2012 Sony World Photo Awards Student Focus shortlist

This year's student competition brief was based on the philosophy of the haiku poem. The photographers were asked to take on a role similar to that of a haiku poet and create and submit one image that depicts a 'fleeting moment', or 'the decisive moment'. This resulted in some of the most impressive and professional student images yet of a perfectly captured brief moment in time.

Brief for next stage

The brief for the next stage of the competition is 'Your world in colour'. This stage of the competition will be completed in the resident country of the 10 finalists using the latest cameras from Sony. Using this brief, the 10 shortlisted photographers will be asked to create a series in colour that must evoke emotion through the choice of colour. They have a month prior to the awards in April to submit their images before they and their tutors fly to London to compete for the 2012 title.

The winner will be announced at the Sony World Photography Awards ceremony at London's Park Lane Hilton Hotel on 26 April 2012.

For more:

• Bizcommunity: SA makes 2012 Sony World Photo Awards Student Focus shortlist