Caught mid-bath, a wet dog tries to save the last bit of dignity he has. By: Sophie Gamand, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
The Sony World Photography Awards is competition that the World Photography Organisation holds annually to celebrate the best images and photographers in the world.
This year, more than 140,000 entries from 166 countries were submitted. The winners are not yet announced, but the calibre from the shortlisted images already tell us that the decision will be close call.
View some of these shortlisted images below.
The rest of the images can be viewed via The Atlantic here. All captions were written by the respective photographers.
The knight and his steed, a tropical capture in Costa Rica. By: Nicolas Reusens, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
China, Jiangyin, Jiangsu. Rows of identical houses with a playground seen in the middle in the city of Jiangyin. By: Kacper Kowalski, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
A man fans flames in Tanauan, Philippines, on November 19, 2013. On November 8th, 2013, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded hit the central Philippines. Typhoon Haiyan, a category five super typhoon swept across the Island states of Leyte and Samar bringing winds of up to 270km/h and a 15-foot-high storm surge destroying almost everything in its path. Current official figures suggest that over five thousand people lost their lives with a further three million people displaced, though those figures are expected to rise. Countries all over the world pledged relief aid to help support those affected by the typhoon. By: Dan Kitwood, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
Amaury Leveaux of France dives off the blocks at the start of the Men's 4x100m Freestyle relay on day nine of the 15th FINA World Championships at Palau Sant Jordi on July 28, 2013 in Barcelona, Spain. By: Adam Pretty, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
In July each year, this heart-pounding scene of wildebeests migration repeats itself in Kenya. By: Bonnie Cheung, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
In your youth, nothing can stop you from enjoying time with your friends, especially not a simple matter of rain during summer fun. You may grow up and forget the names, but you'll always remember the moments, the time on the dock with your friends during a surprise shower. By: Samantha Fortenberry, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
Pilgrims and devotees cross pontoon bridges at the Maha Kumbh Mela - the largest spiritual gathering on the planet, held every 12 years in India. By: Wolfgang Weinhardt, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
An overhead view, from the skies above Poland. By: Kacper Kowalski, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
Centuries ago, Inuit hunted the Bowhead whale. At that time, whale hunting undoubtedly was part of a complex and very important ritual, if only because of the size of the catch. The position that the ancestors of today's Inuit occupied in the living world involved a relationship with the spirit that inhabited each animal but also their species. By: Robert Frechette, 2014 Sony World Photography Awards
[via The Atlantic]