The National Award winners of the 2022 Sony World Photography Awards were recently announced. While we don’t classify the success of a winning image based on what gear was used, it’s nevertheless a fun stat to read about. Here’s a breakdown of the cameras and lenses used (where the information is available) to produce the winning image for each country’s top photographers.
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Cameras Used by the National Award Winners
While Sony is the title sponsor for the competition, there was no restriction on photos shot with other brands of cameras being entered into the global contest. A wide variety of brands make up the National Award winners of this year’s World Photography Awards. We’ve delved deep to get you a breakdown of the camera brands and lenses used.
Mirrorless cameras made up a significant portion of the cameras used, but DSLRs weren’t far behind. There’s also a handful of winners who used drones, one who used a compact camera, and even a smartphone user. Here’s the list of cameras we were able to get data about:
The National Awards program is an initiative set up by the World Photography Organisation and Sony to support local photographic communities around the world, with 61 countries taking part this year.
Among the total of 65 winners announced by the World Photography Awards in the National Award category, we were able to extract EXIF data for most of them. Fourteen of these had no camera and/or lens information in the EXIF data. When we contacted the organization to see if they had this information on them, we received this response – “We don’t share information on camera types – a wide range are used by the winners of these awards.” The statistics below are generated from the data we managed to get from the image files.
Camera brand breakdown for the National Category winners
The most used camera on the list was the Sony A7R III. At least nine winners used this mirrorless camera for their winning entry. This was followed by the Sony A7 III with at least five winners using this camera to grab the top award for their nation’s entry. Sony was also the leading choice of camera brand for winning entries, with at least 25 winners using their cameras for their submitted entries. Canon DSLRs and mirrorless cameras were used by 10 winners. Nikon followed closely with nine winners using DSLRs for all but one entry. The youngest DSLR on the Nikon list was the D5500, which shows that you don’t need the latest camera to produce a winning photograph. DJI’s drones took four of the winning images. Fujifilm had a couple, and Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro Max was used by one.
Camera model breakdown for the National Category winners
We also took a graphical look at the different lenses used by the winners.
Lens breakdown for the National Category winners
The Winning Images (National Awards category, 2022 Sony World Photography Awards)
Argentina: Gonzalo Javier Santile (Nikon D750, Tamron SP 15-30mm f2.8 Di VC)
El Vigia: A strong, hot wind known as Los Colorados was blowing when I took this photograph in Cafayete, Argentina, so I buried my tripod the best I could, using rocks to stabilise it. The image consists of 20 shots – six of the sky and six of the foreground, shot at 15mm with a shutter speed of 20 seconds. I love the combination of the Milky Way and these unique mountain rocks.
Austria: Sonja Ivancsics (Sony A7 III, no lens info available)
Milky Way in Salzkammergut: I planned this photo for about a year, and on that night in June 2021 the conditions were just perfect. The Gosausee lake in Salzkammergut reflects its surrounding mountains beautifully, especially the mountain Dachstein with its glacier. The picture blends two images, one taken in the blue hour, and one taken at about midnight.
Earth’s Eye: This picture was taken with my drone in a geothermal area called Hverravellir in the centre of Iceland, in August 2021. It shows a natural hot spring that has a wonderful blue colour, especially when seen from above.
Bolivia: Paola Lambertin Murillo (Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 50mm f1.4)
Ephemeral Portrait: This photo was taken in Bolivia in March, using a smoke flare. The concept is that our identity is constantly changing; a photographic portrait captures only a minute fraction of our identity, which is why I photographed smoke as an analogy.
Cambodia: Sean Channal (Nikon D750, Nikon 35-70mm f/3.3-4.5)
Shadows of Buddhism: After studying in a quiet place near the Buddha statue, the monk often returns to the hut with an umbrella for shade, here representing both a sunshade and the shade of Buddhist serenity.
Colombia: Bernardo del Cristo Hernandez Sierra (Canon EOS R6, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L)
Through the Roof: A diver jumps from a 10 metre platform during a national diving competition in Medellin, Colombia. The photo was taken in August 2021.
Costa Rica: Juan Carlos Rodriguez (Canon EOS R, Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L)
A Woman in a Post-modern World: This portrait was captured in the market of Leh. The woman depicted belongs to the ethnic group of Dard Aryans living in the valleys of Ladakh. These people see themselves as descendants of Alexander the Great. Their eclectic look, mixing traditional attire with touches of modernity, immediately appealed to me. The dark background of the market allowed me to isolate the subject from any distracting surrounding elements.
Untitled: In August 2021, Croatian Paralympic swimmer Tomi Brajsa was preparing for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games by the open pool in Salata, Zagreb. This photo was taken early in the morning of a rainy day on 18 August. Tomi is a Croatian para-swimming record holder in the S4 and SM4 categories. In Tokyo he was competing in two races: 50m freestyle S4 and 200m freestyle S4, where he won 12th place.
