World Photography Organisation – Overall winners revealed: 2018 Sony World Photography Awards
We are delighted to reveal the overall winners of the 2018 Sony World Photography Awards. All the winners, including those from the Professional, Open, Student and Youth competitions, were announced at a prestigious award ceremony in central London.
The successful images will now go on display at the 2018 Exhibition, London, until 6th May. Don’t miss one of the most diverse and exciting photography exhibitions of the year!
All winners were flown to London for the ceremony and received Sony digital imaging equipment, publication in the winners’ book and get to see their work shown as part of the 2018 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition.
Outstanding Contribution to Photography recipient Candida Höfer was also at the ceremony to collect her prize.
Photographer of the Year – Alys Tomlinson, UK
The coveted Photographer of the Year title was presented to British artist, Alys Tomlinson (age 43), for her series ‘Ex-Voto’, winning her the $25,000 (USD) prize fund. The work was praised by the jury for its beautiful production, technical excellence and sensitive illustration of pilgrimage as a journey of discovery and sacrifice to a greater power. Upon winning the prize, Tomlinson said “I am very surprised to have won, there is so much amazing photography in this competition. This is a huge boost both personally and professionally. It’s a project I invested so much in, so this recognition makes it all worth it.”
Tomlinson was selected from the 10 category winners of the Professional competition who were announced today alongside those in 2nd and 3rd place in each Professional category. The overall winners of the Awards’ Open (best single image), Youth and Student Focus competitions were also revealed.
Open Photographer of the Year – Veselin Atanasov, Bulgaria
Bulgarian photographer, Veselin Atanasov, was selected from 10 category winners as the best single image in the world in the Open competition. Atanasov is recognised for his image ‘Early Autumn’ and receives the $5,000 (USD) prize. An IT specialist, Atanasov is a self-taught photographer who began shooting in 2014.
Youth Photographer of the Year – Megan Johnson, USA, Age 16
Megan Johnson, aged 16 and from the USA, was announced as the Youth Photographer of the Year, for her image ‘Still’. Shot on the cliffs near her house in Connecticut, the black and white image captures the complex and intricate solitude the photographer faces in everyday life.
Student Photographer of the Year – Samuel Bolduc, Canada
The Student Photographer of the Year was revealed as Samuel Bolduc, from Canada, age 20. Bolduc was chosen by the judges from students worldwide for his photographic series ‘The Burden’. He represented College de Matane, Quebec and has won €30,000 (Euros) worth of Sony photography equipment for the institution.
Produced by the World Photography Organisation, the Sony World Photography Awards is the world’s most diverse photography competition. The 11th edition saw a record breaking 320,000 submissions by photographers from more than 200 countries and territories, presenting some of the world’s finest contemporary photography captured over the past year. The Awards’ annual London exhibition brings together the best established and emerging talent from around the world, providing winning and shortlisted photographers the opportunity to showcase their work on an international stage.
Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
