• Seven American photographers shortlisted in the Open competition, with one further shortlisted in the Youth competition of this prestigious and global Awards

• All Open and Youth shortlisted images announced today available at worldphoto.org/press

• Ten Open category winners revealed February 26, with overall Open and Youth winners announced April 17, 2019

  8 Americans in the shortlist from 326,997 entries in the prestigious global competition.

LONDON: FEBRUARY 5, 2019: The World Photography Organisation today reveals the shortlisted photographers for the Open and Youth competitions of the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards, recognizing the eight American photographers who are behind some of the world’s best single images taken in 2018.

The success of the American photographers is remarkable as the 2019 Awards received its highest ever number of entries - 326,997 from 195 countries.

The Open shortlist comprises stunning works selected across ten diverse categories and features seven American photographers across six categories. The photographers and works are as follows:

• Massachusetts-based photographer Brooke Bartletta is recognized in the Motion category for the image Runners. The atmospheric work captures a boys high school track and field team at practice at a local park in Boston while the fog rolls in.

• Also in the Motion category is visual artist Christy Lee Rogers. Originally from Hawaii, Rogers works from Nashville, TN, and uses water to break the conventions of contemporary photography. Her image Harmony was shot underwater in Hawaii and is part of a bigger collection titled Muses.

• Hal Gage is an established commercial photographer from Alaska whose works have been awarded and exhibited extensively. He is shortlisted in the Landscape category for Stumps, Alder Lake, Nisqually River, Washington, a stunning image that shows the exposed tree stumps on the man-made Alder Lake, Washington.

• In the Creative category Antoine Tiggart’s image In Between is a striking portrait using double exposure, where the photographer aims to show how you feel when you're in that in between place of thinking.

• Award-winning wildlife photographer Nadia Aly is shortlisted in the Natural World & Wildlife category capturing penguin chicks in Antarctica in her image, Huddle.

• Miranda Alam is shortlisted in the Street Photography category for an image portraying a split-second moment in which attendees of the Best Of Las Vegas Weekly celebration are caught in a sudden gust of wind.

• Lastly, New York City-based photographer Maciek Jasik is recognised in the Still Life category for Galia Melon, one of a series of images from his project which examines the mystical origins and evolution of the foods we take for granted.

The Youth shortlist features the top eight single images taken by 12-19 year-olds responding to the theme of ‘Diversity’.

• 18-year-old Zelle Westfall from Atlanta is recognized for a beautiful portrait of her school friend Abuot, in which she aims to highlight the beauty of her skin.

All those shortlisted now go on to compete against talented photographers from across the world to win their categories and have the chance to become Open Photographer of the Year, with prizes including the latest cutting-edge Sony camera equipment, flights to the London Awards ceremony, and $5000 USD. The shortlisted American photographs will all be shown at the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House, London before going on a global tour. The works will also be published in the annual Awards’ book.

Produced by the World Photography Organisation, the internationally acclaimed Sony World Photography Awards are one of the most important fixtures on the global photographic calendar. The Awards are now in their 12th year of partnership with headline sponsor Sony and consist of four competitions in total: Professional (for a body of works), Open (for a single image), Student (for academic institutions) and Youth (for 12-19 year olds). The Professional competition shortlist will be announced March 26. Record number of entries to 2019 Sony World Photography Awards As one of the world’s largest and most prestigious global photography competitions, the Awards annually celebrate and promote the best contemporary photography from the past year across a wide variety of photographic genres.

A total of 326,997 entries from 195 countries and territories were submitted across the four competitions of the 2019 Awards, the highest ever number of entries to date.

Judging the Open and Youth Shortlists

The Sony World Photography Awards are judged anonymously by internationally acclaimed industry professionals, including representatives from international museums, publishing and the media.

This year’s Open and Youth competition judging was chaired by Rebecca McClelland, Photography Director & Head of Art Production for Saatchi Saatchi & Prodigious (UK).

McClelland comments: “I was astonished with the diversity of work that was entered into the Open and Youth competitions. The award represents a very democratic appreciation of photography, from tradition to emergent trends across all genres from nature to fashion. The competition allows the broadest demographic to have a platform.

“Judging single images is never easy, it is important to give equal appreciation regardless of genre to allow the fairest outcome. The judging is hosted blind to prevent nepotism or bias, which is extremely important. I look forward to seeing these striking contemporary images on display at this year’s exhibition at Somerset House.”

Other Competitions And Prizes

The full Open shortlist and that of the Awards’ Youth competition, rewarding the best single image taken by young photographers aged 12-19, were also announced today and the Professional and Student competition shortlists will be announced March 26. All shortlisted and winning images will be exhibited as part of the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition in London from April 18 until May 6, 2019 before touring globally.

The Awards’ overall winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on April 17. The Photographer of the Year, Open Photographer of the Year, Youth Photographer of the Year, the Professional competitions’ category winners and the ten shortlisted Student entrants will all be flown to London to attend. Winners will also receive the latest Sony digital imaging equipment and will be included in the 2019 Awards' book.