Denmark: Sussi Charlotte Alminde (Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8)
Silence is the Most Powerful Scream: A forest story created on a cold winter’s day on 18 February, 2021. The idea was purely and simply to create a personal piece of art.
Ecuador: Joel Alonso Rodríguez (No camera or lens information available)
Human Element: This image was taken in the theatre of the Polytechnic University of Ecuador, designed and built by Oswaldo de la Torre. Through my lens I wanted to reveal the relationship between a person and an architectural space – how the human being becomes another element in the spatial composition.
Egypt: Sherif Salem (Nikon D5500, No lens information available)
Untitled: A morning scene from the countryside where antique cars add a classic touch. The photo was taken with a 50mm lens on a photo tour in September, in the village of Idku in northern Egypt.
Surfing Festival: The waves were the biggest I’ve ever seen in the evening when I took this photo in The Hague, Netherlands. The waves and the pouring rain created quite a unique atmosphere.
Frozen Rock: In January 2021 the temperature went down to -25°C on the south coast of Finland. I went to Emäsalo in the city of Porvoo to capture the freezing of the Baltic Sea. As the sea starts to freeze, it creates beautiful ice sculptures on the rocks, and a few days later the sea is frozen. The picture was shot at night with a slow shutter speed on extremely slippery ice.
France: Patrick Bosc (Scanned with the Canon EOS 5DS, Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8)
Mathis: Image Description: The model, Mathis Fugeray, was portrayed using the collodion process with silver on a 18x24cm glass plate. I used a vintage large format camera from 1910 with a 3B Petzval 290mm f/4 lens from Perken, Son and Rayment from circa 1890.
Guatemala: Juan Pablo Méndez Garzona (No camera or lens information available)
The Beauty of Northern Lights Above the Arctic Henge: This picture combines two photos taken during my trip to Iceland. The first one was taken at the Arctic Henge, a group of structures located in Raufarhofn on the northeastern tip of the Melrakkaslétta peninsula. The second one is the sky full of northern lights, which I captured a few days later. For me, this composition represents an open door full of possibilities for those who dare to walk into the unknown.
India: Haider Khan (No camera or lens information available)
White Stallion: The Marwari or Malani is a rare breed of horse from the Marwar region of Rajasthan in northwest India, with an unusual, inward-curving ear shape.
Indonesia: Metha Meiryna (Sony A1, Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM)
The Rejang Dancer:In Bali, dancing is part of local traditions and religious ceremonies. One of the most beautiful dances is Rejang. Dressed in great costumes with headdresses, this dance is traditionally performed by young women at a ceremony in the inner courtyard of a temple. This dance is also one of the holiest sacrificial dances, performed to entertain visiting gods and spirits.
Italy: Antonino Pellicano (Canon EOS 6D, Canon EF 17-35mm f/2.8 L USM)
Untitled: This is a story about Riccardo, the lord of fashion. A tailor par excellence. He represents an era in Gianni Versace’s home town of Reggio Calabria, Italy, as a man with a humble attitude and innate class. Within him is the art of creation that has nourished his life for nearly eighty years. The artisan fashion shop continues to live within him.
Untitled: People watching the full moon on the roof of a building. In Japan, celebrating the beauty of the moon is a popular pastime called ‘moon viewing’ or Tsukimi.
Kuwait: Mohammad Mirza (Sony A1, Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM)
Giant Tusker: Photographing a giant tusker like Craig was a big challenge for me. Getting so close, within a few metres from this big bull, and shooting from a very low angle with a wide lens, requires some courage! After five days with several attempts at photographing Craig in an open space, I managed to get this shot face to face, with mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop.
Korea, Republic of: Wookeun Choi (Sony A7R III, Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM)
Untitled: In the late afternoon, I photographed an atmosphere created by a woman and her shadow coming through the impressive structure of this building in Jeju, South Korea.
A City Among the Clouds: This is a photograph from Bukhansan Mountain in Seoul, South Korea. Lots of people climb the mountain to view the sunrise, but it’s a rare sight to see the city covered in clouds as the sun rises. I’ve gone there many times and was lucky to finally see it. I feel gratitude towards Mother Nature for changing Seoul’s architecture from monotonous to colourful.
Lithuania: Virginija Mureikienė (Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8)
Dust: In the process of making. This photograph was taken in a woodworker’s shop while he was cleaning dust from a small box he just finished polishing. A still with movement.
Malaysia: Yih Chang Chew (Dji Mavic Air II, Dji 24.0 mm f/2.8)
A Top Down View of Penang’s First Bridge: The 13.5-km Penang bridge highway is the second-longest bridge in Malaysia. It was built in 1985 and until 2014 it was the only road connection between Peninsular Malaysia and Penang Island. Here it’s seen from the island end.
Mexico: Sergio Carrasco (Nikon Z6 II, Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S)
The Scent of Cempasúchil: Mexican Catrina, an icon of the Day of the Dead, wearing a typical Mexican dress from the state of Chiapas. She is standing in a field of Mexican marigold, or Cempasúchil, a flower traditionally used for Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations. Every year, my wife puts on a different Catrina costume to celebrate our tradition.
