Sony World Photography Awards Open winners announced

The World Photography Organisation has unveiled 10 winning images in the Open competition of the 2019 Sony World Photography Awards.

The winning shots span a variety of categories, from landscape and still life through to motion and culture.

The winners come from countries across the world, from China to the Czech Republic, with a record-breaking number of images being submitted from entrants across 195 countries.

Each of the 10 winners will now battle for the Open Photographer of the Year title, an accolade that also comes with a $5,000 cash prize.

The 10 winners are:

Architecture: Philippe Sarfati, France, for Heatwave
Culture (supported by Culture Trip): Pan Jianhua, China, for Shadow Puppetry
Creative: Martin Stranka, Czech Republic, for Dreamers and Warriors
Motion: Christy Lee Rogers, USA, for Harmony
Landscape: Hal Gage, USA, for Stumps, Alder Lake, Nisqually River, Oregon
Natural World and Wildlife: Tracey Lund, UK, for Underwater Gannets
Portraiture: Richard Ansett, UK, for Grayson Perry – Birth
Still Life: Rachel Yee Laam Lai, Hong Kong SAR, for Peony and Leaves
Street Photography: Carole Pariat, France, for Open Air Toilet: When Will it End?
Travel (supported by Eurostar): Nicolas Boyer, France, or Woman Wearing a Wedding Dress

62 further National Award winners have also been named, a prize designed to celebrate local photographic talent.

Last year's overall winner, British artist Alys Tomlinson, walked away with a $25,000 prize and photographic equipment from sponsor Sony.

The announcement comes a month before the competition's Professional shortlist is unveiled, which will be followed three weeks later on April 17 by an awards ceremony in London at which the overall winner will be unveiled.

All winning works will be published in a book to tie in with the awards, and will be displayed at the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition in London from April 18 through to May 6. The exhibition will then tour Italy, Germany and Japan.

Head to the World Photography Organisation website for more details and to see all winning images so far.