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Sony World Photography Contenders 2014
  • London tourists clad in climb suits and safety harnesses slowly ascend the O2 Millenium Dome via a suspended fabric walkway, 52 metres above the ground. An observation platform at the summit offers unrivalled views across the city's docklands. "Sadly for photographers, only mobile phones are allowed in the viewing area. This shot was taken at a safe distance with my feet planted firmly on the ground, affording the opportunity to include the rather bizarrely patterned and colourful buildings within the composition."
  • A young Bhutanese boy tries on the mask of the dancer seated next to him. "The dancer is having a short break after a physically gruelling masked dance at the colourful festival held at the Tamshing Lhakhang (Monastery) in Bumthang, Bhutan."
  • This picture was taken in a natural but controlled environment. "Although controlled, this shot was not prepared at all. I was performing a workshop with the agalychnis callidryas treefrog from Costa Rica when the frog managed to jump to the branch where this huge titan was sleeping...I had my gear ready so I only had to change a few settings and shoot...the rest is history."
  • An amusement park in Medellín, Colombia: the place where childhood is recalled.
  • "In your youth, nothing can stop you from enjoying time with your friends. Even a large rainstorm during a summer swim can't stop you from creating wonderful memories. You may grow up and forget the names, but you'll always remember the moments like these that make up your childhood. This is a picture of my friends on a dock at City Park in Scottsboro, Alabama."
  • The remote konyak village of Nyahnyu is located in Nagaland, India, near the border with Myanmar. "Each village has an Angh (king of chief) and the succession is determined by blood line."

  • "This picture, depicted in 'Faith', taken the most conservative district of Istanbul, represents how fashion and tradition can co-exist."
  • "This image was taken in Amsterdam, a trip that I made with the last euros I had, trying to search for answers and for myself. On my way back, with no photos taken due to bad weather, I saw this small beach, and all these bits of wood in a circle with the big one in the middle. The sky was perfect and no one was around, so I took four photos that I assembled back home to make a panorama shot. God had offered me this moment: no one around, total silence and harmony. I had the sensation that I was in the presence of a reunion, an assembly, all listening to the one in the middle, the wise one.

  • "This picture was taken in Omo Valley, Ethiopia. My guide and I reached an Arbore village and I suddenly saw a brown tsunami coming to us. I closed my eyes. When I thought the storm was over I opened them again and saw this boy sitting on an old tree. I ran to catch this portrait, with the last of the sandstorm behind him.

  • "This image was taken at Toronga zoo on Sydney Harbour. I was just watching the the giraffes when it started to rain very heavily. I took cover and noticed the young giraffes run for the shelter too - they were a bit distressed because their mother was not with them, and they were looking around for her. Then I saw the mother casually walk over to them to comfort them. It was such a beautiful moment. I'm very lucky to have been there to capture it."
  • "This photograph was taken at the Teatr Mossoveta in Moscow. The dancer in the picture is Lili Bolgashvili."

  • Subway at main station in Duisburg, Germany.
  • "This photo was taken at the Paint Festival that took place in Novorossiysk, Russia on 31 Aug 2013. I put some plastic on my camera and got in the middle of the crowd. When the action started I could hardly see anything but I captured this girl all covered with paint with wide smile on her face and so I pressed the button. Unfortunately I don't know the girl's name."

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