World photography competition – Amateur shortlist unveiled, could you do better?

We spend a lot of time reviewing digital cameras and accessories on Expert Reviews, but having good equipment is only a tiny part of the equation when it comes to taking a good photo, as some of the fantastic images shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards show.

Amazingly the images below were all taken by enthusiastic amateurs, yes none of these photos are professionally commissioned works. The competition has a professional category too, and in total photographers from 166 countries submitted nearly 140,000 images to be judged this year.

All the shortlisted images will be displayed in their full glory at Somerset House in London from the 1st of May for just over two weeks. Tickets are now available for the exhibition at www.worldphoto.org/2014exhibition.

We hope that this incredible range of images motivates you to get out there with your camera and take more excellent photos of your own.

SHORTLISTED AMATEUR IMAGES

Ples u tami II – The Guča trumpet festival – © Vuk Adzic Serbia Shortlist Open Arts&Culture_2014 Sony World Photography Awards

Muddy smile – © AlpayErdem Turkey Shortlist Open Smile 2014 Sony World Photography Awards

Yellow Fellow – © AnuragKumar India Shortlist Open Smile 2014 Sony World Photography Awards

Homebound – © Ata Mohammad Adnan BangladeshShortlist Open Split Second 2014 Sony World Photography Awards

What are you staring at !? – © Chin Boon Leng Singapore Shortlist Open Nature&Wildlife 2014 Sony World Photography Awards

Untitled – Image of minerso of Gold Fields Abangares gold mine of Guanacaste in Costa Rica – © Guillermo Barquero CostaRica Shortlist Open People 2014Sony World Photography Awards

Zeybeks – © Hasan Baglar Cyprus Shortlist Open Nature&Wildlife 2014 Sony World Photography Awards

Beer festival in Munich – © Li Hao_China_Shortlist_Open_Arts&Culture_2014 Sony World Photography Awards

Young men from the Kara Tribe, Omo, Ethiopia – © Louise Porter United States Shortlist Open People 2014 Sony World Photography Awards

Vakil Bath – © Mohammad Reza Domiri Ganji_Iran_Shortlist_Open_Panoramic_2014 Sony World Photography Awards

Be Cheerful Even in the Darkest of Times – © Samantha Fortenberry_United States_Shortlist_Open_LowLight_2014 Sony World Photography Awards

The Calm Before The Storm – © Sean Batten_UnitedKingdom_Shortlist_Open_Architecture_2014 Sony World Photography Awards

The Mongol – ©Simon Morris_UnitedKingdom_Shortlist_Open_Travel_2014 Sony World Photography Awards

Samsara~ ©Wolfgang Weinhardt_Germany_Shortlist_Open_Travel_2014 Sony World Photography Awards

Taiwan – ©Yao Wang Chong_Taiwan_Shortlist_Open_SplitSecond_2014 Sony World Photography Awards