PHOTO
The World Photography Organisation and Sony Middle East and Africa are delighted to reveal Vinaya Mohan as UAE’s National Award winner for the Sony World Photography Awards 2024.
The National Awards program is an initiative set up by the World Photography Organisation and Sony to support local photographic communities around the world, with 54 countries taking part this year.
Over 395,000 images from over 220 countries and territories were submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2024.
Vinaya Mohan was anonymously selected by judges for her photograph , Mookambika Gulikan Theyyam entered into the category of travel. Gulikan Theyyam (or Guliga Theyyam) is a figure worshipped as Lord Shiva. In the Karnataka region, this deity is worshipped as the Hindu Culture’s Guliga Daiva. This was a challenging low-light photographic situation, as fire was the only light source. The God Man jumps into the fire and moves all the time, which makes it very difficult to take a clear photograph..
Vinaya Mohan: Photography, for me, is not just a hobby; it is an urge that drives me to explore the nice moments. My lens is not merely an instrument; it is an extension of my perspective, through which I express the boundless emotions that surround me. Photography has opened my eyes to the world's vast tapestry of nature, cultures, colors, and emotions. It taught me to appreciate the little moments that often pass unnoticed and to cherish the grandeur of nature's masterpieces.
Commenting on her win, Mohan said, ”Thrilled and grateful for winning this competition! It's a surreal moment, and I'm very happy for this recognition. It's a rewarding acknowledgment of my artistic journey. The joy is beyond words, fueling my passion to capture meaningful moments. This success inspires me to keep pushing my creative boundaries and pursue excellence. Thanks to everyone who supported me on this incredible ride and believed in my photography”.
As UAE’s National Award winner, Vinaya Mohan receives Sony digital imaging equipment and will be included in the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition and book.
The overall winners in the Student, Youth, Open and Professional competitions of the Sony World Photography Awards 2024 will be announced on 18 April 2024 and will go on display as part of the exhibition at Somerset House, London (19 April-6 May 2024). For more information about upcoming announcements and winners please visit www.worldphoto.org
This year’s National and Regional Awards winners are:
| Bangladesh - Mahdin Shafiq Omi Cambodia - Davuth Van Egypt - Karim Osama Germany - Natalie Strohmaier India - Mitul Kajaria Indonesia - Dhiky Aditya Japan - Kenichiro Hagiwara, Winner Japan - Hajime Hirano, 2nd Place Japan - Masayuki Hirata, 3rd Place | Republic of Korea - Lee Jongkee, Winner Republic of Korea - Seongmin Park, 2nd Place Republic of Korea - Jaeeun Kim, 3rd Place Kuwait - Mohammed Mirza Malaysia - Lim Chien Ting Myanmar - Kyaw Htet Nepal - Bibek Kunwar Nigeria - Onyekachi Iloh Pakistan - Muhammad Saddique Inam Philippines - Reginald James Lorico Poland - Barbara Szydlowska | Qatar - Abdulla AL-Mushaifri Saudi Arabia - Yasser Alomari Singapore - Ju Shen Lee South Africa - Lourens Durand Sri Lanka - Wasiri Gajaman Taiwan - Chia Jung Chou Thailand - Thanayu Jongwattanasilkul Turkey - Okan Yilmaz United Arab Emirates - Vinaya Mohan United States - Pascal Fouquet Vietnam - Tran Tuan Viet |
EUROPEAN REGIONAL AWARDS
| Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania & Moldova: Tomáš Havrda (Czech Republic), Winner Cziráki Orsolya Boglárka (Hungary), Shortlist Diana Morozovskaia (Moldova), Shortlist Diana Buzoianu (Romania), Shortlist Michal Zahornacky (Slovakia), Shortlist | Latvia, Estonia & Lithuania: Viktors Rimarevs (Latvia), Winner Raido Nurk (Estonia), Shortlist Ieva Lozuraitytė (Lithuania), Shortlist |
| Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia & Herzegovina: Ana Skobe (Slovenia), Winner Danilo Kreso (Bosnia & Herzegovina), Shortlist Robert Marić (Croatia), Shortlist Suer Celina (Kosovo), Shortlist Ivana Todorović (Montenegro), Shortlist Tijana Morača (Serbia), Shortlist | Cyprus, Greece, Bulgaria & North Macedonia: Vladimir Karamazov (Bulgaria), Winner Elena Georgiou (Cyprus), Shortlist Stefanos Papaioannou (Greece), Shortlist Vlatko Rafeski (North Macedonia), Shortlist |
LATIN AMERICA REGIONAL AWARDS
| Marcos Azulay (Argentina), Winner Jair Fernando Coll Rubiano (Colombia), 2nd Place Marco Chacana (Chile), 3rd Place Reynaldo San Martín (Bolivia), Shortlist Alexa Obando (Costa Rica), Shortlist | Wilfrido Enriquez (Ecuador), Shortlist Juan Pablo Méndez Garzona (Guatemala), Shortlist Daniel Heras (Mexico), Shortlist Connie France Calderon Martel (Peru), Shortlist |
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ABOUT SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS
Produced by the World Photography Organisation, the internationally acclaimed Sony World Photography Awards is one of the most important fixtures in the global photographic calendar. Now in its 17th year, the free-to-enter Awards are a global voice for photography and provide a vital insight into contemporary photography today. For both established and emerging artists, the Awards offer world-class opportunities for exposure of their work. The Awards additionally recognise the world’s most influential artists working in the medium through the Outstanding Contribution to Photography award; the acclaimed photographer Sebastião Salgado is the 2024 recipient of this award, joining a distinguished list of iconic names including William Eggleston, Mary Ellen Mark, Martin Parr, Candida Höfer, Nadav Kander, Gerhard Steidl, Graciela Iturbide, Edward Burtynsky and Rinko Kawauchi. The Awards showcase the works of winning and shortlisted photographers at a prestigious annual exhibition at Somerset House, London. Our hashtags to follow are #SonyWorldPhotographyAwards and #SWPA2024. worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards-exhibition
ABOUT WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY ORGANISATION
World Photography Organisation is a leading global platform dedicated to the development and advancement of photographic culture. Its programming and competition initiatives provide valuable opportunities for artists working in photography and help broaden the conversation around their work. The Sony World Photography Awards is World Photography Organisation’s principal programme. Established in 2007, it is one of the world’s biggest and most prestigious photography competitions; celebrating the work of leading and emerging practitioners and attracting tens of thousands of visitors annually to its exhibitions worldwide. World Photography Organisation is the photography strand of Creo, responsible for delivering initiatives and programming across three sectors: photography, film and contemporary art. Follow the World Photography Organisation on Instagram (@worldphotoorg), Twitter (@WorldPhotoOrg) and LinkedIn/Facebook (World Photography Organisation).
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Creo initiates and organises events and programming across three key strands: photography, film and contemporary art. Established in 2007 as World Photography Organisation, Creo has since grown in scope, furthering its mission of developing meaningful opportunities for creatives and expanding the reach of its cultural activities. Today, its flagship projects include the Sony World Photography Awards, Sony Future Filmmaker Awards, PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai, Photo London and PHOTOFAIRS New York. Working in partnership with Angus Montgomery Arts, Creo helps deliver the group’s ventures, comprising some of the world’s leading art fairs. Taking its name from the Latin for ‘I create’, it is in this spirit that Creo sets out to empower and give agency to creative voices. www.creoarts.com
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