South Africans are in for a visual treat as a curated version of one of the world’s most prestigious photography competitions opens in Johannesburg.
In a first-of-its-kind event, the acclaimed Sony World Photography Awards exhibition can be seen on home soil, hosted by the Roger Ballen Centre for Photography in Forest Town.
Decisive Moment: Sony World Photography Awards showcases a selection of award-winning images from three years of the competition – 2024, 2025 and 2026.
It is presented in partnership with Creo and the World Photography Organisation, which runs the Sony competition.
In conversation with Gugs Mhlungu, Roger Ballen notes that the Sony World Photography Awards represent the biggest photo contest in the world, with close to half a million applicants from 200 countries worldwide last year.
“Our exhibition covers the last three years.We’ll see winners from many, many countries; from Japan to Brazil to South Africa. The awards are broken up into different categories and there is a wide range.”
Ballen says visitors will see an exceptional selection of award-winning images across documentary, portraiture, wildlife, sport, landscape and creative photography.
South Africa’s emerging photographers are also being showcased with a concurrent exhibition titled New Eyes: The Roger Ballen Centre Photography Award.
The inaugural edition features the work of D.M. Terblanche, Zwelibanzi Zwane and Karabo Mooki, which celebrates the diversity and creative energy of South Africa’s rising photographic talent.
Together, the two exhibitions create a dialogue between internationally recognised photographic excellence and the next generation of South African photographers, Ballen says.
To listen to Roger Ballen in conversation with Gugs Mhlungu on 702’s Weekend Breakfast, click on the audio link below: