EXHIBITION: 14 APRIL - 1 MAY 2023 | SOMERSET HOUSE, LONDON

© Oday Shanshal, United Arab Emirates, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2023

 The World Photography Organisation and Sony Middle East & Africa are delighted to reveal Oday Shanshal as United Arab Emirate’s National Award winner for the Sony World Photography Awards 2023. 

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 55 countries taking part this year.

Over 415,000 images from over 200 countries and territories were submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2023 and over 200,000 were entered to the Open competition (from which the National Awards winner was selected).

Oday Shanshal was anonymously selected by judges for his photograph Knights, entered into the Motion category of the Open competition. The winning photograph was taken in November 2022 at a horse festival in Morocco. It was taken using a slow shutter speed, while panning the camera to follow the movement of the knights.

Shanshal is an architect who loved photography and specialized in photographing nature and wildlife, but his lens does not neglect photographing and documenting people's lives. He participated in many local and international exhibitions, and one of the most important participations was Xposure for the years 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. He received the gold medal from Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award, as well as H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Photography Award for the Arabian Horse 2022.

Commenting on his win Shanshal said: “Choosing my photo to win the Sony Photography Award is an honor for me, thank you”.

As UAE’s National Award winner, Oday Shanshal receives Sony digital imaging equipment and will be included in the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition and book.