When a crocodile strikes... The best of the Sony World Photography Awards 2023
A crocodile killing a wildebeest, an aerial view of a volcano, a portrait of a dog are among the images shortlisted for this year's Sony World Photography Awards. The winner of the contest will be announced on 13 April, but until then take a look at these finalist images
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Life or Death: A crocodile pounces on a wildebeest in a river in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve. The unfortunate wildebeest had been attempting to cross the river as part of the great migration of animals that takes place in the reserve each year. Zhu says that due to the ‘unpredictability’ of the migration, taking a great shot of wildebeest herds crossing a river ‘can take several weeks of patience and dedication’. Image Courtesy: Zhu Zhu/Sony World Photography Awards 2023
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Almost There: A lone tusker with slender, twig-sized tusks in the Nelliyampathy hills in Kerala, India. Locals call him ‘Chillikomban’ and he spends most of his time in and around human habitations, negotiating steep hills, tea estates and misty roads. Image Courtesy: Aneesh Sankarankutty/Sony World Photography Awards 2023
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Volodymyr Husak, Irpin: Volodymyr Husak (28) at one of the apartments in the Dub-ok co-op building in Irpin, Ukraine. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has become a particularly brutal affair because of the heavy civilian losses and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. Tragically, as the war continues, people living in Ukraine are getting used to it. Image Courtesy: Sasha Maslov/Sony World Photography Awards 2023
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Janice and Cubs: Janice Husebo reaches out to a pair of bear cubs through the sliding glass doors of her home in Asheville, North Carolina. The photographer says: “Multiple times a day bears show up on their back porch… Janice has developed a close bond with the bears and plays with the cubs using a feather duster through the sliding glass door.” Image Courtesy: Corey Arnold/Sony World Photography Awards 2023
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A man carries a large swordfish through the auction area of the Hamar Weyne fish market. The Hamar Weyne fish market, in the heart of Mogadishu, is a vital hub for the fish trade. Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing civil war and a lack of investment in the sector, the market remains a key source of employment and economic activity. Image Courtesy: Tariq Zaidi/Sony World Photography Awards 2023
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Full Extension: The annual mobula ray migration in Baja California. The ray fever creates intriguing dynamic patterns and textures underwater, in contrast to the individual jumps outside the water. Image Courtesy: Martin Broen/Sony World Photography Awards 2023
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Sophia: Sophia the dog stares right into the camera lens giving this beautiful image. Image Courtesy: Julia Christe/Sony World Photography Awards 2023
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An aerial view of the lava flows from the volcano. This volcanic eruption on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands started on 19 September 2021 and lasted for 85 days, destroying thousands of homes and displacing more than 10,000 people in the process. It also covered large areas with ash, which now accumulates everywhere. Image Courtesy: Cesar Dezfuli/Sony World Photography Awards 2023
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Sun-dried red chillies are being sorted on a small family farm near Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. India is the largest producer of dried red chillies in the world, accounting for 41 per cent of the 4.2 million tonnes of global production. Image Courtesy: George Steinmetz/Sony World Photography Awards 2023
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Portrait of a Veteran: World War 2 veteran Acek Urmanbetov (98) is recovering from COVID. He is reluctant to evoke the war, but remembers the leg he lost in Belarus, the people he shot and the dead rotting in the trenches. He follows international politics and is devastated by Ukraine’s current war. Image Courtesy: Marylise Vigneau/Sony World Photography Awards 2023