Now in its 18th edition, the Sony World Photography Awards serve as a global platform for both established and emerging artists, offering an annual glimpse into contemporary photography. This free-to-enter competition provides exposure across 10 categories, including Architecture, Landscape, Travel, and Street Photography. Each category awards a winner, features a shortlist of selected works, and culminates in the title of Open Photographer of the Year. For the 2025 Open competition, participants were invited to submit their strongest single images from 2024, with a focus on capturing and distilling a singular moment while evoking a broader narrative.
This year, over 419,000 images from more than 200 countries and territories were submitted across all categories. In the Architecture category, Chinese photographer Xuecheng Liu won first prize with a photograph titled Centre of the Cosmos, an aerial view of Times Square in New York City captured with an ultra-wide angle to emphasize the city's vastness. This high-resolution photograph, at 400 million pixels, features a viewing angle equivalent to a 5mm focal length on a full-frame camera.
Below, discover the shortlisted photographs for the 2025 Open Competition, accompanied by descriptions from the photographers.
The Monster by Alessio D'Addato, Italy
The Monster Building in Hong Kong, photographed on a night walk.
Harnessing Power by Andrew Newman, United Kingdom
Iceland's uniquely active geology is especially suitable for harnessing geothermal energy, and this now produces more than one quarter of the country's total electricity. The remoteness of some of the infrastructure lends itself to artistic compositions such as this one, where the external pipework creates an ideal 'leading line' to the industrial buildings in the background.
Moon Cabin by David Eliud Gil Samaniego Maldonado, Mexico
This image of a cabin in Iceland with the moon was taken at sunset using a 400mm lens.
Zaandam House by Hans Wichmann, Germany
In the early 2000s, the Dutch architect Sjoerd Soeters was brought in to create an urban development plan for the town of Zaandam, near Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Among his plans was the facade of this hotel, which is composed of stacked houses reminiscent of traditional 'Zaanse Huisjes'.
Urbanscape by Jason Smith, Australia
This magical display of colour and geometry was found in an otherwise banal industrial environment in Australia, bringing the landscape to life.
The Guard by Max van Son, Netherlands
A section of the entrance hall of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This image illustrates the harmonious interplay of lines, forms and light in relation to the large size of the monumental space illustrates the insignificance of the figure below.
The Antwerpen Port Authority by Michael Echteld, Netherlands
The Port Authority building in Antwerp, Belgium. The extension on top of the old building was designed by Zaha Hadid.
De Witte Spiraal by Michael Echteld, Netherlands
This image was taken beneath 'de witte spiraal' (the white spiral) bicycle flyover in Antwerp, Belgium. The bridge was designed by Ney and partners.
Sky Reloaded by Pati John, Netherlands
Although the official capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam, The Hague is the country's administrative centre and seat of government, with modern structures that reach skywards in various shapes and forms. This image is an allegory that highlights the importance of the ministries that influence the daily lives of people in the Netherlands. Orange is the colour of the Dutch royal family – the House of Orange-Nassau – and has been considered the national colour of the country for hundreds of years.
Waking at the Church by Radek Pohnán, Czechia
Morning at a small church near Lake Mývatn. Photos from the Winter Iceland 2024 photo expedition series.
Monochrome Majesty: Cuatro Torres Business Area by Robert Fülöp, Romania
This captivating black-and-white photograph showcases the iconic Cuatro Torres Business Area in Madrid. The monochrome treatment emphasises the towering skyscrapers' sleek lines and architectural grandeur, evoking a sense of timeless elegance and urban sophistication that invites the viewer to marvel at the dynamic landscape of the bustling business district.
Colourful Doors by Thibault Drutel, France
The vibrant energy of an interior facade where geometry and vibrant colours mingle. Bathed in light, the doors create an orderly mosaic, while metallic lines and reflections add a touch of modernity to this minimalist celebration of urban architecture.
Public Library by Ute-Christa Scherhag, Germany
The city library in Stuttgart, Germany, is one of the most modern libraries in Europe. It was designed by the Korean architect Eun Young Yi and draws visitors from all over the world.
