"I wanted to understand a tradition that was outside of my own experience with their ancient customs, rituals and codes associated with it, which were passed down in families over generations."

"I am documenting current events. Jaworzno is not a big city, it only has about 90,000 citizens. Despite this everyday life is very interesting."

"Iceland was a natural destination to travel to for this project. If you are looking for archaic places on this planet with little colour, you end up in that beautiful, rough country."

"Drawn to the common humanity rather than the dogma behind such traditions, I felt it a pertinent theme in our increasingly globalised world with its frequent clash of civilisations."

"I am looking for geometry and symmetry obsessively in each of my compositions. When I take a photo, I exclude all other circumstances and focus only on the picture to be prepared. I collect moments."

Carl Jeffers is shortlisted in the Portraits category of the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards. His image, alongside the other winners will be exhibited at Somerset House, London from 21 April - 7 May.

"Inspiration comes from being open to new experiences, people and ideas. It simply doesn't happen trying it by brute force."

Jan Kempenaers’ third solo exhibition with Breese Little Gallery, London, features the debut presentation of a new, unseen body of work.

"Ny-Ålesund is situated on the 79°N parallel on Svalbard Archipelago, which makes it the most northerly civilian settlement in the world. It is unique and one of the most peculiar places on earth..."

Today we have revealed the 10 extraordinary photographs that have won the Open competitionof the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards.