Australian photojournalist named overall winner at Sony World Photo Awards

Australian photojournalist Adam Ferguson has taken out top honours at the 2022 Sony World Photo Awards, being named Photographer of the Year and taking home the US$25,000 (AU$33,000) cash prize.

Victor Roman Castro (41) and Gertrudis Ortega Ramirez (38), take a portrait with their one-month-old daughter at the El Buen Samaritano migrants’ shelter in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico on 28 April, 2021. Photo by Gertrudis Ortega Ramirez and Adam Ferguson.
Victor Roman Castro (41) and Gertrudis Ortega Ramirez (38), take a portrait with their one-month-old daughter at the El Buen Samaritano migrants’ shelter in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico on 28 April, 2021. Photo by Gertrudis Ortega Ramirez and Adam Ferguson.

Ferguson's winning entry, Migrantes, is a series of black and white self-portraits of migrants in Mexico, taken as they waited to cross the border into the United States.

Stephanie Solano, age 17, from Zacapa, Guatemala. She takes a portrait of herself at an informal migrant camp at a municipal park in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico on 3 May 2021. © Adam Ferguson, Australia, Photographer of the Year, Professional, Portraiture, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
Stephanie Solano, age 17, from Zacapa, Guatemala. She takes a portrait of herself at an informal migrant camp at a municipal park in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico on 3 May 2021. © Adam Ferguson, Australia, Photographer of the Year, Professional, Portraiture, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.

Photographed in collaboration with the subjects, Ferguson said he set-up the scene for each image, mounting a medium format camera on a tripod with a cable release, and then stepped back, allowing the individuals to choose the moment of capture and participate in the process of documenting their lives.

Edwardo Benavides, age 40 and his son Jonathon Benavides Reyes, age 9, are migrants from La Union, El Salvador. They took a portrait at an informal migrant camp at a municipal park in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico on 5 May 2021. © Adam Ferguson, Australia, Photographer of the Year, Professional, Portraiture, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
Edwardo Benavides, age 40 and his son Jonathon Benavides Reyes, age 9, are migrants from La Union, El Salvador. They took a portrait at an informal migrant camp at a municipal park in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico on 5 May 2021.
© Adam Ferguson, Australia, Photographer of the Year, Professional, Portraiture,
2022 Sony World Photography Awards.

"Through collaborating with migrants, this series of photographs was an attempt to make images that inspired empathy, rather than sympathy," said Ferguson.

"By surrendering the control of capture and giving each migrant agency in the process of their representation, I hoped to subvert the narrative of marginalization and create a story that felt more human, relatable and honest."

Doris Maria Lara Caballero, age 31, is a migrant from Department Cortés, Honduras. She takes a portrait of herself at the Enrique Romero Municipal Gymnasium in Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico on 30 April 2021. © Adam Ferguson, Australia, Photographer of the Year, Professional, Portraiture, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
Doris Maria Lara Caballero, age 31, is a migrant from Department Cortés, Honduras. She takes a portrait of herself at the Enrique Romero Municipal Gymnasium in Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico on 30 April 2021.
© Adam Ferguson, Australia, Photographer of the Year, Professional, Portraiture,
2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
Speaking to 9 News, Ferguson said he travelled to Mexico during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon arriving at his first destination in Ciudad Juárez, on the Rio Grande, he found the entire city in lockdown.

"It made it difficult for me to access the migrants because a lot of the migrant shelters put in very strict rules around access. They were trying to keep COVID out of their establishments and out of their shelters," he said.

Ferguson worked alongside two Mexican journalists, who he said made the project possible. "Mexico is the most dangerous country on the planet to work in as a local journalist," said Ferguson. "I worked with two very good journalists in Mexico that really made my job possible, helping me find migrants and translate. I’m grateful to the brave and resilient individuals who agreed to work with me, and receive this award on behalf of them also. Winning the Photographer of the Year award gives this story another life. It allows a new audience to connect with the important stories of the individuals who shared their story with me."

As well as the cash prize, Ferguson wins a selection of Sony photography gear.

Top placegetters the various categories appears below. Australian photographer Adam Pretty took our second place in the Sport category.

Professional category winners

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

The photo is a photo montage of a historic village house and local forests and plants taken in the Croatian agricultural region of Slavonia. The photo is part of a broader story about the mass exodus of people from the region. The photo montage was created in 2021 and its parts were shot in 2020 and 2021. © Domagoj Burilović, Croatia, Winner, Professional, Architecture & Design, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
The photo is a photo montage of a historic village house and local forests and plants taken in the Croatian
agricultural region of Slavonia. The photo is part of a broader story about the mass exodus of people
from the region. The photo montage was created in 2021 and its parts were shot in 2020 and 2021.
© Domagoj Burilović, Croatia, Winner, Professional, Architecture & Design,
2022 Sony World Photography Awards.

