to stay connected to nature, and the continuous environmental destruction caused by human activity.
Commenting on Zed Nelson’s winning project, Monica Allende, Chair of the 2025 Professional jury says:
The jury applauded Nelson’s urgent topic and his ability to translate complex environmental issues into striking visual narratives. The Anthropocene Illusion illustrates a world where the boundaries between the real and the artificial blur, where the wild survives in controlled enclosures, and where human nostalgia for nature is expressed through spectacle rather than action. Nelson’s work compels viewers to question their own role in this paradox and consider the consequences of a society increasingly distanced from the natural world. This timely body of work tells one of the most important stories of our age, and is now more critical than ever."
Open Photographer of the Year / Motion winner
Olivier Unia / France
Winning Image: Tbourida La Chute
© Olivier Unia, France, Open Photographer of the Year, Open Competition, Motion, Sony World Photography Awards 2025
Olivier Unia was chosen from the 10 Open category winners for his photograph Tbourida La Chute, which captures the danger and excitement of the moment a rider is thrown from their mount during a tbourida, a traditional Moroccan equestrian performance.
Commenting on his win, Olivier Unia says:
I’m very proud to be the Open Photographer of the Year in this major competition. It gives me the confidence to continue to share my work. I entered Tbourida La Chute, one of the photographs from a project I've been working on for the past two years about the Moroccan equestrian art form of tbourida, and I am pleased to see this image recognised.’"
Youth Photographer of the Year
Daniel Dian-Ji Wu / Taiwan (age 16)
Winning Image: Skateboarder at Sunset, Venice Beach
© Daniel Dian-Ji Wu, Taiwan, Youth Photographer of the Year, Youth Competition, Sony World Photography Awards 2025
For the 2025 Youth competition, photographers aged 19 and under were invited to respond to an Open Call and enter their best images from the last year. The Youth Photographer of the Year 2025, chosen from a shortlist of 11 photographers, is Daniel Dian-Ji Wu (Taiwan, 16 years old) for his arresting image of a skateboarder doing a trick, silhouetted against a sunset in Venice Beach, Los Angeles.
Commenting on his win, Daniel Dian-Ji Wu says:
It’s an incredible honour to be named Youth Photographer of the Year. I feel beyond excited and grateful. Photography has been a huge part of my life for the past seven years, so this means so much to me—not just as recognition, but as a reminder of why I love what I do. It opens doors to new opportunities and connections, which makes the journey ahead even more meaningful. I’m really thankful to the Sony World Photography Awards for selecting me and can’t wait to see what’s next."
Sony World Photography Awards 2025 Exhibition
The Sony World Photography Awards 2025 exhibition will be held at Somerset House, London from 17 April to 5 May 2025. The exhibition features over 300 prints, extensive digital displays of winning and shortlisted works, and a dedicated section celebrating the career of Susan Meiselas.
Explore the 2025 Winners and Shortlist Galleries: Sony World Photography Awards | World Photography Organisation
Buy Tickets to the Exhibition: Sony World Photography Awards 2025 exhibition | World Photography Organisation