The Young Priest: A Young Priest from Thecho, Lalitpur carrying butter lamps on his head and on his palms during the Madhav Narayan festival celebration.
Norway: Hans Kristian Strand (Sony A7R III, Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN)
Bondhusvatnet Glacier: I love this peaceful place. I visit the Bondhusvatnet glacier every year hoping to get the perfect picture, and this year I finally got it.
Philippines: Mariah Zamora (Sony A7R IV, Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS)
Anom Asil: This shot depicts a reversed Mona Lisa portrait, showing how real beauty is imperfect. Following in the style of Rembrandt with soft lighting emphasising the features of the person, you really see the textures of the human face.
Poland: Marcin Giba (Dji Mavic 2 Pro, Hasselblad 28.0 mm f2.8)
Turquoise Lake: I took this photo of a turquoise lake in Poland with a drone in Autumn 2021. Let us not be deceived by the blue colour of the water, or the colour of the sand. It is the result of human activity interfering with the natural environment. You cannot bathe in this lake, and the water is poisonous.
Portugal: Jose Pessoa Neto (Canon EOS 70D, Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM)
The Dusk: When it was inaugurated in 1963, the 890 ft Arrabida Bridge in Porto, Portugal, was the largest of any concrete-arch bridges in the world . To get some good detail in the shot, I chose to capture a perspective of half the bridge. The dusk was beautiful on that day, and I waited for a big truck to enter the frame before my shutter button went ‘click’.
Saudi Arabia: Mazin Alhassan (Sony A7 III, Tamron E 17-28mm F2.8)
Stars over Yellowstone: An astrophotography shot at the Norris Geyser Basin, the hottest geyser basin in Yellowstone. It is located near the northwest edge of Yellowstone Caldera near Norris Junction and on the intersection of three major faults.
Serbia: Vladimir Zivojinovic (Canon EOS R6, Canon RF 35mm f1.8 Macro)
Gatchina, Russia, July 2021. This project is an unbiased look at Russia, and particularly at the Leningrad region, presented by the young generation of Eurasia in a modern multimedia forma, which will allow audiences around the world to learn about the distinctive character of the country. During the project the photographer got to know the ‘Russian soul’ from different angles: tranquil old villages, historical monuments and museums, cultural education, sports training and much more. This project is an unbiased look at Russia, and particularly on the Leningrad region, presented by the young generation of Eurasia in a modern multimedia format, which will allow audiences around the world to learn about the distinctive character of the country. During the project the photographer got to know “Russian soul” from different angles: old villages with a calm atmosphere, historical monuments and museums, cultural education, sports training, acquaintance, and a lot more.
Slovakia: Filip Hrebenda (Sony A7R III, No lens information available)
Born of Fire: A photo from my’ Born of Fire’ series. It was the first photo I took on my expedition to the volcanic area of Fagradalsfjall in southwestern Iceland. Volcanoes are a rare opportunity to observe the complete transformation of a landscape. Places that were only recently valleys and meadows became hills, craters and lava fields. Being there was a great experience.
Slovenia: Matjaž Šimic (No camera or lens information available)
Wild Horses: When we visited France this summer, we saw the famous white Camargue horses. Their elegance and energy fascinated me so much that I was left speechless.
South Africa: Tshabalala Bongani (No camera or lens information available)
Montsho: Montsho, meaning ‘black’, is a word used in South Africa to make fun of a dark-skinned person. This photograph explores the emotional effects of childhood teasing: depression and low self-esteem. Montsho opens conversations around the representation of the black body and black lives, challenging the idea that blackness is homogenous. For me this photograph is about both destruction and preservation; it’s about what we choose to embrace after going through trauma.
Spain: Mariano Belmar Torrecilla (Sony A7R III, Samyang AF 45mm f1.8)
Around the Moneo 1: Moneo is the Murcia City Hall building. Around it you find a variety of very different people. This shot is part of a series made in that place.
Big Statue in the Middle of the City: This photo was taken in Bangkok, Thailand, on 27 October, 2021. The Big Buddha statue is from Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen. Around the fourth week of October, the sun sets behind the statue. To get a high-impact shot, I used a super-telephoto zoom lens to compress the sun with a bird, the statue, and the city in the foreground.
Turkey: Cigdem Ayyildiz (No camera or lens information available)
Le Mont.Saint-Michel at Sunset: For me, this piece of art on the shores of Normandy is a candidate for Eighth Wonder of the World; providing a legendary view and atmosphere especially at sunset and when the tide is low.
Vietnam: Thanh Nguyen Phuc (Sony A7R III, Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM)
Bike with Flowers: A hundred years ago there were just 36 streets and now there are many more, but the street culture remains strong in Hanoi. There are lots of shops in the main streets but people in the old streets prefer to get serviced by mobile street vendors. I spent a weekend following street vendors and found that they were walking or riding their bikes all day. Here is one of my favourite moments.
