The Photos Up For 2017 Sony World Photography Awards Are Absolutely Stunning

1.

Two concertgoers turn around for a selfie. Open Architecture category.

2.

A rancher trots along the edge of a dust cloud kicked up by his herd. Open Motion category.

3.

Buffaloes dip their noses to drink at South Africa's Zimanga game reserve. Open Wildlife category.

4.

An Iranian mourning ceremony. Open Culture category.

5.

Storm clouds menace a highway, leading to a tornado near Stratford, Texas. Open Nature category.

6.

Russian bodybuilders apply body paint before a competition. Professional Sport category.

7.

A young girl defies gravity gripping a yellow ball. Open Enhanced category.

8.

A surreal composition called 'Transcending Ego' by German photographer Julian Schievelkamp. Open Enhanced category.

9.

A mountain climber trudges through the snow on Mount Belukha in Russia. Open Nature category.

10.

Diamond dust forming above a forest in Japan. Open Nature category.

11.

A group of bound, blindfolded Iraqi men wait to be interviewed by Kurdish security near Kirkuk, Iraq. Professional Current Affairs & News category.

12.

The 'lonely tree' in the Vermilion Cliffs in Arizona. Professional Landscape category.

13.

Dolphins foraging for food on the sea floor, in crystal clear waters. Open Wildlife category.

14.

Shaolin monks run along a wall. Professional Sport category.

15.

An Armenian girl sits in a makeshift shelter. Professional Daily Life category.

16.

A reflected vision appearing to be a perfectly symmetrical building, on the banks of the Danube River. Professional Architecture category.