Sony world photography awards - professional shortlist

Rising sea levels wash away huge chunks of Ghoramara island, India Photograph: Daesung Lee

A child waits to unload drums of diesel at a jetty in the Niger Delta, where illicitly refined fuel is sold on the black market to local filling stations Photograph: Samuel James

Pilgrims watch as an infertile worshipper is lowered into a baptism pool by priests in Lalibela, a small town in Ethiopia's highlands Photograph: Gali Tibbon

A wounded woman leaves Dar al-Shifa hospital in Aleppo, Syria Photograph: Manu Brabo

A girl walks home from school, seen from the inside of a taxi in Marrakech, Morocco Photograph: Daniel Duart

An employee of Cinema Pamir sells refreshments during an interval in Kabul, Afghanistan Photograph: Danish Siddiqui

Thomas Whalan, Joel Dennerley, James Clark, Aidan Roach, Johnno Cotterill and Richie Campbell of the Australian waterpolo team during an 2012 Olympic Games portrait session at Bondi Icebergs in Sydney Photograph: Ryan Pierse

A boy is supported as he fires a machine gun Photograph: Pete Muller

Twins Laura and Belén head to their 15th birthday party in Buenos Aires, Argentina Photograph: Myriam Meloni

A man who assaulted his father with a samurai sword is arrested by police officers in Rochester, New York Photograph: Paolo Pellegrin

Barack and Michelle Obama enjoy a sundae in Davenport, Iowa Photograph: Scout Tufankjian

This series, Cocks, documents ornamental chicken-breeding clubs in Malaysia, where the birds are prized for their build, size, and showmanship Photograph: Ernest Goh

A finalist in the campaign category, this advertisement for the Jim Rickey trainers brand was shot in Hong Kong in the style of a 2D platform game Photograph: Christian Aslund

This image, from the Mirella series, is a finalist in the lifestyle category. Mirella, 71, who has been married for 43 years tends to her husband, who has dementia Photograph: Fausto Podavini

This series, Victory Day, shortlisted for the best portraiture award, focuses on women veterans of the second world war in Belarus Photograph: Agnieszka Rayss

Røros, A Journey, has been shortlisted for the best travel photo award. The series focuses on a group of 20-30 men and women with 12 horses and sleighs who travelled for three days across snow-stricken roads and frozen lakes Photograph: Agurtxane Concellon

Six degrees of Copenhagen, nominated for the best portraiture prize. Based on the idea that we are all connected by just six degrees of separation, this series of photos attempts to demonstrate that theory in the Denmark city. Photograph: Jens Juul