Self-taught photographer, Bongani Tshabalala has once again been announced as the 2023 South Africa, Sony World Photography Award winner

The Sony World Photography Awards are a “free-to-enter Awards are a global voice for photography and provide a vital insight into contemporary photography”. Currently in their 16th year,  the awards are produced by World Photography Organisation  which is a leading global platform dedicated to the development of the photography culture.

It was with great delight that, The World Photography Organisation and Sony Middle East  and Africa announced, Bongani Tshabalala as South Africa’s National Award winner for the Sony World Photography Awards 2023 for two consecutive years.

The National Awards initiative is set up by the World Photography Organisation and Sony to support local photographic communities around the world. 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).

Bongani Tshabalala is a Free State, South Africa based self-taught photographer. His contemporary photography style depicts the stories of Africans. Tshabalala’s photographs are inspired by his subjects faces and their individual stories which he then uses to create diverse photographs. He entered into the Portraiture category of the open competition and was anonymously selected by judges for his photograph “Great Joy”. For the talented photographer, the portrait is a reminder of a somber day, as it was taken the very day he heard the news of a friend’s father passing on.

“I am thankful for being selected as part of the shortlist for the World Photo Organization. This is a great opportunity for me and my work to get exposed globally,” said Bongani Tshabalala.

These award are a testament to everyone to never give up on their dreams. Tshabalala Mechanical Engineering at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein, whilst pursing his dream of becoming a p professional photographer. “Photography to me is more than just clicking the shutter speed; it’s more about connecting with my subjects,” he says.

Bongani Tshabalala’s South Africa National Award comes with a prize that includes Sony digital imaging equipment and will be included in the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition and book. The overall winners in the Student, Youth, Open and Professional competitions of the Sony World Photography Awards 2023 will be announced on 13 April 2023 and will go on display as part of the exhibition at Somerset House, London (14 April-1 May 2023).