In pictures: Sony World Photography AwardsPublished6 March 2017Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Ann RicImage caption, The shortlist for the Sony World Photography Awards competition has been released with the winner set to be announced on 20 April. We present a selection of potential winners, drawn from more than 220,000 entries, including this one by Ann Ric which captures Mount Fuji during Japan's Fujisan Marathon.Image source, Vito LeoneImage caption, A colourful picture is of beach goers in Salento, Italy, was captured from above Vito Leone.Image source, Ami VitaleImage caption, Ami Vitale photographs a captive-bred panda bear at Wolong Nature Reserve in China. Handlers wear panda suits to protect the cubs from becoming used to human contact.Image source, Anisleidy Martínez FonsecaImage caption, Carmen Sajeras, 85, was born in Cuba, from a Spanish emigrant family. She told photographer Anisleidy Martinez Fonseca that she was nostalgic for the years before the Revolution.Image source, Emrah KarakocImage caption, Emrah Karakoc's picture shows the huge crowds at the Mourning of Muharram event in Ardabil City, Iran.Image source, Beniamino PisatiImage caption, In Tbilisi, Georgia, Beniamino Pisati depicts a crying infant being baptised according to Orthodox rites.Image source, Mahesh ShantaramImage caption, As part of Mahesh Shantaram's series on racism in India, he photographed a young couple. He explains: "Hamza came all the way from Nigeria to study human rights in India. This I found surprising. I didn't know one could study that subject here, except perhaps to study its spectacular absence. Hamza is by far the most sensitive guy I've ever met on this tour of Africans in India. When I asked to photograph him in his wallpapered dwelling, he requested that he be joined by his love, Shukura, a student of nursing."Image source, Christina SimonsImage caption, Salvador, aged six, is a "torero," or trainee bullfighter. He sits on his bed, waiting to depart for the afternoon bullfight in Plaza Mexico.Image source, Julien ChatelinImage caption, Julien Chatelin's photograph is of an outdoor pool in Fuling, China, capturing the economic development of newly built cities.Image source, Yulia GrigoryantsImage caption, This photograph, by Yulia Grigoryants, is of nine-year-old Syuzanna. She sits in a makeshift shelter in Gyumri, Armenia. Ten days previously, her father took his life because of debt.Image source, Andrés Gallardo AlbajarImage caption, Talking about his photograph of an Alicante building, Andres Gallardo Albajar says: "When arriving at the spot, it really felt like I interrupted these little palm trees while fighting, and they were pretending nothing happened."