[imagesource: Lukas Zeman/Sony World Photography Awards]

Feel like taking a walk in another person’s shoes?

The finalists and shortlisted entries in the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards 2024 are like portals into others’ existence, showing a Slovakian spa facility, a German finger wrestling champion, a mother’s love, and a pair of desert foxes (above) rollicking in the sand.

A total of 30 finalists were chosen across the competition’s 10 professional categories, which span portraiture, sport, landscape and the environment, with a further three to seven photographers shortlisted in each category.

The World Photography Awards manages various competitions annually, encompassing youth and student categories. The unveiling of national and regional winners occurred last month – head here to see some of those stellar shots.

According to a press release, this year’s program amassed over 395,000 images. While a spokesperson for the World Photography Organisation chose not to disclose the number of photos eligible for the professional contest to CNN, they did mention that it marked the highest volume of entries in the competition’s 17-year history.

In a press statement, jury chair Monica Allende lauded the “diverse, high-quality and creative spectrum” of this year’s selection. “The jury was captivated by the passionate storytelling; capturing both the joys and the challenges of human existence across our planet,” she added.

Let’s take a walk…

A photo by Angelika Jakob shows Josef Utzschneider, light heavyweight champion in the German finger wrestling championship.

Jens Juul’s photo is from the Roskilde festival in Denmark.

Karol Pałka was recognised in the architecture and design category for her project looking at the role spa facilities play in Slovakian community life.

Katie Orlinksy’s image shows a woman processing a caribou in Alaska’s Anaktuvuk Pass.

Malaysian photographer Nick Ng was one of seven people shortlisted in the architecture and design category.

An image by Brent Stirton shows two trans women who fled harsh anti-LGBTQ laws in Uganda and are now living in a safe house in Nairobi, Kenya.

An image from Sujata Setia’s project is about the survivors of domestic abuse in the UK’s South Asian community:

Photographer Maurizio Di Pietro’s project “Zero Hunger” looks at how insects are being used as a food source.

Eddo Hartmann’s series “The Sacrifice Zone” documents a remote area of Kazakhstan that was once used by the Soviet Union for nuclear testing.

An aerial shot by Ekrem Sahin was shortlisted in the landscape category.

Angelika Kollin’s series “Parenthood” features tender black-and-white portraits of parents and their children.

Chinese photographer Liang Chen was nominated for “Donghai Island People,” his series documenting life in his hometown in Guangdong province.

Haider Khan documented two rhinos in captivity in Germany and India.

The winners will be announced in April and an exhibition of the photos is set to go on display at London’s Somerset House.

[source:cnn]