A disturbing documentation of economic and social disparities in a world afar, yet sometimes right next to us.

Homeless. “Taken in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, two little child living with their grandmother on the street nearby the junk yard, everyday in the evening, they looking for some useful thing inside the junk yard can be resell for money, but if they found nothing,they will be punish seriously!” © Chan Kwok Hung courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2011.

Snapshots of children usually manifest carelessness and fun, the bright side of life. But not always. A child’s photo may be a recording of economic and social disparities in global or local scale. Imagery of misfortunate grownups is not that powerful. A follower of the free market economic system may suggest that the individual’s financial status is a matter of choice, that prosperity and success is a matter of choice regardless of social class or circumstances of birth. What about children? What choices do they have? What is their potential for prosperity? For millions of children, survival is the greatest achievement, one that comes with great cost.

Paper Boat. © Katerina Lomonosov courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2011.

Children of Underground. © Gundega Sundew courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2011.

Friends Look. “Roadside children are looking to their friend and waiting for the next turn. This is a popular play of this childhood. Smiling faces show the funny moods of the boys.” © Raghuranjan Sarkar courtesy of Sony World Photography Awards 2011.

The images above are selected from the shortlisted photographs in the ‘People’ category of the Open competition of the 2011 Sony World Photography Awards.

The shortlisted photographers of the ‘People’ category are: Danny Cohen (Australia), Peter Dazeley (United Kingdom), Paul Dooley (United Kingdom), Chan Kwok Hung (Hong Kong), Kal Khogali (Belgium), Katerina Lomonosov (Israel), Petar Popovic (Croatia), Eugene Reshetov (United States), Raghuranjan Sarkar (India), Gundega Sundew (Latvia).

Click here for more information regarding the 2011 Sony World Photography Awards.

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