Epic and intimate glimpses of nature from the Sony World Photography Awards

By Johnny Simon

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The Sony World Photography Awards, a massive competition that honors the best images from more than 300,000 submissions, has announced its shortlist.

The categories include the natural world and wildlife, culture and travel. Some of the most breathtaking images feature unique and striking views of nature.

From aerials that showcase stunning landscapes, to touching moments between animals. Here’s a look at a sample of the shortlisted images, with captions provided by the photographers.

ANGEL FITOR/SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS“A jellyfish pulsates its umbrella right beneath the surface at the end of the blooming season in Mar Menor (Spain) coastal lagoon.”

SVEIN NORDRUM/SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS“Aerial view of a small frozen forest lake in Oslo, Norway”

LEUNG HO CHAN/SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDSHell Valley, Hokkaido, Japan.

/SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDSHot air ballons in Cappadocia, Turkey.

ROBERT SAUNDERS/SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS“Sterling Falls in the heart of Milford Sound, New Zealand. The water falls a staggering 151 meters into the basin with such force that it rips across the surface in a beautiful web like texture throwing spray in every direction. The scene truly emphasizes the raw power and wildness of Fiordland.”

LU QUANHOU/SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDSKuitun Grand Canyon, Xinjiang, China

TRACEY LUND/SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS“Whilst on a trip to Shetland, the biggest thing I wanted to do was photograph the gannets as they feed underwater. The photography takes place at sea around some of Shetland’s remotest headlands. Dead bait is used, using fish the Gannets would normally eat, locally sourced around Shetland.”

DAVID SALVATORI/SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS“Sardine Run off the coasts of Mbotyi River, heart of rural South Africa: a group of common dolphins trap a small shoal of sardine in a net of bubble, before launching the assault.”

MANUEL ENRIQUE GONZÁLEZ CARMONA/SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS“Picture taken in Saltee Islands, Ireland. By means of a double exposure in camera, a single common murre (uria aalge) has been shown in two different positions. He intended to create a minimalist image showing mainly the white lines of the bird underexposing in camera.”

KUO ZEI YANG/SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS“Misty fog flew through the top of Tre Cime, in the Italian Alps”