The Sony World Photography Awards is bigger than ever this year with more exhibitions from photographers around the world.
Staged at the grand Somerset house, the exhibition showcases photographers of all levels, documenting everyday life, nature, the beautiful, the emotionally moving and the down right odd.
Separated into two sections in the East Wing and West Wing, the former takes you through the professional winners in 14 categories. I’ve selected a handful of my favourites on show.
Wet Dog by Sophie Gamand
By far and away my favourite on display is the portraiture Wet Dog by Sophie Gamand. Okay, I’m a little bit biased as any photo with a dog gets my vote. But no one can deny how amusing these are! Instantly making you smile, these dogs are captured in mid-bath (if you were photographed mid-bath you wouldn’t be happy either!) Snapped just before they instinctually shake, the pictures produce a range of rather distinctly human looks with this being my favourite!
Read this: I turned my dogs face into a pillow
Wet Dog by Sophie Gamand
Ever wondered what stood in the place a shiny new building? Historic Present by Sungseok Ahn cleverly marries old photographs and projections on today’s structures – the same spot where the original photo was taken.
Historic Present by Sungseok Ahn
From a distance, Matteo Mezzadri’s Citta Minime (translated as Minimal Cities) looks like generic urban city created from cardboard. On closer inspection you can see the buildings are in fact created from bricks.
Matteo Mezzadri’s Citta Minime
Frauke Thielking’s Kunst des Zufalls (translated as Art by Accident) is exactly that. These beautiful pictures featuring vibrant and almost chaotic pattern is the result of artist’s studio floors. Thielking suggests the pictures may appear to belong as a collection, but instead belong to different artists.
Frauke Thielking’s Kunst des Zufalls
A simple concept and camera technique can produce some beautiful shots. Case in point, Tony Hertz’s Wave Exploration which feature close up shots of ocean waves crashing over rocks and sand using a high shutter speed. The effect is more like huge tidal waves dominating rocks and I love the foamy texture as the two collide.
Tony Hertz’s Wave Exploration
Tony Hertz’s Wave Exploration
The second exhibition in the West Wing new and emerging talent – those who show a real passion for photography and ultimately on the cusp of joining those in the professional exhibition. You’ll also find several works from the renowned William Klein and Mary Ellen Mark. A notable mention also goes to the book awards room. Amongst them you’ll find a behind the scenes look on set of Star Wars and my absolute favourite, The Enclave by Richard Mosse.
Tickets cost a reasonable £7.50 and I thoroughly recommend any budding photographers like myself to attend. The exhibition runs until the 18thMay. Check out all of the entries on the website – 2014 Sony World Photography Awards.
