SONY Middle East and Africa has revealed, Werner De Kock 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 its photography strand the World Photography Organisation to support local photographic communities around the world, with 56 countries taking part this year.
Across this year’s Awards over 419,000 images from over 200 countries and territories were submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2025.
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.
An armature photographer and adventure seeker at heart, De Kock’s passion lies in Landscape and Wildlife photography.
During his travels, he’s able to experience the beauty and light which each destination provides. African and Antarctic animals are his favourite to capture as they have amazing personality.
Born in South Africa, De Kock fell in love with capturing the country’s beauty, and having grown up in the City of Cape Town, he appreciates the city’s diverse beaches, mountains, great wine on offer with lots of amazing food.
Commenting on his win, De Kock said: ‘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 (17 April – 5 May 2025).
For more information about upcoming announcements and winners please visit worldphoto.org
