Silent give and take. Image: © Peter Franck, Germany, Finalist, Professional Competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Trauma Bondage”. “Still life of Lanzarote lava stones joined by balloons. My artistic exploration of the theme of traumatic bonds asks the question of what serves to bind these visual heterogeneities together. In Trauma Bondage, I want to explore trauma as a distorting force that captures human perception, weaving fantasies that bind us to something painfully familiar. I explore the delicate visual interplay between composition, solidity and lightness of contrast. With these images, I explore not only my own experiences with trauma and trauma bonds, but also how trust is undermined and human beings. It explores the feeling of a traumatized society at large, where relationships are labeled as dangerous, and a new narrative is emerging where suffering becomes the currency of love and connection. Kulakova, Austria, shortlist, professional competition, still life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Trauma Bondage”. Image: © Kristina Kulakova, Austria, shortlist, professional competition, still life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“London plane tree”. “Created in my studio using sunlight, this series is made up of shed bark and manipulated printed self-portraits. Our lives are created layer by layer around our core self. Our belief systems, memories, and opinions define us. But what remains beneath these layers? As artists and as humans in the later stages of life. , it has become essential to re-evaluate and prioritize how we move through this world. It has become important to peel back the layers and find our true sense of self. On my way there, I passed a row of London plane trees and noticed that the trees were shedding bark, but the bark couldn't expand as fast as the trees were growing. This fascinating process resonates with me. How can I remove my preconceptions and make room for growth? How does this practice expose my vulnerabilities? In response, I created this photo series consisting of shells and manipulated self-portraits, connecting my explorations with nature.'' Image: © Beth Galton, USA, Finalist, Professional Competition, Still life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“London plane tree”. Image: © Beth Galton, USA, Finalist, Professional Competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Angelica Arc Angelica”. Angelica has been used in traditional medicine to treat multiple health conditions. It is thought to contain a variety of bioactive components that may have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects. Researchers also studied Angelica's potential anti-cancer effects in the lab, testing Angelica al-Angelica extract against breast cancer cells. They found that angelica may cause breast cancer cell death, leading the researchers to conclude that this herb has anti-tumor potential. Plants are one of the major suppliers of pharmaceuticals and must be considered as chemical producers and dynamic vessels. Over the course of evolution, they serve various ecological functions in plants, including repellency, defense from herbivores, fighting other plant species for resource management, protection from parasites, and attraction to pollinators. We have developed countless secondary metabolites that serve this purpose. These secondary metabolites also exhibit important pharmacological activities in humans, and they constitute the active or main components on which the therapeutic action of drugs depends. In fact, 40% of single-molecule drugs are derived from plant species. This series focuses on the important role of pharmacology in modern biology. Image: © Federico Scarchilli, Italy, Finalist, Professional Competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Hyoscine butyl bromide”. Hyoscine butyl bromide was patented from Duboisia leichhardtii and Duboisia myoporoides in 1950 and approved for medical use in 1951. This is an anticholinergic drug used to treat abdominal pain, esophageal spasms, bladder spasms, and renal colic. It is also used to improve excessive respiratory secretions at the end of life. Image: © Federico Scarchilli, Italy, Finalist, Professional Competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Restaurant Interior” A series of photographs taken in Yucatan, Mexico. Image: © William Abranowicz, USA, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Home interior”. Image: © William Abranowicz, USA, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“1000 Highlights”. “There was a year when my life was interrupted. There was a long winter and a long illness. I couldn't walk, every breath was painful, and I felt like I was losing hope that there would be a good outcome. In my house, everything was set up to be wheelchair accessible, including a small refrigerator, microwave, and oxygen inhaler. Someone had to help me provide. I was stuck at home, surrounded by the traps of illness, and tried to find sources of positivity and optimism in my surroundings. I found a source of inspiration in Schulz's book 1000 Places to See Before You Die. I colored my home world with future exotic travel in mind. ” Image: © Helen McLain, USA, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“1000 Highlights”. Image: © Helen McLain, USA, shortlist, professional competition, still life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“The object was seized at Piccento Prison in Valencia. The undersigned Director of Service would like to inform you of the facts of the events that occurred on June 5, 2021 at 16:00. The cell of Prisoner X was searched. As a result, he was found to have a handmade tattoo machine. This series of photos corresponds to the items confiscated by prison officials. Among them, the handmade objects are the principles of creativity and knowledge. When photographing these objects, I identify gaps and deficiencies and then fill them based on the search for solutions. , identifying their effectiveness in the context of self-defense, vocal communication, or self-expression through tattoos.The definition of creativity has changed throughout human history, and so has the term itself. Since then, and virtually to this day, the power to create has been attributed to God alone. Only God can create out of nothing. In this series, we explore how we have expressed creativity in past scholarship and discourse. The description of each image is an excerpt from the official report of Piccento Prison in Valencia. Image: © Raúl Belinchón, Spain, shortlist, professional competition, still life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024.
“Goods seized at Piccento Prison in Valencia. The undersigned Director of Service would like to inform you of the events that occurred on December 28, 2021 at 8:00 am. Two prisoners (father and son) , are quarantined in Module 13 after taking special leave to visit X's sick mother and Z's grandmother on December 23, 2021. They probably used the special leave to introduce prohibited items. A small bag containing a brown powder, believed to be heroin, was found hidden in the seam of his jeans, and he may also have a cell phone in his possession, which was not found during the search. “We will make inquiries and request their cooperation.” Image: © Raúl Belinchón, Spain, shortlist, professional competition, still life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Public phone receiver.” Images of walks he took in February 2023 and April in the Phoenix, Arizona, USA area. © Michael Young, USA, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024
“Weathered volleyball”. A weathered volleyball on the tennis court. Image: © Michael Young, USA, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2024 DM