Sony Student Awards:
First Brief: Invisible Lines
The world we live in is structured around a variety of invisible lines. This could be in a natural environment (ie oceans, mountains, forests), in our society (ie gender, wealth, race), or intellectually. Show the judges the stories of people fighting against that and trying to break the invisible lines that most intrigues you in a positive way.
Walk - Chip Skingley, University of the West of England - Bristol, England
Series description:
The simplicity of ‘the walk’ can be used as a tool to break away from everyday life, focusing on the present and to improve health both physically and mentally.
TATS - Robin Ansart, Ecole Nationale Supérieure Louis-Lumière, France
Series description:
It is a contract that is impossible to renegotiate. Whatever the reason, the motivation, it’s first a choice made by a person: to be marked for life and never go back.
Analepsis - Arantza Sánchez Reyes, LCI Monterrey, México
Series description:
This project begins with an event lived some years ago. Without focusing completely on the act of violence and sexual abuse, it is through images that I speak about before and after, and what has been a process of healing, acceptance, overcoming, but also endless memories or "flashbacks" that for some reason make them still present. Following this event and the many experiences that have changed my existence I have wondered how much the situations experienced by human beings influence their way of act, talk and even react. The "Analepsis" project is formed from the built and documentary photography as well as poetry. Analepsis is to look at the inevitable flow of events, but it is also to recognize what endures.
Second Brief: Sustainability Now
Today’s zeitgeist is, of course, the climate crisis. The need to dramatically reduce our carbon footprint has been a recurring headline this past year: pictures, stories and alarming statistics about the fragility of our world have appeared at the top of our newsfeeds on an almost daily basis. Younger generations have taken to protesting, striking and pleading for us to secure their future planet, with climate activists like Greta Thungberg leading the way. Some countries and companies have responded to the urgency for a greener planet, having started to implement the Sustainable Development Goals into their legislation or business plans. Local communities have also taken action to do what they can to help stop climate change in a positive way. For the second brief in the 2020 Sony World Photography Awards Student competition, we’re challenging you to show us a story connected to environmental sustainability. How are people trying to stop the emission of greenhouse gases? Or combat the problems of deforestation? Toxic air pollution? Loss of insects and wildlife? The acidification of oceans? Whose story do you want to tell?
The Story of Bob - Amy Davis, CityVarsity Cape Town, South Africa
Series description:
Marine life is dying and our beautiful blue oceans are suffering. Plastic covers the earth with it’s permanent state of pollution. It’s now up to us to change the way we live by replacing plastic with a more sustainable solution. Humans have caused this mess, but it doesn’t mean we can’t fix it. The Two Oceans Aquarium run a very special turtle rehab where they rescue and heal sick turtles such as Bob and release them back into the wild. They have a beautiful understanding of the balance and ecological role that turtles play in the health of our oceans and with so much love and compassion, they have managed to save so many more than just Bob. The sad fact is that most of the turtles are sick and injured because of plastic in their system. Did you know that a plastic bag floating in water looks exactly like a jelly fish? If I can’t tell the difference, how is Bob meant to? Bob suffered the many negative effects of plastic pollution that is hurting marine life. It’s time for the unconscious humans to become conscious. Let Bob be a source of awe and inspiration to bring awareness to the world.
Roots of Cause - Arantza Sánchez Reyes, LCI Monterrey, México
Series description:
Monterrey, Mexico is already known as the most polluted city in Latino America. What can I do with this? I have fled from Mexico City (considered one of the most polluted cities on the planet) to study photography in a smaller and worse space. Today, one of the strongest problems is the destruction of its mountain ranges and characteristic mountains to build buildings and home room. 70% of the water is produced by these and that’s why the air is currently much more polluted. Now I live in an individualized city, where there are few protests against it, but for this same individualization more and more people from their home are rebuilding their own and common space a little by making their own compost, returning to local agriculture, walking, recycle, etc ... They seem small changes, but these changes are the hope of raising awareness of an apathetic city. Little by little an awakening begins on the part of society and this is more inclusive with the environment. This project focuses from the individual himself and in this connection between the mind, the senses that we can lose and the body with the environment and specially the earth itself."
