In pictures: Sony World Photography Awards

Starry tree by Elmar Akhmetov

Starry tree by Elmar Akhmetov won the low-light section of the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards open category. The winning open-category photographs, announced on Tuesday, were selected from nearly 55,000 entries by amateurs around the world.

Gilbert Yu's picture of the Fung Shun fire dragon dance in China won the arts and culture section.

A portrait of the happy couple at a wedding in Japan by Hisatomi Tadahiko won the people section.

Architectural student Nguyen Hoang Hiep, who has been taking pictures for only a year or so, said: "This award is the source of motivation that allowed me to pursue my passion, continue to make art and grow artistically."

First place in the nature and wildlife category went to Krasimir Matarov for his picture entitled Welcome to the world of the spider.

Rush Hours by Manny Fajutag was taken on holiday on Sibuyan Island in the Philippines.

Matias Galvez said of his picture: "An explosion of milk - for the human eye to capture this scene with this detail is impossible, but with a camera you have a whole new world to discover."

Ming Huo Guan's picture won the smile category.

Yeow Kwang Yeo met this man in his home village outside Jakarta. He said: "I met this old man who has been staying here since he was a boy. He was very hospitable and showed me around within his house, I took several photos and formed this panoramic image in Photoshop."

Matjaz Tancic's series of photographs inspired by Hui-style living rooms in the Chinese town of Yixian won the 3D category.

Portsmouth University photography student Alecsandra Dragoi was awarded first prize in the culture section of the youth awards for this picture taken on New Year's Eve in her native Romania .

Ariadna in Urquinaona by Berta Vicente took first place in the portrait section of the youth awards. He said: "One day I came across an uninhabited building. Once inside, I imagined a girl I used to meet in the bus there, I made it true."

Nature's fight-back by Xu Wei Shou rounds off the winners. The 10 open category winners will now compete for the Sony World Photography Awards Open Photographer of the Year title.