The World Photography Organisation has today unveiled its shortlist for the 2012 Sony World Photography Awards, which includes dozen of professional and amateur photographers selected from more than 112,000 entries.

In the Professional competition, photographers could enter images in more than 12 categories in three sections - Photojournalism & Documentary, Fine Art and Commercial.

The selected photographers, and finalists, will see their work exhibited in April at Somerset House in London, with the winners announced in a high-profile ceremony at the Hilton Hotel on London's Park Lane.

The shorlisted and finalist photographers include Donald Weber and Fernando Alfonso Brito Lizárraga Mexico in the current affairs category; Anastasia Taylor-Lind, Ivor Prickett, Sebastian Liste and Kasia Bielska in the contemporary issues category; Maja Daniels and Simon Norfolk in people; Andrew McConnell in sports; David Chancellor, Jacek Kusz and Palani Mohan in nature and wildlife; Rob Hornstra in art and culture; Peter Franck and Laura Pannack in campaign; and many others.

Click here for a full list of shortlisted and finalist photographers [Word document].

More details and exclusive interviews coming later today... 

The Architecture of Kabul 10 years after the Evasion © Simon Norfolk, UK, Professional Shortlist, Architecture, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

Storms © Mitch Dobrowner, USA, Professional Shortlist, Landscape, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

100 Portraits of World Political VIPs Made of Network Photos © Lei Liu.

Twenty-five years since the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe of April 26, 1986, approximately 230 people still inhabit the restricted area of 30 km in radius, now named the Zone of Alienation. © Rena Effendi, Azerbaijan, Professional Shortlist, Still Life, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

It's common for restaurants in the Russian tourist resort Sochi to feature singers who, night after night, rely on a fixed repertoire of Russian chansons. The term background musicù is a foreign concept to these performers (often the volume is cranked up to 11) and instead of talking, patrons dance and sing © Rob Hornstra, Netherlands, Professional Shortlist, Arts and Culture, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

Some of the most beautiful women in the world come from Siberia, and international model scouts scour the lengths of the trans-Siberian railway every year searching for the next new face and multi-million dollar brand. The Russian look…. oversized Bambi eyes, small rose-bud lips and china-doll like high cheek bones. Strict international parameters are adhered to for age, weight, height and bust, waist and hip measurements © Anastasia Taylor-Lind, United Kingdom, Professional Shortlist, Arts and Culture, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

Mongolia, 3.000.000 inhabitants, almost half of them lives on top of each other in the capital, Ulaan Baator, which hosts over 1.200.000 citizens. With the Dzud, the hard Mongolian winter, becoming longer and snowier, thousands of nomad herdsmen, who saw their animals die of cold, were forced to move their Gher to migrate towards Ulaan Baator, in the slum which has developed around the city known as “Gher District” © Alessandro Grassani, Italy, Professional Shortlist, Contemporary Issues, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

Odaka lies on the northeastern coast of Japan. It was once home to 13,000 people, but today it is almost a ghost town. When the earthquake and tsunami of March 11 triggered blasts at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, a 20 km radius exclusion zone was imposed by the Japanese Government © Donald Weber, Canada, Professional Shortlist, Current Affairs, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

Tus pasos se perdieron con el paisaje/Victimas de la violencia en Mexico © Fernando Alfonso Brito, Mexico, Professional Shortlist, Current Affairs, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

Mady & Monette © Maja Daniels, United Kingdom, Professional Shortlist, People, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

Gaza © Andrew McConnell, Ireland, Professional Shortlist, Sport, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

Tattoos look like clothes and a dress becomes an ornamental pattern. Tables changes into a painting surface. Humor plays a big role, humor and the freedom to tell absurd stories . Everything is composition and photography is the transformer to call up associations and stories set in motion in the mind of the beholder. Everything is subordinated to this composition © Peter Franck, Germany, Professional Shortlist, Fashion, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

The Icelandic sheep, this hardy beast, can endure freezing temperatures and long standing hunger. She´s tougher and more stubborn than your average animal. Some say the Icelandic mentality is not that different from that of our sheep. © Jan Brykczynski, Poland, Professional Shortlist, Travel, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.

Safari Club, Dallas, Texas, from the series hunters. © David Chancellor, United Kingdom, Professional Shortlist, Nature & Wildlife, Sony World Photography Awards 2012

SIRE is a Dutch organisation that raises awareness of social issues through advertising, Campaigns done for SIRE are highly respected in Dutch society and they often feature beautiful photography and camerawork.This campaign highlights the affects of divorce on children © Laura Pannack, United Kingdom, Professional Shortlist, Campaign, Sony World Photography Awards 2012.