Zed Nelson Named Photographer of the Year at Sony World Photography Awards 2025
April 18, 2025The Sony World Photography Awards celebrated its 18th edition with a grand gala in London, honouring global talents in contemporary photography. British photographer Zed Nelson was awarded the prestigious Photographer of the Year 2025 title for his thought-provoking series The Anthropocene Illusion, exploring humanity’s artificial reconnection with nature amid ongoing environmental destruction.
Nelson receives $25,000, Sony digital imaging gear, and will exhibit a new body of work at the 2026 Awards.
Chair of the jury Monica Allende praised the work for translating complex environmental issues into compelling visual narratives that blur the line between reality and artificiality, compelling viewers to reflect on their relationship with the natural world.
Professional Category Winners
Nelson was selected from 10 Professional category winners, who also received Sony gear and participated in Insights, a new industry mentorship event in London. Here are this year’s winners:
- Architecture & Design: Ulana Switucha (Canada) – The Tokyo Toilet Project
- Creative: Rhiannon Adam (UK) – Rhi-Entry
- Documentary Projects: Toby Binder (Germany) – Divided Youth of Belfast
- Environment: Nicolás Garrido Huguet (Peru) – Alquimia Textil
- Landscape: Seido Kino (Japan) – The Strata of Time
- Perspectives: Laura Pannack (UK) – The Journey Home from School
- Portraiture: Gui Christ (Brazil) – M’kumba
- Sport: Chantal Pinzi (Italy) – Shred the Patriarchy
- Still Life: Peter Franck (Germany) – Still Waiting
- Wildlife & Nature: Zed Nelson (UK) – The Anthropocene Illusion
Other Award Highlights
- Open Photographer of the Year: Olivier Unia (France) for Tbourida La Chute, a powerful image of a Moroccan equestrian moment. Prize: $5,000 + Sony gear.
- Student Photographer of the Year: Micaela Valdivia Medina (Peru), for The Last Day We Saw the Mountains and the Sea, documenting the lives of incarcerated women in Chile.
- Youth Photographer of the Year: Daniel Dian-Ji Wu (Taiwan, 16), for a dynamic skateboarding photo taken at Venice Beach, USA.
Outstanding Contribution to Photography 2025
The Award was presented to renowned American documentary photographer Susan Meiselas, recognised for five decades of storytelling and advocacy through participatory photojournalism. Over 60 of her works are on display at Somerset House, London (17 April – 5 May 2025).
