The 2016 edition of the Sony World Photography Awards has finally announced its shortlist for the Professional, Open and Youth categories with six Indian photographers being nominated for the same. This is the world’s biggest photography competition, organized by the World Photography Organisation, which received more than 2,30,000 entries from about 186 countries this year.

A proud moment for India, this year’s competition saw six Indian nominations, from a record-breaking number of participants. The Sony Awards committee also mentioned the fact that this year marked an increased number of entries from India.

This year’s array of themes also cover Europe’s refugee crisis, the Ukraine conflict, underwater photography, drone photography and the like. The list of winners will be announced on 21st April, a day before the World Photography Award exhibition, which will be held at Somerset House, London, from the 22^nd of April to the 8^th of May.

The winners of the photography competition will be awarded a prize of up to $30,000, along with a showcase of their photographs at the exhibition. This shortlist also includes nominations of two photographers, Daniel Berehulak and Jordi Pizarro, who have been long-term residents of India. These two have been nominated for the Professional category.

Let us take a look at the photographs submitted by the Indians who were shortlisted for these coveted awards:

Prakash Singh, Professional Landscape Category

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Singh began his photography career in the year 2012 and currently resides in Dubai. His shortlisted series known as ‘Landscape’ was also shot in Dubai.

Nikunj Rathore, Open People Category

A photographer and a film director, Rathod resides in Mumbai and loves to capture life on the streets. ‘Bird hunter’, his shortlisted image was shot in Mumbai and depicts the energy and enthusiasm of a child, aiming for the sky.

Jaydip Bhattacharya, Open Smile Category 

This photography enthusiast hails from Kolkata, who is also a high-school teacher by profession. He professes his love for photographing faces of adults and children along with his affinity for capturing festivities.

Abhijit Banerjee, Open Travel Category 

Based in Kolkata, Abhijit Banerjee has been nominated for his stunning portrait of India’s second largest fair, the ‘Gangasagar Fair’, which is held every year in the month of January. The breathtaking image captures Indian devotees, worshipping the sun just after a bath.

Anasuya Mandal, Open Travel Category 

Anasuya Mandal hails from the city of Chandigarh who is currently pursuing her PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her shortlisted image displays the striking Bryce Amphitheatre in Utah, the United States.

Sanghmitra Sarkar, Open Low Light Category

Sarkar is a passionate photographer who is also a neurosurgeon from Kalyani, West Bengal. His shortlisted image ‘All souls day’ was shot in a village called Puruliya, West Bengal.