Intimate close-ups of endangered gorillas, teenagers celebrating their birthday parties and Botswanan heavy metal fans are among the stunning pictures that have been shortlisted for a prestigious photography competition.

The Sony World Photography Awards shortlist, announced today, was compiled from more than 122,000 entries from 170 countries – the most ever. Judges have whittled the submissions down to a few hundred in categories including nature and wildlife, architecture, people, landscape and lifestyle.

The shortlist gives a unique insight into the global events of 2012 through the eyes of some of the best photographers in the world. Chosen topics included the historic Burmese elections, eye-popping fashion shoots and dramatic shots of African tribes. The entries also reveal the technical challenges in capturing their subjects.

This black and white image depicts the ‘sada pala’ of these Southern Ethiopian men – distinctive decorate scars that show their valour and bravery. The image by Fausto…