The Sony World Photography Awards sponsored by Sony Europe with a view to recognizing world's finest photographers was held at the Palais des Festivals et des Congres in Cannes, France from April 21^st to 25^th 2008. The event showcased approximately 330 short-listed photographs out of the over 70,000(*) works submitted via the website www.worldphotographyawards.org/. The short-listed photographs are represented from the 11 sections that belong to the professional category as well as the 8 sections that belong to the amateur category.

The "Sony World Photography Awards" is the first truly global photographic awards for amateur and professional photographers across all categories, being sponsored by Sony from 2007. Supported by hundreds of the industry's top photographers, critics, gallery owners and other industry experts, it is the first awards show of its kind, providing an unprecedented international platform in the culturally important and diverse world of photography.

Being in the business of photography with its digital-SLR "α" series and digital still camera "Cyber-shot", Sony is honoured to support and promote the skills and creativity of amateur and professional photographers around the world through a sponsorship of Sony World Photography Awards.

The final decision of the Awards was made just hours before the ceremony by the Honorary Board, some of the industry's highest regarded members, including Nan Goldin, Bruce Davidson, Tom Stoddart, Elliott Erwitt and Martine Franck. The Awards Ceremony was the finale of series of event in Cannes, where Shigeki Ishizuka, president of Sony Corporation's Digital Imaging Business Group and Toru Katsumoto, Head of AMC Division in charge of Sony's digital SLR cameras presented the awards; the overall winner of Sony World Photography Awards Cannes 2008, the L'iris d'Or, and the winner of the Sony World Photography Amateur Award respectively.

-Sony World Photography Awards Official Site
http://www.worldphotographyawards.org/newsupdates.asp