With only a month to go until entries close on the Sony World Photography Awards, we've asked some of the judges of the prize to share their tips on what they're looking for in a winning photo.
We've also gathered a selection of the best entries so far - so you can see what you're up against.
Last year, American photographer Mitch Dobrowner won the overall prize with his stunning black and white photograph of a brooding, storm-filled skyline.
One of the images from Mitch Dobrowner's winning series Storms
It saw off 112,000 rival images that were submitted from 171 different countries in the amateur competition.
Check out this year's images - and the expert's tips - in the gallery below, then submit your best images at the Sony World Photography Awards website.
Photography Tips
'Smile' entry by Behrad Mostafaee, Iran(01 of27)
TIP: Stand out"Think about the competition. What does the it require and then schedule time to enter. There will be a lot of competition so you have to stand out."Jonathan Worth, Judge
'Travel' entry by Chaiyot Chanyam, Thailand(02 of27)
'People' entry by David Barbe, Belgium(03 of27)
TIP: Photograph what you know and love"To paraphrase Diane Arbus, the more specific you are, the more general it will be. For example if you want to make a point about ageing then photograph your grandmother. The photographic “language” you’ll share with her will be an intimate one and your audience will empathise with this (the judge has a grandma too!)."Jonathan Worth, Judge
'Smile' entry by Eric Bettinger, Germany(04 of27)
'People' entry by Fernando Torres, Mexico(05 of27)
TIP: Consider your audience "For a competition, the judges' opinion is all that matters - tailor your work to them. What will the audience's experience be? Anyone that has worked with a lot of photographers and images will tell you at the end of the day it is very easy to become image blind. It is hard to give the 100th person the same quality of thought as the first person you look at. Make sure that the judge is excited to see your image at the end of the day."Jonathan Worth, Judge
'Travel' entry by Jozef de Fraine, Belgium(06 of27)
'Nature & Wildlife' entry Massimo Genovesi, Italy(07 of27)
TIP: Title"A good title can amplify tension already built within the image or it can act as a counterpoint. If two images are equal, it can make the difference between a loser and winner."Jonathan Worth, Judge
'Architecture' entry, Max van Son, Netherlands(08 of27)
'People' entry by Roman Shalenkin, Russia(09 of27)
'Travel' entry by Ruel Maxphil Saligumba, Philippines(10 of27)
TIP: Caption"Images go through rounds and rounds of judging, why choose one over another? The caption adds another layer to the narrative. It should enrich your experience of the image, not just illustrate it. Keep it short and punchy - think tweet rather than treatise. Lead the judge in with your caption so that they want to learn more."Jonathan Worth, Judge
'People' entry by Sean Batten, UK(11 of27)
'People' entry by Stephen Wright, UK(12 of27)
TIP: Photograph with a fresh perspectiveIf you want to photograph a well-known landmark, photograph it in a way that the viewer has never seen before. That doesn't mean tricky or flashy angles. It means really look at it and find a way to shoot it so that it we are surprised. This also applies to landscapes, nature & wildlife. We've all seen an elephant. Create an image so that when we next think of an elephant, we think of your image. That is the power of a good photograph.Macduff Everton, Judge
'Architecture' entry by Tomasz Borkowski, Poland(13 of27)
'People' entry by Vadim Kachan, Belarus(14 of27)
TIP: Give me narrative and emotion"Getting to a wild and wonderful location doesn’t guarantee a good photograph. The same rule applies to moments with animals and people -it's exciting to see a whale breach, but your documentation of it needs to work as a photograph. The caption can't read, 'Well, you should have been there.' There is a difference between snapshots and award winning images. I’ll be looking for the narrative and emotion that a good photograph conveys."Macduff Everton, Judge
'Travel' entry by Artem Zhushman, Russia(15 of27)
Entry by Ata Mohammad Adnan, Bangladesh(16 of27)
TIP: Take a lesson from painters"A photograph is a two-dimensional composition. I always suggest visiting art museums to look at paintings - artists have been capturing light long before photography was invented, and the elements that contribute to a good painting are equally important in a photograph."Macduff Everton, Judge
'Nature & Wildlife' entry by Carlos Bermadez, Uruguay(17 of27)
'Nature & Wildlife' entry by Chris Crisman, USA(18 of27)
TIP: Make me excited"I am looking for something new, and exciting, something where you can see that the photographer has gone the extra mile and made a real effort."Tim Paton, Judge
Entry by James Chong, Singapore(19 of27)
Entry by Michel Lagarde, Singapore(20 of27)
TIP: Let your talent shine through"I have absolutely no interest in the technology that was used to take the picture. I believe that being a good photographer is instinctive and a god given gift and if you have that gift you can take great pictures whatever camera you are holding. You can teach yourself a certain amount and work hard but at the end of the day you either have it or you don’t."Tim Paton, Judge
'Panoramic' entry by Miho Birimisa, USA(21 of27)
TIP: Originality and connection are key"These are the two essential components. The foremost of which is originality of vision. It is possible to shoot well-known and much photographed subject matter with a talent that shows the photographer’s personal vision, identity and creativity."Caroline Metcalf, Judge
Entry by Rezwan Bion, Bangladesh(22 of27)
Entry by Roman Tripler, Germany(23 of27)
TIP: Show emotion"Winning pictures must work to provide an emotional connection with the shot, an image that intrigues and fascinates, that makes the viewer linger and want to return to look at it over and over again. My motto would be ‘make it memorable’."Caroline Metcalf, Judge
Entry by Simone Tramonte, Italy(24 of27)
Entry by Satyajit Saha(25 of27)
TIP: Read the rules and check the deadline"Often really excellent work is excluded because the photographer hasn’t complied with specific requirements. Check your eligibility and finally observe the deadline. The competition organisers won’t wait for late entries."Caroline Metcalf, Judge
Entry by William Kass, Brazil(26 of27)
'People' entry by Wong Yu Liang, Malaysia(27 of27)