The Sony World Photography Awards today announces the shortlists for the 2025 Student and Youth competitions, celebrating outstanding photographers in the early stages of their careers.
The student shortlist pays tribute to evocative series on the theme of 'new beginnings', while the youth shortlist highlights the best images from photographers aged 19 and under. The shortlists showcase the skill and ingenuity of young artists working in photography around the world and showcase the talent of the future.
Student competition shortlist
For the 2025 student competition, photography students were invited to respond to the assignment In the Beginning. Participants had to submit a series of five to ten images. The projects on the shortlist reflect a wide range of topics, from personal life histories of the photographers to overviews of social changes.
Each photographer on the shortlist has their own style and perspective in their work and creates a compelling story with their images. Travel and journeys are prominent themes in several of the shortlisted works.
In Where Roads Begin to Split investigates Xingyu Fan (China, Nanjing University of the Arts) the modernization and migration in China and the resulting urban-rural divide.
The work of Albert Słowiński (Poland, Szczecin Academy of Art) traces the history of the most important railway in Mauritania to its current use; transporting passengers and iron ore from the Zouérat mine.
Several shortlisted projects look at people's stories through the spaces they live in and their belongings.
The shortlisted photographers consider themes relevant to the social context in which they work.
In Rebirth: The Ritual of Baptism by Thapelo Mahlangu (South Africa, Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography), the photographer looks at the ceremony of baptism in traditional cultures in South Africa, focusing on rituals observed by the Xhosa people.
The winner of the Student Photographer of the Year Award will be chosen from the ten shortlisted students and announced on April 16 at the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 ceremony in London. The winning university will receive digital imaging equipment from Sony worth €30,000.
Youth competition shortlist
The shortlist of the youth competition consists of photos from eleven photographers aged 19 and younger. This year, participants were invited to share their best photos via an Open Call.
The 2025 shortlist features photographers capturing breathtaking scenes of nature, from mountain landscapes to underwater life.
Matteo Botta (Switzerland, 17 years old) captures an aerial view of the Schwarzberg and the Maighels River, while the photo Wanderer on Mars by Claire Gonzalez (United States, 17 years old) shows the rare terrain of the Bentonite Hills, a remote hiking area in Utah.
The photographers also capture lively moments, both close to home and further away. The image Eclipse of Motion by Dian-Ji Wu (Taiwan, 16 years old) shows a skateboarder silhouetted against the warm light of sunset in Venice Beach, LA.
The image The Lifts by Oliver Marks (United States, 17 years old) shows busy ski lifts on the side of a mountain. In DJ Broken Down emphasized Joshua Hasanoff (Australia, 14 years) the striking similarity between someone repairing his car and a DJ at his turntables. And Shayna Cuenca's image Parts of the Whole (United States, 16 years old) suggests a personal reflection by deconstructing and reassembling a self-portrait.
The 2025 Youth Photographer of the Year Award winner, selected from the shortlist, will receive digital imaging equipment from Sony to further develop their vision.
The winners in the Student, Youth, Open and Professional competitions of the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 will be announced on April 16, 2025.
More info at worldphoto.org.