2nd place: Javier Arcenillas (Spain)
3rd place: Yun Chi Chen (Taiwan)

CREATIVE

An ​​archival pigment ink print, on rag paper. 150 x 150cm. © Alnis Stakle, Latvia, Winner, Professional, Creative, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards
An ​​archival pigment ink print, on rag paper. 150 x 150cm.
© Alnis Stakle, Latvia, Winner, Professional, Creative, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards

2nd place: Raphaël Neal (United Kingdom)
3rd place: Sarah Grethe (Germany)

DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS

A young girl being transported home by her dad along the garbage site, on the abandoned airstrip outside Maicao in Colombia. © Jan Grarup, Denmark, Winner, Professional, Documentary Projects, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
A young girl being transported home by her dad along the garbage site, on the abandoned
airstrip outside Maicao in Colombia.
© Jan Grarup, Denmark, Winner, Professional, Documentary Projects,
2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
A Venezuelan mother and her young child wait for relief aid in the border city between Venezuela and Colombia. New families arrive daily, with the rising cost of living in Venezuela, and lack of jobs. © Jan Grarup, Denmark, Winner, Professional, Documentary Projects, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
A Venezuelan mother and her young child wait for relief aid in the border city between Venezuela and Colombia. New families arrive daily, with the rising cost of living in Venezuela, and lack of jobs.
© Jan Grarup, Denmark, Winner, Professional, Documentary Projects,
2022 Sony World Photography Awards.

2nd place: Fabian Ritter (Germany)
3rd place: Win McNamee (United States)

ENVIRONMENT

I photographed these pictures in Gabura Union, Bangladesh between the beginning of October and late November 2021. Gabura Union is located on the southwestern coast of Bangladesh. It is one of the most vulnerable areas to the impacts of climate change, and many residents often suffer from its effects. These include river erosion, landslides, rising salinity levels in fresh water sources and collapsing infrastructure, caused by the tropical cyclones that occur frequently. The purpose of this photo essay is to capture and communicate the situation for people living quietly in this transition, impacted by climate change. Here, a man carries a large quantity of straw on his head. © Shunta Kimura, Japan, Winner, Professional, Environment, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards
"I photographed these pictures in Gabura Union, Bangladesh between the beginning of October and late November 2021. Gabura Union is located on the southwestern coast of Bangladesh. It is one of the most vulnerable areas to the impacts of climate change, and many residents often suffer from its effects. These include river erosion, landslides, rising salinity levels in fresh water sources and collapsing infrastructure, caused by the tropical cyclones that occur frequently. The purpose of this photo essay is to capture and communicate the situation for people living quietly in this transition, impacted by climate change. Here, a man carries a large quantity of straw on his head."
© Shunta Kimura, Japan, Winner, Professional, Environment, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards
An inland area of Gabura Union. It is difficult to grow plants in this area due to lack of natural water, caused by rising salinity levels. © Shunta Kimura, Japan, Winner, Professional, Environment, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
An inland area of Gabura Union. It is difficult to grow plants in this area due to lack of natural water,
caused by rising salinity levels.
© Shunta Kimura, Japan, Winner, Professional, Environment, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.

2nd place: Gideon Mendel (South Africa)
3rd place: Giacomo d'Orlando (Italy)

LANDSCAPE

An uninhabitable volcanic desert in the Icelandic Highlands. The climatic conditions here are so harsh that, for the majority of the year, life doesn’t thrive. © Line Dubois, Italy, Winner, Professional, Landscape, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
An uninhabitable volcanic desert in the Icelandic Highlands. The climatic conditions here are
so harsh that, for the majority of the year, life doesn’t thrive.
© Line Dubois, Italy, Winner, Professional, Landscape, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
Trees presiding over the glacial kingdom. They are the guardians of the water cycle. Trees help control the water cycle by regulating precipitation, evaporation and flows. © Line Dubois, Italy, Winner, Professional, Landscape, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
Trees presiding over the glacial kingdom. They are the guardians of the water cycle.
Trees help control the water cycle by regulating precipitation, evaporation and flows.
© Line Dubois, Italy, Winner, Professional, Landscape, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.

2nd place: Andrius Repšys (Lithuania)
3rd place: Gareth Iwan Jones (United Kingdom)

PORTFOLIO

A selection of images taken over the last couple of years. For me, this series evokes the quiet, isolated, reflective moments I felt during the pandemic. I saw this person having a quiet reflective moment at my local park. It made me feel nostalgic and calm. © Hugh Fox, United Kingdom, Winner, Professional, Portfolio, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
A selection of images taken over the last couple of years. For me, this series evokes the quiet, isolated,
reflective moments I felt during the pandemic. I saw this person having a quiet reflective
moment at my local park. It made me feel nostalgic and calm.
© Hugh Fox, United Kingdom, Winner, Professional, Portfolio, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
During lockdown, I photographed my family a lot – this is our cat, Smokey, who spends a lot of his time doing this. It's something we all ended up doing a lot of. © Hugh Fox, United Kingdom, Winner, Professional, Portfolio, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
"During lockdown, I photographed my family a lot – this is our cat, Smokey, who spends a lot of
his time doing this. It's something we all ended up doing a lot of."
© Hugh Fox, United Kingdom, Winner, Professional, Portfolio, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.

