The Sony World Photography Awards said on April 17 that it named the overall winners of its Professional, Open, Student and Youth competitions at a ceremony in London.

The organisers said Citlali Fabián won Photographer of the Year 2026 in the Professional competition for “Bilha, Stories of My Sisters.” According to the organisers, Fabián was selected from 10 Professional category winners announced at the same event. The organisers said the Open Photographer of the Year award went to Elle Leontiev of Australia for “The Barefoot Volcanologist.” They said the Student Photographer of the Year award went to Jubair Ahmed Arnob of Bangladesh for “The Place Where I Used To Play.” They said the Youth Photographer of the Year award went to Philip Kangas of Sweden for “Saving History from the Flames.”

The organisers said they announced the winners at a gala ceremony in London on April 17. They also said Joel Meyerowitz received the 2026 “Outstanding Contribution to Photography” award.

According to the organisers, the 10 Professional category winners were Joy Saha in Architecture & Design, Citlali Fabián in Creative, Santiago Mesa in Documentary Projects, Isadora Romero in Environment, Dafna Talmor in Landscape, Seungho Kim in Perspectives, Jean-Marc Caimi and Valentina Piccinni in Portraiture, Todd Antony in Sport, Vilma Taubo in Still Life, and Will Burrard-Lucas in Wildlife & Nature.

The organisers said Fabián received a 25,000USD cash prize, Sony digital imaging equipment, and a chance to present a solo showcase at the 2027 exhibition. They said Leontiev received 5,000USD and Sony digital imaging equipment.

The organisers said the 2026 exhibition opened at Somerset House in London and runs from April 17 to 4 May 4. According to the organisers, the exhibition includes more than 300 prints, hundreds of digital images, and a presentation of Meyerowitz’s work.

The organisers said the awards are in their 19th edition. They said more than 430,000 images from more than 200 countries and territories were submitted across the 2026 competitions.