Here is a selection of 10 images from the National Award (Sony World Photography Awards) which uncovers and honors the best single image taken by a local photographer in over 30 different countries. This year's winning and runner up photographers from participating countries were selected from the ten categories of the Open competition of the 2014 Sony World Photography Awards.
The inhabitant of Szack of Ukraine and her horse © Mateusz Baj, Poland , 1st place, Poland National Award
The photograph shows Tatiana-the inhabitant of Shatsk in Ukraine- with her horse. In Ukrainian villages, horses remain an indispensable work force in farm life.
Tin Oven Builders © Minh Ngo Thanh, Vietnam, 3rd Place National Award
© Norma Gleeson, 1st Place, Ireland National Award, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
Samsara © Wolfgang Weinhardt, Germany, 3rd Place National Award
All scenes were taken in early 2013. This year i had the pleasure to join the pilgrims and devotees of the Maha Kumbh Mela - the largest spiritual gathering on the planet, held every 12 years. Furthermore I travelled different parts of Indonesia and South-India to complete my buffalo race-catalogue. An impressive trip to the Javanese miners of Kawah Ijen and other familiar insights was another highlight.
Not Superman © Irwansyah, Indonesia, 1st place, Indonesia National Award
Pacu Jawi or a cow race can be called in Indonesian is a traditional game that is contested attraction in Tanah Datar district, West Sumatra, Indonesia. Every year, a cow race was held in rotation for four weeks in four districts in Tanah Datar district, namely Pariangan districts, districts propagation, The Five districts, and districts Tarab River.
Panco © Adhi Prayoga, Indonesia, 2nd Place National Award
The Mongol © Simon Morris, United Kingdom, 2nd Place National Award
A hunter rests in his little house on the plains ..western Mongolia with his Eagle which is hooded and cat under the table!
The Calm Before the Storm © Sean Batten, United Kingdom, 1st Place National Award
A photo of one of the hallways at Canary Wharf tube station in London.
Going Home © Neville Jones, Australia, 1st Place National Award
On the Li River near Xingping in China, Cormorant fishermen work the waterways before dawn amidst the spectacular limestone towers of the Karst landscape. The birds are trained to fetch fish from the inky depths but not swallow them. The fisherman accepts the fish from the birds who dive back for more. Here, still before dawn, the fisherman and his birds head for home.
Sahara Express © Rafael Gutiérrez Garitano, Spain, 1st place, Spain National Award
Young Mohammed Salam -in the foreground- travels regularly on iron ore hoppers through the Mauritanian Sahara, from the open-pit hematite mine centre of Zouérat, to the commercial port of Nouadhibou. The journey is precarious and exhausting, but free transportation of goods provide him and his colleagues with a way to make a living. The so called "Sahara Express" was completed in 1963, three years after Mauritania's independence as a french colony, and it is considered one of the longest trains in the world. Exceeding 2.5 km long, it runs daily almost 700 Km from the deep desert to the Atlantic coast and it takes about 17 hours. The 7.5 million tonnes of iron ore it transports every year in more than 200 freight cars, account for almost 50% of total exports, so it is vital for the Mauritanian economy, which has one of the lowest GDP rates of Africa.