Extraordinary winners of Sony World Photography Awards 2020

The photo was taken at Sipadan on 8-9-2019. I saw a School of Jack fishes swimming towards to the diver who was taking video for them. At such moment I took this photo. Photograph: Kam Moon Lai/Sony World Photography Awards

This work illustrates the narrative of union between black peoples, who were trafficked and enslaved in Brazil for 3 centuries. It is a portrait of the symbiosis and metamorphosis, which occurred here in Brazil, between the black people of the most different regions and cultures of Africa. Despite all the cuts and lashes, there is an afro-centripetal force that changes us, but also keeps our ancestral ligature. Photograph: Matheus Leite/Sony World Photography Awards

The photo was taken in one of the excavated tunnels and galleries during the First World War. Most of them can be seen on Via Ferrata De Luca-Innerkofler, but it is advisable to go with the Via Ferrata kit. Photograph: Atanas Chulev/Sony World Photography Awards

Hundreds of horses are galloping when the sun is about to shine its last ray. It is traditionally said that a Mongol without a horse is like a bird without a wing, this is how strong the bond between human being and animal that we should appreciate. Photograph: Tien Sang Kok/Sony World Photography Awards

This photo is taken in Olgii Provinces, Mongolia. They are hunting with eagles and normally they stay at the border of Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Each October, Kazakh eagle hunting customs are displayed at the annual Golden Eagle Festival. Although the Kazakh government has made efforts to lure the practitioners of these Kazakh traditions back to Kazakhstan, most Kazakhs have remained in Mongolia. Photograph: Kyaw Bo Bo Han/Sony World Photography Awards

I was amazed by this creature while traveling through Indonesia. When I was in a place called Monkey Forest, I spotted this monkey just sitting there and wondering about the world. It's incredible, how same we are. Photograph: Jan Simon/Sony World Photography Awards

Taken this image at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam India in Dec 2019. It was early winter morning and we were on a jeep safari. And suddenly we encountered this mating Indian one horned Rhino pair. Needless to say, a unique and rare opportunity. Light was just right and we have an opening on the edge of this grass field. Moving around taken some shots from different angle and distance. Here the pair was indifferent to the Egrets sitting along. Photograph: Abhijeet Kumar Banerjee/Sony World Photography Awards

It was impossible for my senses to ignore the wonder of the Huangshan mountains in China as if they were posing for my lens and allowing me to capture their splendour. That sunset showed me a beautiful orange light and let me see many viewpoints, endless stairs, bridges to cross from one mountain to another. Photograph: Karem Apaza Lopez/Sony World Photography Awards

From the hard and dusty journey of sheep herd in Bitlis Turkey. I went to Bitlis to take photos in that city and take this in that period. Sheep has a great importance in Bitlis. It was really hard to take these photos. This photo is like a pastoral symphony. Photograph: F Dilek Uyar/Sony World Photography Awards

This shot is a stitch panorama character portrait of a friend. Photograph: North Gevero/Sony World Photography Awards

Bermamyt Plateau. The best place with a view of Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain peak in Russia and Europe, included in the list of the highest peaks of the world "Seven Peaks". Photograph: Sergey Savenko/Sony World Photography Awards

I had spent several days in a hide in Onguma Private Reserve, near Etosha, Namibia, initially hoping to see elephants or big cats, but enjoying all the visitors that came to the waterhole nearby. I knew if I was patient enough I would have a good chance of photographing giraffes as they came in to drink, but I never imagined any of them would squeeze in between the hide and the waterhole! This presented me with a different perspective than I had envisioned. Patience, and a willingness to sit quietly in nature is often reward in itself - although in this case I was delighted to leave with an image like this. Photograph: Marcus Westberg/Sony World Photography Awards

This water buffalo peeked out at us from the dense foliage. It had a look as though it wanted us to help it. So many people around the world rely on these amazing creatures for survival, and yet few help to protect its natural environment. Photograph: Will Venter/Sony World Photography Awards

As I spent a whole night photographing a heron in a small pond, close to Bourne in Lincolnshire, this handsome hunter popped up all of sudden, right in front of me and started swimming and diving for fish, at an unbelievable pace. I could not get a proper shot for some time, due to the speed and the unpredictability of this skillful night hunter. After good half an hour of hunting, it took a break and shook the water off and I did not miss that moment where the Eurasian Otter is stand-still and the tiny water drops could be seen all-over the mammal. Photograph: Lakshitha Karunarathna/Sony World Photography Awards

Ballet dance inside an old building. Photograph: Alejandro Cifuentes/Sony World Photography Awards