Werner De Kock has been named as South Africa’s National Award winner for the Sony World Photography Awards 2025.
The National & Regional Awards programme is an initiative set up by Sony and Creo under the World Photography Organisation to support local photographic communities around the world.
This year, 56 countries took part, with more than 419 000 images from more than 200 territories submitted.
National and Regional Award winners were selected from the Open competition, which champions the best single images taken in the past year.
De Kock was anonymously selected by judges for his photograph Crash Landing, entered into the Motion category of the Open competition. Baily Head, in Antarctica, is home to around 100 000 pairs of chinstrap penguins. The photographer watched a conveyor belt of penguins coming and going from the beach, keeping his focus on a single spot and waiting for them to return to the beach as the surf was breaking.
De Kock comments: ‘It is my great honour to represent my country and be able to show off the beauty and comedy of penguins. I have never thought of entering a photo competition but thought why not give it a try. Thanks to my friends and family who support me and put up with my passion as a photographer.’
As South Africa’s National Award winner, De Kock receives 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 2025 will be announced on 16 April and will go on display as part of the exhibition at Somerset House, London, from 17 April to 5 May 2025.
This year’s National and Regional Awards winners are:
Bangladesh – Syed Mahabubul Kader
Cambodia – Sam Ang Ourng
China Mainland – Hao Guo, Winner
China Mainland – Yaping Du, 2nd Place
China Mainland – KunPeng Zhu, 3rd Place
Egypt – Ahmed Abdallah
Germany – Timo Zilz
India – Rajeev Gaikwad
Indonesia – Sim Jhones Gozali
Kazakhstan – Anel Bazylova
Republic of Korea – Kibong Nam, Winner
Republic of Korea – Gilyoung Pyo, 2nd Place
Republic of Korea – Kyunghwan Oh, 3rd Place
Kuwait – Mohammad Mirza
Malaysia – Wan Yong Chong
Myanmar – Zay Yar Lin
Nepal – Rabik Upadhayay
Nigeria – Nsikanabasi Effiong
Pakistan – Ali Sohail
Philippines – Renzer Rev Damaso
Poland – Hanna Kantor
Qatar – Ridhwan Mohammed Rafi
Saudi Arabia – Mohammed Muhtasib
Singapore – Ng Guang Ze
South Africa – Werner De Kock
Sri Lanka – Sasindu Pramuditha
Taiwan – Chen De-Huang
Thailand – Kiyoshi Hijiki
Turkey – Rahsan Firtina
United Arab Emirates – Donell Gumiran
Uzbekistan – Mubina Fayzullaeva
Vietnam – Việt Văn Trần
Featured picture credit: Werner De Kock, South Africa, Winner, National Awards, Sony World Photography Awards 2025