The World Photography Organisation has announced the overall winners in the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards 2021
The World Photography Organisation is delighted to announce the overall winners in the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards 2021. The Photographer of the Year title and accompanying $25,000 (USD) cash prize and a range of Sony’s digital imaging kit is awarded to the esteemed documentarian Craig Easton (United Kingdom) for his series Bank Top.
South Africa’s own Coenraad Heinz Torlage of the Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography has been awarded Student Photographer of the Year 2021, winning €30,000 worth of Sony photography equipment for his institution. Torlage was chosen for his series Young Farmers, created in response to the brief Our Time which asked students to depict the way they and their contemporaries see the world and how they plan to change it for the better. In Young Farmers, Torlage, who grew up on a farm himself, set out to photograph the next generation of farmers as they face challenges concerning severe droughts, safety and debates around land ownership alongside their contributions towards a fairer and more equitable future of sustainability and food security.
Commenting on his win Torlage says:
“I have been through an experience that is almost impossible to describe. I often dreamt of winning and prayed that I could share my country and the amazing people in it with the world. I believe in the young farmers of South Africa which this country needs in terms of food sustainability and ecological awareness. Winning is a dream made possible by the amazing people that I photographed and everyone who helped and supported me. I believe in hard work, family and most of all the grace of God. I am truly humbled that my images could even be considered for such a prestigious competition."
Currently in his final year of studies at the Stellenbosch Academy, Coenraad Heinz Torlage aspires to share South African perspectives within a global sensibility. The South African narrative is visually strong, culturally complex and Torlage sees it as his mission to tell these stories truthfully through the lens of his camera.
Winners are revealed in a celebratory announcement video hosted by CEO of the World Photography Organisation Scott Gray and TV and radio presenter and author Konnie Huq.
The video features interviews, behind-the-scenes clips and reactions from winning photographers and is available to view via The World Photography Organisation Website.
Also unveiled is a virtual exhibition of winning and finalists’ work; A Year in Photos from the Sony World Photography Awards 2021, a specially commissioned documentary feature hosted by art historian Jacky Klein and entertainer Nish Kumar; and a free digital copy of the Sony World Photography 2021 book is available to view and can be downloaded via The World Photography Organisation
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 14th 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 Awards; previous recipients include Martin Parr, William Eggleston, Mary Ellen Mark, Candida Hofer and Nadav Kander.
2021 JUDGES:
Professional competition: Natasha Egan, Executive Director, Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago; Sunyoung Kim, Curator, Museum of Photography Seoul, South Korea; Azu Nwagbogu, Founder and Director, African Artists’ Foundation and LagosPhoto Festival; Lindsay Taylor, Curator, University of Salford Art Collection; Hannah Watson, Director, Trolley Books; and Mike Trow, Independent Curator and Photo Editor, Chair of the Jury.
Open & Youth competitions: Gastón Deleau, Director, FOLA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Student competition: Kate Simpson, Associate Editor, Aesthetica Magazine.
A YEAR IN PHOTOS
Presented by British art historian Jacky Klein and entertainer Nish Kumar, A Year in Photos from the Sony World Photography Awards 2021 celebrates the work of the top winners in one of the world’s biggest photography competitions. Including interviews and behind-the-scenes footage with distinguished photographers, rising talents and industry leading experts, this one-hour feature takes viewers on a journey across the globe to explore powerful contemporary stories and artistic excellence.
From a locust infestation in East Africa to a centuries old photo-making technique in the Netherlands and moving portraits of resilience in Syria, the film offers insight into practices and projects by some of the most interesting photographic chroniclers, interprets and artists working internationally today.
This new specially commissioned documentary is available to watch from 5pm BST/ 6pm CET via The World Photography Organisation's Website
CRAIG EASTON
Photographer of the Year
Craig Easton is an international multi award-winning photographer whose work is deeply rooted in the documentary tradition. He shoots long-term documentary projects exploring issues around social policy, identity and a sense of place. His work mixes portraiture, landscape and reportage approaches to storytelling, often working collaboratively with others to incorporate words, pictures and audio in a research-based practice that weaves a narrative between contemporary experience and history.
TAMARY KUDITA
Open Photographer of the Year
A product of dual heritage, Tamary Kudita was born in Zimbabwe whilst her ancestry can be traced back to Orange Free State, historical Boer state in Southern Africa. She chose to study fine art at Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town. There, she graduated in 2017 with a bachelor of fine arts. Subsequently, she established herself in fine art photography. She maintains an active studio practice and has exhibited in Zimbabwe and outside the country.
COENRAAD HEINZ TORLAGE
Student Photographer of the Year
Currently in his final year of studies at the Stellenbosch Academy, Coenraad Heinz Torlage aspires to share South African perspectives within a global sensibility. The South African narrative is visually strong, culturally complex and Torlage sees it as his mission to tell these stories truthfully through the lens of his camera.
PUBARUN BASU
Youth Photographer of the Year
Pubarun Basu first started taking pictures at the age 4 and has since continued to nurture his love for the visual and performing arts. It was only at the age of 15 that he finally received his father’s permission to use his full frame DSLR and have never spent a day not clicking or editing pictures since. He aspires to tell stories from around the globe though his art.
GRACIELA ITURBIE
Outstanding Contribution to Photography
Graciela Iturbide was born in Mexico City. In 1969 she enrolled to the Film Center of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico but she was soon drawn to the art of still photography as practiced by the Mexican modernist master Manuel Alvarez Bravo who was her teacher. From 1970-71 she worked as Bravo’s assistant accompanying him on his various photographic journeys throughout Mexico. Graciela Iturbide has had exhibitions at most important museums in Mexico, USA and Europe. She has received international awards such as, W. Eugene Smith Prize; the first prize for the Mois de la Photographie in Paris; the Hugo-Erfurth in Leverkusen, Germany; the First Prize in Hokkaido, Japan; The Prize from the City of Arles, France; the Guggenheim Fellowship; the Hasselblad Award in 2008; the National Prize of Sciences and Arts in Mexico in 2009; and the Infinity given by the International Center of Photography in 2015. Many books of her work have been published in different countries.
ABOUT WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY ORGANISATION
The World Photography Organisation is a global platform for photography initiatives. Working across up to 220 countries, our aim is to raise the level of conversation around photography by celebrating the best imagery and photographers on the planet. We pride ourselves on building lasting relationships with both individual photographers as well as our industry-leading partners around the globe. The World Photography Organisation hosts a year-round portfolio of events including the Sony World Photography Awards, one of the world’s leading photography competitions, and PHOTOFAIRS, leading international art fairs dedicated to photography.
SONY CORPORATION
Sony Corporation is responsible for the Electronics Products & Solutions (EP&S) business in the Sony Group. With the vision of "continuing to deliver Kando and Anshin to people and society across the world through the pursuit of technology and new challenges," Sony will create products and services in areas such as home entertainment & sound, imaging, and mobile communications.
