The photographer of the year for the 2022 Sony World Photography Awards didn't take the photos – technically.
The striking black-and-white portraits of migrants on the U.S.-Mexico border were actually taken by the subjects themselves. Australian photographer Adam Ferguson gave them a remote trigger for his camera and told them to take the photo whenever they were ready.
The images highlight the migrants' "desire for freedom and self-respect. They are people who have a choice to make," says Mike Trow, jury chair of the awards.
These intimate photos are showcased alongside many honorees in this year's Sony World Photography Awards, an annual global competition that is free to enter and open to photographers of all skill levels. This week, jurors announced the overall winners, which include the work of photojournalists, creative photographers and student and amateur photographers. More than 340,000 images were submitted from 211 countries and territories.
Working in both black and white and color, photographers showed a world of unexpected moments and evocative landscapes – from a man in Argentina transporting computers on horseback to a lone figure in a Pakistani desert.
An exhibition of over 300 images from the contest are on display at Somerset House in London until May 2. Here is a selection of eye-catching images by finalists and winners from around the globe.
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