The crowning event of the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards has been revealed: the winners of the Open competition.
Awarding the best single images from across the 10 competition categories, it is one of photography's top non-invitational prizes.
The Open competition can be entered by any photographer, of any ability,from anywhere in the world.
"With over a 100 photographers shortlisted this year, the striking imagery gives a broad depiction of the world in 2020," said a sate ment from the SWPA. "And what a year it was!"
A Life's work: Kiwi photographer Aimee Glucina was shortlisted in the Lifestyle category for her portrait of her father. Photo / Aimee Glucina, Sony World Photography Awards
The various forms of imagery submitted were from categories including Travel, Street Photography, Architecture, Creative, Landscape, Lifestyle, Motion, Natural World & Wildlife, Object, and Portraiture.
Each of the 10 winners are presented with Sony digital photography equipment and, will go into the final competition for overall Open Photographer of the Year title and USD$5000 ($6900).
The best Travel photos of 2020: SWPA Open
In a year without travel, the lack of planes or international journeys did not affect the standard of the competition.
The winning photo went to Khanh Phan of Vietnam for the photo 'Drying Fish' taken on the banks of Long Hai. Judges awarded Khanh Phan top honours for the image in which "the fish in trays resemble a large piece of fabric with the woman seemingly weaving it all together."
Other colourful shortlist nominations include Franz Sußbauer's photo of the rainy German town of Hallstatt and fellow countryman Holger Bücker's depiction of a Covid-safe concert in Hannover.
On the far side of the world, two Japanese artists were also shortlisted in the travel category.
Yukihito Ono and Hiroki Nose both were shortlisted for their photos of Mount Fuji. Nose's wintry mountain was photographed from the view from his home in Hakone. Similarly Ono' captured the conical mountain in a frame of Autumn leaves.
The seasons and traditional scenes were also the subject of Greek photographer Mario Forsos, who photographed the people of the Omo Valley, and F. Dilek Uyar captured a shepherd's fountain in Lake Tuz.
Closer to home, Kiwi photographer Aimee Glucina was shortlisted for the Lifestyle category with her photo 'A Life's work'. Glucina photographed her father's library of books and records, celebrating his life interests as his dementia progresses. The Auckland-based family and corporate photographer said it the image was "very personal" and was taken while helping her parents move to a retirement village. It is the first time Glucina has entered an photo in the competition.
The overall winners for the Open, Professional, Student and Youth competitions of the Sony World Photography Awards 2021 will be announced on the 15 April 2021.
A Life's work: Kiwi photographer Aimee Glucina was shortlisted in the Lifestyle category for her portrait of her father. Photo / Aimee Glucina, Sony World Photography Awards
