The Sony Alpha Awards returns for its 10th year and calls for entries
The 2025 Sony Alpha Awards marks the tenth year of the photo competition showcasing the incredible photography captured on Sony cameras and lenses from photographers across Australia and New Zealand. Over the past decade the Alpha Awards has received well over 25,000 submitted images and Sony is proud to now celebrate this expression of creativity through photography for the tenth year. Sony’s philosophy is to inspire creativity through technology and the Alpha Awards is a culmination of that goal.
Categories continue to represent the diverse range and passions of all Sony photographers, allowing entrants to submit their work across thirteen categories, including Astrophotography, Bird Life, City/Street, Creative, Editorial, Landscape, Portrait, Seascape, Sea Life, Sports, Wedding, Wildlife and Youth.
Newly added categories, Bird Life, Sea Life and Wildlife have been added in 2025 to expand opportunities for nature photographers by extending the Nature category into these three distinct sub-categories.
The Youth category also continues its return to the Alpha Awards after a three-year hiatus in 2024. Entries into the Youth category can be captured on any camera brand, including smartphones and in 2025 judges will be looking for the integration of the Signature Item “Bridge” when considering images as finalists and the category winner.
$62,000 worth of Sony camera gear will be available to win at the 2025 Alpha Awards – including $4,000 of Sony digital imaging gear per category and each of the category finalists will be in with the chance to win the overall Grand Prize of Sony digital imaging gear to the value of $10,000.
All applicants for the Open categories can submit up to five entries through the entry page here. Eligible images must be taken with Sony Digital Imaging cameras (body and lens or integrated camera), with the exception of the Youth category which is open to any camera.
Submissions will close on Monday, 30th June 2025.
The Alpha Awards ceremony will take place in September 2025.
Notes
All entries to the Sony Alpha Awards are free via the entry page here
Please visit the website for rules and conditions of entry.
Key dates:
● Entries are now open
● Entries Close Monday, 30th June 2025
2025 Sony Alpha Awards – Prize and Category Summary
Prizes:
● Grand Prize: Sony digital imaging gear to the value of $10,000
● Category Prize Winners: Sony digital imaging gear to the value of $4,000 for each category winner
Categories
Astrophotography
A photograph that prominently features the night sky, typically against a landscape. Judges in this category are looking for images that demonstrate exceptional mastery of this field’s significant technical constraints, alongside the aesthetic considerations of the Landscape category.
Composite images that do not alter the explicit content of the image are allowed (i.e. exposure blending, colour compositing, dark frame subtraction).
Pure starfield images may be submitted, but judging will be based on aesthetic and pictorial criteria; astronomy work that lacks aesthetic impact may not be highly awarded, despite technical excellence.
Bird Life
Bird Life is a sub-category of Nature, open exclusively to photos that have one or more birds as their primary subject.
As in the broader category of Nature, judges are looking for unique or uniquely beautiful captures. Consideration may be given to difficulty of capture, effective use of equipment and technique, and above all, the impact of the image.
City / Street
This category covers any image that documents life in an urban centre. Both people and places will be considered. Judges in this category are looking for images that give insight into urban life or reveal unexpected or extraordinary aesthetics.
Creative
A category which rewards originality, experimentation, imagination and is the ideal place for photo-composite images, but single-exposure images are also encouraged. Any number of photos can be used and edited together to form an image of a subject, object, environment, idea, or concept. All key elements used in the creation of the image must be captured or created by the submitting photographer, and should the submission reach the final round of judging, entrants will be required to submit the original layered file and/or contributing images. Judges in this category are looking for a clear concept, executed with sensitivity to the subject matter and a high level of technical competence.
Editorial
Each entry in the Editorial category should consist of 3-5 images constituting a body of work. Judges in this category are looking for clear storytelling, executed both within the individual image and sustained throughout the series.
Landscape
A photo of a place and/or thing. Photo compositing in this category for technical purposes will not be penalised. Photographs that qualify for consideration in Astrophotography or Seascape are unlikely to receive an award in this category.
Portrait
A photo of a subject, usually human, who is aware of the photographer and participating in the creation of the photo. Judging in this category will reward photos that reveal more than just the surface of the subject.
Candid photography is not considered in this category.
Seascape
A landscape photograph that prominently features the sea.
Sea Life
Sea Life is a sub-category of Nature, open exclusively to photos of animals that spend most or all of their time in the water.
As in the broader category of Nature, judges are looking for unique or uniquely beautiful captures. Consideration may be given to difficulty of capture, effective use of equipment and technique, and above all, the impact of the image.
Sports
A photo of a sport being played or related to the culture of a sport.
Wedding
Photography documenting a wedding. Documentary work related to a wedding will also be considered.
Wildlife
Wildlife is a sub-category of Nature; images should be of a living thing. Wildlife is open to images that are not caught in the more specific Bird Life and Sea Life Categories.
As in the more specific subcategories of Nature, judges are looking for unique or uniquely beautiful captures. Consideration may be given to difficulty of capture, effective use of equipment and technique, and above all, the impact of the image.
Youth
Open to students between the ages of 13 and 18. There is no specific genre for Youth, images of all shooting styles such as landscape, portrait, wildlife, and more are accepted. The Youth Category must feature the token theme, for 2025 the token theme is “Bridge”. Let your imagination take over in finding a way to add “Bridge” into your images.
About the Author
Adrian Gunning Adrian lives in Melbourne Australia and has a huge passion for gaming, technology and pop culture. He recently finished his a Bachelor of Journalism and is currently focusing on games journalism. When not writing and playing video games, Adrian can be found in Comics 'R' Us debating the pros of the DC Universe and cons of the Marvel Universe.
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