The Sony World Photography Awards announces photographers shortlisted in the 2026 Student and Youth competitions
The shortlists recognise 10 photography students from leading universities across the world, and 10 photographers aged 19 and under
The Student Photographer of the Year andYouth Photographer of the Year to be announced on 16 April at prestigious gala ceremony in London
The Sony World Photography Awards announce today the shortlists of the 2026 Student and Youth competitions, honouring outstanding photographers at the earliest stages of their careers.
Showcasing the skill and ingenuity of young practitioners exploring and experimenting with the medium, the shortlists offer a glimpse of the photography trailblazers of tomorrow.
STUDENT SHORTLIST
For the 2026 Student competition, photography students were invited to respond to the brief Together through a series of five to 10 images. The shortlisted series offer a range of interpretations of togetherness, from intimate explorations into the photographers’ communities to the everyday spaces where connections are fostered. Each shortlisted photographer creates a compelling visual narrative in their series, demonstrating their distinctive approach and perspective. This year’s shortlist is made up of photographers from around the world, including Germany, South Africa, Australia, Bangladesh, Argentina, Belgium, China Mainland and India.
The winner of Student Photographer of the Year will be selected from the 10 students and announced at the Sony World Photography Awards 2026 ceremony in London on 16 April. The overall winning university will receive Sony digital imaging equipment worth €30,000.
This year’s Student Competition shortlist was judged by Tess Raimbeau, Photo Editor, Libération (France).
Jubair Ahmed Arnob, Bangladesh
Counter Foto - A Center for Visual Arts, Bangladesh
Teresa Halbreiter, Germany
Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Laura Anna Rossa, Belgium
LUCA School of Arts Sint Lukas Brussels, Belgium
Chanel Grobler, South Africa
Open Window Institute, South Africa
Ci Song, China Mainland
Drexel University, United States
Matte Dixon, Australia
Griffith University, Australia
Julian Cabral, Argentina
Universidad Nacional de San Martín, Argentina
Zifan Zhang, China Mainland
Danish School of Media and Journalism (DJMX), Denmark
Aakash Gulzar, India
MERC, University of Kashmir, India
Yulai Xu, China Mainland
University of the Arts London, United Kingdom
YOUTH SHORTLIST
The Youth competition shortlist comprises single images by 10 photographers aged 19 and under. This year the entrants were invited to share their best images through Open Call.
Across the shortlist, photographers capture serene images of the natural world, from mountainous landscapes to underwater scenes. Elsewhere, other shortlisted series focused on the art of depicting motion, stillness and quiet reflection. This year’s shortlist is made up of creatives from around the globe, including China Mainland, Sri Lanka, Sweden, the USA, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Egypt, France, Türkiye and Canada.
This year’s Youth Photographer of the Year, selected from the shortlist by Ruby Rees-Sheridan, Assistant Curator, Photography, National Portrait Gallery (UK), will receive a range of Sony Digital Imaging equipment to continue to nurture their vision.
The overall winners in the Student, Youth, Open and Professional competitions of the Sony World Photography Awards 2026 will be announced on 16 April 2026. For more information about upcoming announcements and winners please visit worldphoto.org.
Ruohan Wang, China Mainland
Jeirin Anton, Sri Lanka
Philip Kangas, Sweden
Ayden Feagle, United States
Riley Shickle, United Kingdom
Jane Mozzi, Argentina
Abdallah Islam, Egypt
Victor Reichert, France
Doğa Ergün, Türkiye
Keira Pereira, Canada
