On Feb. 5, Sony announced the World Photography Awards shortlist of finalists in both professional and open categories. From over 120,000 submissions, this list of 43 images has been curated from submissions spanning 170 countries— a record number of entries to date.

Astrid Merget, creative director of the World Photography Organisation, said. “The World Photography Organisation is dedicated to finding the best international contemporary photography from across the world. The shortlist is a clear indication of the exciting photography which is out there and, as we do every year, we are looking forward to presenting this collection of photographers to a global audience.”

The photographers' work will be exhibited at Somerset House, London, from April 26 to May 12 as part of the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition, and published in the 2013 edition of the Sony World Photography Awards book.

The Open and Youth category winners will be announced on March 19. Professional category winners will take home $25,000 and will be announced at a gala ceremony in London on April 25.

1. Jens Juul, using the six degrees of separation theory, took a series of photos depicting connections in Copenhagen. (©Jens Juul, Denmark, Finalist, Portraiture, Professional, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards)

2. (©Torsten Muehlbacher, Austria, Shortlist, Low Light, Open Competition 2013 World Photography Awards)

3. (©Sandipan Mukherjee ,India, Shortlist, Smile, Open, Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

4. (©Anurag Kumar, India, Arts and Culture, Shortlist Arts and Culture, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

5. (©Peter Mysticdidge, Plorin, Germany, Shortlist, Architecture, Open. 2013 World Photography Awards)

6. (©Agurtxane Concellon, Norway, Shortlist, Travel, Professional Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

7. (©Fausto Podavini, Italy, Finalist, Lifestyle, Professional Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

8. (©Pawel Uchorczak, Poland, Shortlist, Panoramic, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

9. (©Paulo Mittelman, Brazil, Shortlist, Smile, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

10. (©Paolo Mezzera, Italy, Shortlist, People, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

11. (©Ng Chai Hock, Singapore, Shortlist, Arts and Culture, Open competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

12. (©Nathan Wills, Australia, Shortlist, Travel, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

13. (©Michel Lagarde, France, Shortlist, Enhanced, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

14. (©Markus Reugels, Germany, Shortlist, Split Second, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

15. (©Maciej Makowski, Poland, Shortlist, Travel, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

16. (©Louise Porter, USA, Shortlist, People, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

17. (©Kazi Riasat Alve, Bangladesh, Shortlist, Split Second, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

18. (©Hiep Nguyen Hoang, Vietnam, Shortlist, Nature Wildlife, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

19. (©Frederick van Heerden, South Africa, Shortlist, Nature Wildlife, Open Competition 2013 World Photography Awards)

20. (©Florian Breuer, South Africa, Shortlist, Panoramic, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

21. (©Elmar Akhmetov, Kazakhstan, Shortlist, Low Light, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

22. (©Danny Cohen, Australia, Shortlist, Enhanced, Open Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards) 23. (©Myriam Meloni, Argentina, Finalist, Arts and Culture, Professional Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards)

24. (©Edurne Aguinaga, United Kingdom, Finalist, Conceptual, Professional Competition 2013 Sony World Photography Awards)

25. (©Ernest Goh, Singapore, Finalist, Nature Wildlife, Professional Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards)

26. (© Ryan Pierse, AustraliaFinalist, Sport, Professional competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards)

27. (©Satirat Damampai, Thailand, Shortlist Campaign, Professional Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards)

28. (©Danish Siddiqui, India, Finalist, Arts and Culture, Professional Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards)

29. (©Oliver Weiken, Germany, Shortlist, Current Affairs, Professional Competition, 2013 Sony World Photography Awards)

30. (©Delfosse Colin, Belgium, Shortlist, Current Affairs, Professional Competition 2013 Sony World Photography Awards)

31. (©Pete Muller, USA, Finalist, People, Professional, Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

32. (©Paolo-Pellegrin, Italy, Finalist, Current Affairs, Professional Competiiton, 2013 World Photography Awards)

33. (©Samuel James, USA, Finalist, Contemporary Issues, Professional Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

34. (©Daesung Lee, Korea, Finalist, Contemporary Issues, Professional Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

35. (©Christian Aslund, Sweden, Finalist, Campaign, Professional Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

36. (©Scout Tufankjian, USA, Finalist, Campaign, Professional Competition 2013 World Photography Awards)

37. (©Michael Schnabel, Germany, Shortlist, Campaign, Professional, Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

38. (©Gali Tibbon, Israel, Finalist, Travel, Professional Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

39. (©Daniel Duart, Spain, Finalist, Travel, Professional Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

40. (©Agnieszka Rayss, Poland, Shortlist, Portraiture, Professional Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

41. (©Adam Pretty, Australia, Finalist, Sport, Professional Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

42. (©Reinis Hofmanis, Latvia, Finalist, Architecture, Professional Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)

43. (©Kuni Takahashi, Japan, Finalist, Lifestyle, Professional Competition, 2013 World Photography Awards)