Winners in 2016 Sony World Photography awards announced

Sitting with a magnificent Golden Eagle he has trained for hunting, this Kazakh nomad is one of hundreds of eagle hunters taking part in the Eagle Hunting Festival in one of the most remote parts of the world.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Dec 2016, 22:22 BST
Updated 29th Dec 2016, 15:19 BST
The Eagle Hunting festival, organised by the local hunting community, is part of an effort to promote and grow traditional hunting practices for new generations in the mountainous region of western China.The Eagle Hunting festival, organised by the local hunting community, is part of an effort to promote and grow traditional hunting practices for new generations in the mountainous region of western China.
The Eagle Hunting festival, organised by the local hunting community, is part of an effort to promote and grow traditional hunting practices for new generations in the mountainous region of western China.

The striking image of the bond between man and this magnificent bird of prey at the festival in the mountainous region of western China bordering Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia, saw Canadian photographer Kevin Frayer scoop the professional environment category at the Sony World Photography Awards 2016, the largest photography competition in the world.

A record-breaking 230,103 images from 186 countries were entered into the 2016 competition with categories covering professional, open, youth and national award categories.

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With the last call going out for entries for the 2017 competition, Russ O’Connell, picture editorof the Sunday Times Magazine and the 2017 professional competition judge, said: “I want to be blown away by seeing a portrait or image that immediately invokes an emotional response, not a pastiche of a famous portrait or replication of a photographer’s style that has come before.”

The 2016 photographer of the year title was won by Iranian photojournalist Asghar Khamseh for his series “Fire of Hatred” featuring disturbing images of victims of acid attacks, while the Open Photographer of the Year title went to Kei Nomiyama from Japan for a stunning pictures of fireflies.

Closing dates for the competition, which is free to enter, range from 5-10 January 2017, depending on categories entered.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on 20 April, 2017. Prizes include the latest Sony digital imaging 
equipment, inclusion in the 2017 awards’ book plus cash prizes of £20,250 for the overall professional winner and £4,050 for the overall open winner.

All winning and shortlisted images will be exhibited as part of the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House, London, from 21 April-7 May 2017.

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