A fire dragon dance, Gilbert Yu, China's Hong Kong (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

The fire dragon dance is a 300-year-old event held in the Fung Shun area of southern China. The dragons are composed of bamboo, metal wire and paper and are festooned with fireworks, firecrackers and fire arrows. Photographer Gilbert Yu was forced to wear a protective mask and helmet to prevent fire burns.

 

The World Photography Organisation has revealed the winners of the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards, with amateur photographers hailing from countries as far apart as Chile and Vietnam.

Low Light, Elmar Akhmetov, Kazakhstan  (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

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.

Nature & Wildlife, Krasimir Matarov, Bulgaria (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

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

Smile, Mac Kwan, China (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

Ming Huo Guan's picture won the smile category.

Split Second，Matías Gálvez (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

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."

Travel, Manny Fajutag, Philippines (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

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

People, Hisatomi Tadahiko, Japan (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

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

Enhanced, Hoang Hiep, Vietnam (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

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."

Panoramic, Yeow Kwang Yeo, Singapore (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

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."

New Year's Eve, Alecsandra Dragoi, Romania (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

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, Berta Vicente, Spain (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

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."

The timekeeper, Matja Tani, Slovenia (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

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

Nature's fight-back, Xu Wei Shou, China's Taiwan (Source: huanqiu.com)

 

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.

Architecture, Martina Biccheri, Italy  (Source: huanqiu.com)