The prestigious Sony World Photography Awards has announced the winners of the 2019 photo contest.
Italian photographer Federico Borella was named Photographer of the Year (and the 1st place winner in Documentary) for his project Five Degrees, which focuses on male suicide in the farming community of Tamil Nadu, Southern India, which is experiencing its worst drought in 140 years. The series was praised by the competition’s jury for “its sensitivity, technical excellence and artistry in bringing to light a global concern.”
Along with the award, Borella receives a $25,000 cash prize and Sony camera equipment.
Here are the other winning photographers across the major categories:
Architecture: Winner: Stephan Zirwes, Germany for series Cut Outs – Pools 2018
Brief: Winner: Rebecca Fertinel, Belgium for series Ubuntu – I Am Because We Are
Creative: Winner: Marinka Masséus, Netherlands for the series Chosen [not] to be
Discovery: Winner: Jean-Marc Caimi & Valentina Piccinni, Italy for the series Güle Güle
Landscape: Winner: Yan Wang Preston, UK for the series To the South of the Colourful Clouds
Natural World & Wildlife: Winner: Jasper Doest, Netherlands for the series Meet Bob
Portraiture: Winner: Álvaro Laiz, Spain for the series The Edge
Sport: Winner: Alessandro Grassani, Italy for the series Boxing Against Violence: The Female Boxers Of Goma
Still Life: Winner: Nicolas Gaspardel & Pauline Baert, France for the series Yuck
Open Photographer of the Year – Christy Lee Rogers, USA
Youth Photographer of the Year – Zelle Westfall, USA, age 18
Student Photographer of the Year – Sergi Villanueva, Spain, Universidad Jaume I, age 25
You can find a full gallery of winning photographers and photos on the Sony World Photography Awards website (including 2nd and 3rd place winners).
Image credits: Header photos by Federico Borella
