[imagesource: “Family Donation” by Si Thu Ye Myint, Myanmar Winner]

Colourful bursts of fireworks, festival goers scuttling for a sip of booze, and a person mimicking a tree all feature in this year’s list of national winners for the 2023 Sony World Photography Awards.

Selected from more than 200 000 photos submitted to the Open Competition, these images highlight the best amateur photography from 55 participating countries.

Each winner will receive Sony digital imaging equipment and will be included in the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition and book.

We’re taking a look-see at some of the most spectacular National Winners in anticipation of the announcement of the overall winners in the Student, Youth, Open, and Professional competitions.

That announcement will take place in April, just prior to the opening of the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition at Somerset House in London.

Drink in these awe-inspiring images.

“Iceberg” © Huazheng Hong, Singapore, Winner, National Awards:

The Ilulissat icebergs off Greenland’s coast lend perspective to the staggering immensity of the distant ice walls, which stretch for several kilometers and can be as tall as a one-hundred-story skyscraper. That is only the ‘tip of the iceberg’, though. The glaciers extend well below the water, to an average depth of 2,100 meters, and discharge more ice into the global oceanic current than any other glacier in the Northern Hemisphere.

“Glare of a Predator” © Rajeev Abeysekara, Sri Lanka, Winner, National Awards:

During a game drive in Sri Lanka’s Kumana National Park I came across this magnificent Sri Lankan leopard resting in a tree, staring at us through the branches. It was an unforgettable encounter.

“Exhausted” © Andreas Mikonauschke, Germany, Winner, National Awards:

In Andalusia, Spain, the traditional Easter processions are a fascinating event to watch. The different brotherhoods (Hermandades) with their uniformed brothers (cofrades) are an everyday sight during the holy week, Semana Santa. Central elements of the processions are the heavy wooden frames (pasos) showing biblical scenes with one or more statues – these are carried through the streets by volunteer paso carriers underneath – usually one only sees their feet but sometimes during the rare breaks one gets an impression of the tough job they have.

“Galaxy Explosion” © Pável Vélez, Mexico, Winner, Latin America National Awards:

“Confident” © Abdulla AL-Mushaifri, Qatar, Winner, National Awards:

A picture of a young ‘knight’ demonstrating his horsemanship, while simultaneously looking at the assembled photographers waiting to take a picture of him. This photograph was taken in the Sultanate of Oman.

“Untitled” © Rabik Upadhayay, Nepal, Winner, National Awards:

Youths jostle to drink alcohol as part of a cultural practice during the Indra Jatra Festival in Kathmandu, Nepal. During the week-long celebration a statue of Swet Bhairab is unveiled and alcohol is served through an extended brass pipe coming from the idol’s mouth. It is a crazy experience, even for spectators, with many participants getting injured every year

“Nature’s Abduction” © Cristina Băzăr, Romania, Winner, Regional Awards:

While traveling in Madeira, I was mesmerized by this specific tree engulfed in fog. I decided to photograph it alongside a mysterious human presence.

We’ll check again in April for the overall winners in the Student, Youth, Open, and Professional competitions.

[source:mymodernmet]