2013 World Photo Awards: And the winners are

The World Photography Organisation has revealed the winners for the Open, Youth and 3D categories of the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards.

The winning images capture in a single shot a huge variety of subjects from the moment before a couple get married to the Mangystau night sky in Kazakhstan and the 'Fung Shun' fire dragon dance in Southern China, plus much more.

Shortlisted images:

World Photo Awards: BEST from the young shutterbugs

2013 World Photo Awards: STUNNERS from the pros

2013 World Photography Awards: And the FINALISTS are...

Judged on a single image taken by an amateur photographer, the winning Open category photographers were selected from nearly 55,000 entries. 

The ten open category winners will now compete for the Sony World Photography Awards Open Photographer of the Year title.  The overall winner will be revealed at a ceremony on April 25 and this photographer will receive $5,000 (USD). 

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Photographer: Matias Galvez, Chile

Winner, Split Second, Open Competition 2013

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Photographer: Martina Biccheri, Italy

Winner, Architecture, Open Competition 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Martina Biccheri says: "I took this photo in spring 2012 in Rome, my hometown. It was taken with a monorail view camera (5x6 film) and manually developed, after it has been scanned and post produced. I took care of the entire process and working on film, it took me quite many tries to have the perfect shadow and exposure; I had to go back to the location several times to and always hope it was sunny enough, once I spent the whole day in front of that wall, just to check at which time of the day the shadow was looking more geometrical, eventually it was at 2pm."

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Photographer: Gilbert Yu, Hong Kong

Winner, Arts and Culture, Open Competition 2013

Gilbert Yu says: "'Fung Shun' fire dragon dance is a traditional ceremonial event held on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year in the Fung Shun area of southern China, and it has a history of more than 300 years. 

The dragons are composed of bamboo, metal wire and paper and are meticulously hand-made and painted by local artists before the event each year."

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Photographer: Nguyen Hoang Hiep, Vietnam

Winner, Enhanced, Open Competition 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Photographer: Manny Fajutag, Philippines

Winner, Travel, Open Competition 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

The image was taken during a vacation at Sibuyan Island, Philippines in May 2012.

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Photographer: Krasimir Matarov, Bulgaria

Winner, Nature & Wildlife, Open Competition 2013 Sony World Photography Awards.

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Photographer: Yeow Kwang Yeo, Singapore

Panoramic, Winner, Open Competition 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

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Photographer: Hisatomi Tadahiko, Japan

Winner, People, Open Competition 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

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Photographer: Ming Hui Guan/ Mac Kwan, China

Winner, Smile, Open Competition 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

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Traditions

Photographer: Alecsandra Dragoi, Romania

Winner, Culture, Youth Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

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Photographer: Xu Wei Shou, Taiwan

Winner, Environment, Youth Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

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Photographer: Berta Vicente, Spain

Winner, Portraits, Youth Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

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Timekeeper

Photographer: Matjaz Tancic, Slovenia

Winner, 3D competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards

Timekeeper is inspired by the set up of Hui-style living rooms in the old village houses of Yixian. As one enters these dwellings, the eye is again and again greeted by the same sight: a small altar comprised of a clock, two vases and a mirror. 

Why were these altars created? What do they signify? In Chinese, the Zhong Sheng Ping Jing (clock, vases, mirror) has the same pronunciation as lifelong tranquility. But what at first glance gives the impression of sacred artifacts and hints at an exciting tradition, is later revealed to be only objects to the majority of today's villagers. The young have all but forgotten the original purpose of their house altars, just as old traditions and ancestral values slowly but surely fade away.

The timekeepers now tell a new story -- a story of today. The 3D technique lets the spectator get closer and experience the story more intimately.

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