Our pick of the most spectacular images up for the Sony World Photography Awards 2021
From beluga whales to a fox sat on a volcano.
![man touching heads with beluga whale](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/25/15/25112435-67f71a1c-cbab-4346-96f3-55f26409a720.jpg)
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Louise Thomas
Editor
Travel is still not an option right now, but you can explore the world through photography – and the work of finalists and shortlisted photographers in the professional competition for the Sony World Photography Awards 2021, is a good place to start.
The pros showcase “rewards a remarkable body of work for technical excellence and a fresh perspective on contemporary subjects” – including portraiture, landscape and environment.
The winner will be announced on April 15. Until then, enjoy these…
1. From the series Ampelio and I by Luigi Bussolati
![6325_21515_LuigiBussolati_Italy_Professional_Creative_2021](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/25/15/25112349-911adb61-0435-43b8-88f9-e03f65fa1ff7.jpg)
2. A Fox from the series Volcano by Fyodor Savintsev
![6349_4_21713_FyodorSavintsev_RussianFederation_Professional_Landscape_2021](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/25/15/25112355-5d53e970-4fa1-4f1a-8cf2-226d8c2b1ec1.jpg)
3. From the series Gas Chamber Delhi by Alessandro Gandolfi
![New Delhi Pollution](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/25/15/25112401-6cd53978-3688-4cce-a531-95f36869eae8.jpg)
4. Pink Dream by (Sergio) (Aparicio) OKOBÉ
![6435_22415_SergioAparicioOKOB_Spain_Professional_Portfolio_2021](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/25/15/25112404-041b9cc9-e6bc-4f2a-8d61-37b2d02caf03.jpg)
5. I Wanna Be Messi by Antonio Aragon Renuncio
![I Wanna Be Messi](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/25/15/25112410-a167e6fc-0d63-459e-b60a-bd2f1c479809.jpg)
6. Urban training by Florian Gruet
![6459_1_22599_FlorianGruet_France_Professional_Sport_2021](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/25/15/25112416-dce7dce7-bb01-4ba9-9bce-aa46e2673183.jpg)
7. Minimalistic still life with a cat and chamomile by Igor Kryukov
![6461_3_22619_IgorKryukov_RussianFederation_Professional_StillLife_2021](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/25/15/25112422-babb99c5-8daf-47af-97d0-3cf1d5ca24ef.jpg)
8. From the series Saving Chimps in the Congo by Brent Stirton
![6471_9_22701_BrentStirton_SouthAfrica_Professional_WildlifeNature_2021](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/25/15/25112426-28729d5b-c6e8-4266-9ac2-8181a98ec96c.jpg)
9. Love by Aleksander Nordahl
10. Hymn of the building site-6 by Guanghui Gu
![6341_5_21651_GuanghuiGu_China_Professional_ArchitectureDesign_2021](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/02/25/15/25114356-c8fecdba-e330-4580-a0e3-e5f1597e7b0b.jpg)
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