Image description
During a solo hike in Wenhai, China, the photographer came across a serene, narrow stream meandering through dark grasslands, flowing towards a vast, still lake in the distance. The image was edited with muted tones and high contrast to evoke the look of a pencil sketch, capturing the solitude and tranquillity of the journey.
Shortlist
Martin Stranka
All and Everything
Being ‘normal’ can become boring, and yet that is what people often unconsciously strive to achieve: to blend in with the crowd. The photographer’s ongoing series, Normal Is Boring, seeks to explore the extraordinary – the uniqueness that defines us and sets us apart – by presenting ordinary situations in an unusual context.
© Martin Stranka, Czechia, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Marcin Zajac
Cathedral
Stuðlagil Canyon in eastern Iceland is a striking geological formation distinguished by its towering basalt columns and vibrant turquoise glacial river. The canyon is reminiscent of a Gothic cathedral, with its basalt columns resembling the grand, vertical pillars commonly found in Gothic architecture.
© Marcin Zajac, Poland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Patrick Ems
Arctic Silence
A lone musher with his dogs drives through the vast arctic expanses of Spitsbergen, in the Svalbard archipelago.
© Patrick Ems, Switzerland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Francisco Negroni
The Lord of Volcanoes
Villarrica is the most dangerous volcano in Chile and one of the most active in America; its last eruption occurred in 2015. In this photograph a strong electrical storm can be seen over the volcano, while the crater is illuminated by the lava pit. The photographer had been pursuing this image for about nine years.
© Francisco Negroni, Chile, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Timo Zilz
Mulagljufur Canyon
This image captures the essence of Icelandic natural landscapes: green and brown moss, water cascading down a canyon and a mountain covered in snow and fog.
© Timo Zilz, Germany, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Zhu Yang
Castle in the Sky
At dawn, Mont Saint-Michel in France is covered by soft morning mist, like a sleeping princess quietly waiting for the kiss of the sun. The ancient monastery appears mysterious and dreamy in the haze, just like the world in a fairytale.
© Zhu Yang, China Mainland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Dan Liao
Nyainqêntanglha
This photograph was captured at Lake Namucuo, in Tibet. The photographer noticed a vast crack in the frozen lake’s surface stretching towards the distant mountains and decided to camp by the lake, patiently waiting for the morning light.
© Dan Liao, China Mainland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
KunPeng Zhu
A Comet Hits the Earth
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) over the Badain Jaran Desert in Inner Mongolia, China.
© KunPeng Zhu, China Mainland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Yoshiaki Kudo
Blossoms in a Dreamscape
Bathed in soft pink hues, these weeping plum trees in full bloom create a dreamlike atmosphere. Their elegant branches stretch upwards, forming a magical canopy that transports viewers to a serene and otherworldly setting. The delicate petals, scattered across the ground, form a natural carpet that enhances the beauty of the landscape.
© Yoshiaki Kudo, Japan, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Witold Ziomek
Lake Meke
Sunset at Lake Meke, Turkey.
© Witold Ziomek, Poland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
XiaoYing Shi
Ground Vein
Hanksville, located in southern Utah, USA, has many unique and fascinating geological features, such as its sandstone and boulders. The photographer had visited the geological structure of Factory Butte several times, but wanted to capture its beauty from a higher altitude. This image was captured using a drone, with the warm low light emphasising the texture.
© Xiaoying Shi, China Mainland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Vilhelm Gunnarsson
Untitled
The series of 2023–2024 Sundhnúkur eruptions started on 18 December 2023, at the Sundhnúkur crater chain in the Reykjanes volcanic zone, north of Grindavík on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula. As of 20 November 2024, seven eruptions had occurred, following a period of intense earthquakes.
© Vilhelm Gunnarsson, Iceland, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards
Victor De Valles Ibañez
Split Shot
A split shot of Julia freediving in a flooded cave in Menorca, Spain.
© Victor De Valles Ibañez, Spain, Shortlist, Open Competition, Landscape, 2025 Sony World Photography Awards