Gina Nero, "Miracle Mile" | Miracle Mile is my first photograph taken after relocating to Los Angeles from New York. (Gina Nero, Australia, Shortlist, Architecture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Jürgen Schrepfer, "Berlin" (Jürgen Schrepfer, Germany, Shortlist, Architecture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Aprison Aprison, "Jump!" | One of traditional attraction in Indonesia Culture called Bujang Ganong. He jumped into the circle of fire. (Aprison Aprison, Indonesia, Shortlist, Arts&Culture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Adrian Jaszczak, "Headless" | Photo taken during Artistic Gymnastics Tournament in Poland. Girls that participated were aged 8-12. (Adrian Jaszczak, Poland, Shortlist, Arts&Culture, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Joseph Makeni | Ko' Lobenya at the Pokot Village in Bogoria (©Joseph Makeni, Kenya, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Christine Kapuschinsky Johnson, "Exuberance" (Christine Kapuschinsky Johnson, Austria, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Vladyslav Musiienko, "Ukraine, Maydan" | Ukrainian protester plays piano on a barricade in front of the riot police line during the continuing protest in Kiev, Ukraine, on Oct. 2, 2014. (Vladyslav Musiienko, Shortlist, Current Affairs, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Simon Morris, "On the Tundra..." | A Young Nenets boy plays in -40 degrees on Yamal in the Winter in Siberia. (Simon Morris, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Saeed Barikani, "Old Shepard" | An old shepherd that had been surprised by snow storm in Gilan's countrysides in the north of Iran (Saeed Barikani, Iran, Shortlist, Smile, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Danila Tkachenko, "Restricted Areas, 1" | The project "Restricted area" is about utopian strive of humans for technological progress. Humans are always trying to own ever more than they have - this is the source of technical progress, which was the means to create various commodities, standards, as well as the tools of violence in order to keep the power over others. (Danila Tkachenko, Shortlist, Landscape, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Simon Butterworth, "Blue Fields, 1" | The images were shot from a light aircraft flying at between 4,000 & 5,000ft. The height was crucial in order to flatten perspective by using long focal lengths. Time of day and cloud cover were also critical, the abstract effect being heightened by complete lack of signifying shadow. (Simon Butterworth, Shortlist, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Julia Fullerton-Batten, "Couples in shower" | Everland is the largest theme park in Korea. This is the open shower in Caribbean Bay. (Julia Fullerton-Batten, Shortlist, Lifestyle, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Ramil Gilvanov, "Cat Mother, 2" | Series of images from the life of photographer's family. (Ramil Gilvanov, Shortlist, Lifestyle, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Melissa Little, "Pelican Feeding" | These pelicans are resident on the point at Port Vincent on the Yorke Peninsular in South Australia and have become as opportunistic as the seagulls waiting for fish offal. January 2014 (Melissa Little, Australia, Shortlist, Nature & Wildlife, Open, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Massimo Siragusa, "Clubs in Italy2" (Massimo Siragusa, Italy, Shortlist, Architecture, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Dougie Wallace, "Glasgow; Second City of The Empire. On the run up to the Scottish Referendum" | London’s Kensington & Chelsea has the UK’s highest life expectancy at birth. I looked at this Glasgow community and the day-to-day lives of its inhabitants. (Dougie Wallace, shortlist, Portraiture, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Jens Juul, "Hair 09" | The hair is an intimate part of a person. Hair has some symbolic value: ideas of beauty, strength, eroticism, individuality, sensuality, masculinity, and femininity are closely linked to the hair. (Jens Juul, Denmark, Shortlist, Portraiture, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Christian Berthelot, "caesar #19" | Children born by incision. (Christian Berthelot, France, Shortlist, Portraiture, Professional, Sony World Photography Awards)

Gili Yaari, "Purim Holiday in Jerusalem1" | Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men of the Toldot Aharon Sect celebrate the Purim holiday in the ultra-orthodox Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem on March 17, 2014. The festival of Purim commemorates the rescue of Jews from a genocide in ancient Persia. (Yaari, Israel, Shortlist, Arts & Culture, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Jonathan Yeap Chin Tiong, "Underwater Grace 2" | The photographer attempts to capture the underwater grace and juxtaposition of the synchronized swimming team trainings in Singapore. (Jonathan Yeap Chin Tiong, Singapore, Shortlist, Sport, Professional, Sony World Photography Awards)

Marcin Klocek, "Sweat and blood 02" | In the Ryogoku district of Tokyo are many training quarters, where sumo wrestlers train and live. Very few of them let outsiders into the heya to watch their practice. However if one has a special invitation or is lucky then the experience of seeing the national sport of Japan at close distance and the wrestlers in all their sweat and blood is unforgettable. And if you are extremely lucky you can even rub shoulders with the great Yokozuna himself. (Marcin Klocek / TRAVELLER, Poland, Shortlist, Sport, Professional, Sony World Photography Awards)

Sascha Fromm, "Olympic Faces 01" | Italy's Ludwig Rieder prepares for the training run during the Men's Luge Doubles of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Sanki Sliding Center on Feb. 11, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. (Sascha Fromm, Germany, Shortlist, Sport, Professional Competition, Sony World Photography Awards)

Kimmo Metsaranta, "Animal Behaviour 02" | In the series I have constructed still live images using cats. Animals have their own will and they will not pose at the behest of the photographer. (Kimmo Metsaranta, Finland, Shortlist, Still Life, Professional, Sony World Photography Awards)

Sabine Lewandowski, "One hundred and forty centimetres, 1" | Since 2012 it has been possible to determine by means of non-invasive tests before birth whether a child will have Down's syndrome, as necessary, initiate an abortion. The photo series "one hundred and forty centimetres" raises questions about our relationship with the stigma of "living with impairment," and the technical possibilities to determine this even before birth. (Sabine Lewandowski, Germany, Shortlist, People, Professional, Sony World Photography Awards)

Johan Bavman, "Swedish dads, 2" | Ola Larsson, 41 years old, Purchaser. On leave with his son Gustav, for eight months. (Johan Bavman, Sweden, Shortlist, People, Professional Competition, Sony World Photography Awards)

Giulio di Sturco, "Ganges, Death of a River, 2" | Hindu devotees' Along the banks of the river Ganges, get ready to soak in the water of the sacred river, India 2008. (Giulio di Sturco, Italy, Shortlist, Landscape, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Farid Sani, "Faces 02" | This series is comparing faces and colors of four different cities which is describing culture of the people are living there. Each Image is a puzzle from different doors in each city. First Image : Venice Second : Tehran Third : Spandau Forth : Berlin (Farid Sani, Iran, Shortlist, Travel, Professional Competition, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Brent Stirton, "First Sight 2" | Blind girls Sonia, 12, and Anita Singh, 5, are born into poverty with congenital cataract blindness. They must accompany their parents everywhere as they cannot be left alone without risk. (Brent Stirton, S. Africa, Shortlist, Contemporary, Professional, Sony World Photography Awards)

Liza Van der Stock, "Maurice and Lisa" | In a Flemish village, surrounded by nature, Laura and Maurice live together with their daughter Eva. In the garden, Eva plays with her dog or meets with her classmates. Friends and family come along and fill the house with activity. But when Eva is at school, Maurice and Laura shoot what most people prefer to keep to themselves. (Liza Van der Stock, Belgium, Shortlist, People, Professional, Sony World Photography Awards)

Jonathan Syer, "Tooting Bec Lido, London" | Lidos were perhaps at their most popular between the wars when people took their holidays here in England. Many of them were built in the 1930s or earlier and were naturally located on the English south coast, which was a favoured holiday destination for those living in London and the home counties. Most have been left to decay or lost under modern developments, such as Ramsgate's once booming pool which is now under a car park. (Jonathan Syer, United Kingdom, Shortlist, Campaign, Professional, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

Lisa Krantz, "A Life Apart: The Toll of Obesity 1" | At almost 600 pounds, Hector Garcia Jr. finds simple daily tasks like bathing a challenge. He struggled to walk across the hall from his bedroom to the bathroom so that his mother, Elena, could wash him after having cut his hair in November 2010. A month before, Hector started dieting after he realized he was close to his highest known weight, 636 pounds. (Lisa Krantz, U.S., Shortlisted, Contemporary Issues, Professional, Sony World Photography Awards)

Daesung Lee, "futuristic archaeology 03" | This project attempts at recreating the museum diorama with actual people and their livestock in a real place where decertifying in Mongolia. It is based on an imagination that these people try to go into museum diorama for survival in the future. (Deasung Lee, South Korea, Shortlist, Conceptual, Professional, Sony World Photography Awards)

Adi Dekel, "Anna" (Adi Dekel, Israel, Shortlist, Portraits, Youth Award, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)

David Pereira, "Welcoming Summer" | As Spring draw to a close and the final gusts of the southern breeze peter out, the people of Sydney take to the beach to welcome the summer heat. A national past time, you can say that it has become a part of the Australian culture. The photograph aims to capture the mood of everyone at the beach. (David Pereira, Singapore, Shortlist, Culture, Youth, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards)