Covering everything from an inside look at domestic abuse, to shots of the typhoon-hit Philippines, the shortlist for the 2014 Sony World Photography Awards was narrowed down from a staggering 139,544 images submitted from 166 countries.
Released today, the list includes professionals such as Sara Naomi Lewkowicz — who produced follow-up work on her powerful domestic abuse-focused project for TIME — Chloe Bartram, Mario Wezel, and amateurs alike.
Categories range from Contemporary Issues to Arts & Culture, with the category winners being revealed March 18, 2014, and the overall winner being announced April 30, 2014. Here is just a small selection of entries. For a full list see the Sony World Photography Awards website.
Richard Conway is Reporter/Producer for TIME LightBox. Follow him on twitter @RichardJConway