The professional finalists of the 2009 Sony World Photography Awards have been announced

Photojournalism and Documentary - Current affairs: Wojciech Grzedzinski (Poland) Winner - Georgia 2008

Each of the photographers on the list will be exhibited and honoured at the Sony World Photography Awards ceremony at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France, on Thursday 16 April

Photojournalism and Documentary - Current affairs: Wojciech Grzedzinski (Poland) Winner - Georgia 2008

Picture: Wojciech Grzedzinski, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Third: Hui min Kuang (China) - Residents of Mao tse-Tung's home town

Picture: Hui min Kuang, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Of the 12 professional category winners, one photographer will be the recipient of the L’Iris D’Or, the Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year and will be awarded $25,000 along with Sony camera equipment

Sport: Julian Abram Wainwright (Canada) Winner: Men's 10m Platform Diving, Beijing Olympics 2008

Picture: Julian Abram Wainwright, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Sport: Julian Abram Wainwright (Canada) Winner: Men's 10m Platform Diving, Beijing Olympics 2008

Picture: Julian Abram Wainwright, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Natural History: Lisa Maree Williams (Australia) Winner - Wildlife Warriors: A kangaroo joey receives treatment at The Australian Wildlife Hospital

Picture: Lisa Maree Williams, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Natural History: Lisa Maree Williams (Australia) Winner - Wildlife Warriors: An injured koala receives treatment at The Australian Wildlife Hospital

Picture: Lisa Maree Williams, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Second: Steve Morenos (Australia) - Australian Possum

Picture: Steve Morenos, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Second: Steve Morenos (Australia) - Kestrels

Picture: Steve Morenos, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Contemporary issues: Giulio Di Sturco (Italy) Winner - Bihar aftermath: a mother and daughter in a refugee camp

Picture: Giulio Di Sturco, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Arts and entertainment: Amit Madheshiya (India) Winner - Tent cinemas in rural India

Picture: Amit Madheshiya, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Second: Chiara Goia (Italy) - Sculptors Village: sculptors work at a sculpture factory in Dang Cheng, China

Picture: Chiara Goia, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Commercial - Advertising: Dustin Humphrey (USA) Winner - Bedspins, installation shot for surf apparel company, INSIGHT

Picture: Dustin Humphrey, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Commercial - Advertising: Dustin Humphrey (USA) Winner - Deadbeats, an installation shot for surf apparel company, INSIGHT

Picture: Dustin Humphrey, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Conceptual & Constructed: Tamany Baker (UK) Winner - A series called Living With Wolfie, a response to the "presents" that her beloved cat brings into the home.

Picture: Tamany Baker, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Conceptual & Constructed: Tamany Baker (UK) Winner - A series called Living With Wolfie, a response to the "presents" that her beloved cat brings into the home.

Picture: Tamany Baker, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Second: Peter Franck (Germany) - The dog: Ad for a energy company

Picture: Peter Franck, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Third place: Dylan Collard (UK) - Is Your Food Loaded With Heart Disease? One of three images shot for VNOK, The Society Of Cardiology of The Russian Federation, to highlight the dangers of fatty foods

Picture: Dylan Collard, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Fashion: Piotr Fajfer (Poland) Winner - Princess of the Crows for Eva Danhofer

Picture: Piotr Fajfer, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Music: Amiran White (UK) Winner - Quiet Music: Preetha Naravanan, 12, practices piano at Shanti Bhavan, a residential school for disadvantaged children of India's lowest caste

Picture: Amiran White, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Second: Gordon Welters (Germany) - Loveparade 2008, Highway to Love

Picture: Gordon Welters, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Fine Art - Portraiture: Roderik Henderson (Netherlands) Winner - A series of portraits of people sheltering in their cars at snow covered, near empty parking lots in nocturnal British Columbia, Canada

Picture: Roderik Henderson, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Architecture: Michael van den Bogaard (Germany) Winner - Shanghai

Picture: Michael van den Bogaard, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Architecture: Michael van den Bogaard (Germany) Winner - Shanghai

Picture: Michael van den Bogaard, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009

Landscape: David Zimmerman (USA) Winner - The American southwest desert environment

Picture: David Zimmerman, courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2009