2nd place: Julian Anderson (United Kingdom)
3rd place: Anna Neubauer (Austria)

PORTRAITURE

WINNER: Adam Ferguson (Australia)
2nd place: George Tatakis (Greece)
3rd place: Brent Stirton (South Africa)

SPORT

The Kuarup is a ritual of the Xingu Indigenous Brazilian to honour the illustrious dead – it is the farewell and closing of a mourning period. The celebration takes place once a year in different villages and lasts for three days. The highlight of this celebration is a competition of a martial art called Huka-huka, similar to the Greco-Roman wrestling fight, which has competitive symbolism that shows the strength and virility of the young men. These photographs were taken during a Kuarup celebration in the Afukuri village of the Kuikuro ethnic group. This year’s ritual honoured the people who lost their lives between the years 2020 and 2021: four of five were victims of Covid-19. © Ricardo Teles, Brazil, Winner, Professional, Sport, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
The Kuarup is a ritual of the Xingu Indigenous Brazilian to honour the illustrious dead – it is the farewell and closing of a mourning period. The celebration takes place once a year in different villages and lasts for three days. The highlight of this celebration is a competition of a martial art called Huka-huka, similar to the Greco-Roman wrestling fight, which has competitive symbolism that shows the strength and virility of the young men. These photographs were taken during a Kuarup celebration in the Afukuri village of the Kuikuro ethnic group. This year’s ritual honoured the people who lost their lives between the years 2020 and 2021: four of five were victims of Covid-19.
© Ricardo Teles, Brazil, Winner, Professional, Sport, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.

2nd place: Adam Pretty (Australia)
3rd place: Roman Vondrouš (Czech Republic)

STILL LIFE

Around a strong geometrical framework, Haruna Ogata arranges shapes and colours. Freed from depth, they attune, they overlap and complement each other. The delicacy of the traditional Japanese colours contrasts with the lines and they float like constellations. On an intangible background, Haruna Ogata and Jean-Etienne Portail create a singular world. © Haruna & Jean Etienne Ogata & Portail, Japan, Winner, Professional, Still Life, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards
Around a strong geometrical framework, Haruna Ogata arranges shapes and colours. Freed from depth, they attune, they overlap and complement each other. The delicacy of the traditional Japanese colours contrasts with the lines and they float like constellations. On an intangible background, Haruna Ogata and Jean-Etienne
Portail create a singular world.
© Haruna & Jean Etienne Ogata & Portail, Japan, Winner, Professional, Still Life,
2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
© Haruna & Jean Etienne Ogata & Portail, Japan, Winner, Professional, Still Life, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
© Haruna & Jean Etienne Ogata & Portail, Japan, Winner, Professional, Still Life,
2022 Sony World Photography Awards.

2nd place: Cletus Nelson Nwadike (Sweden)
3rd place: Alessandro Gandolfi (Italy)

WILDLIFE & NATURE

The Fox’s Tale. Over eight months, I spent almost every night sitting at the window of my cottage in the middle of the forest – where wild animals live almost as neighbours of the villagers. The young vixen appears in the village after dusk, circles an hour and a half, and appears in a courtyard several times. I observed her movements and behaviour from the darkened room, and took the exposure remotely. I named her Roxy. I set the lights in advance, like in a studio, and waited for the protagonist to walk into the scenes. Here, Roxy stares at the camera from the base of a moss-covered linden tree. When we first became acquainted, any sudden movement would make the fox rush to a corner of the courtyard to hide behind the bushes. Learning from this, I stayed behind the window to follow Roxy’s undisturbed behaviour. © Milan Radisics, Hungary, Winner, Professional, Wildlife & Nature, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.
The Fox’s Tale. Over eight months, I spent almost every night sitting at the window of my cottage in the middle of the forest – where wild animals live almost as neighbours of the villagers. The young vixen appears in the village after dusk, circles an hour and a half, and appears in a courtyard several times. I observed her movements and behaviour from the darkened room, and took the exposure remotely. I named her Roxy. I set the lights in advance, like in a studio, and waited for the protagonist to walk into the scenes. Here, Roxy stares at the camera from the base of a moss-covered linden tree. When we first became acquainted, any sudden movement would make the fox rush to a corner of the courtyard to hide behind the bushes. Learning from this, I stayed behind the window to
follow Roxy’s undisturbed behaviour.
© Milan Radisics, Hungary, Winner, Professional, Wildlife & Nature, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards.

2nd place: Federico Borella (Italy)
3rd place: Oana Baković (Romania)