A mass of starlings swoop and twirl, tracing what looks like dotted lines across a golden evening sky. Elephants charge through the streets of a small town at night, seeking food as humans retreat indoors. A SpaceX rocket, on a secretive mission, transits in front of the moon. Two monkeys immerse themselves in a Japanese hot spring. These and other finalists were among more than 395 images from over 220 countries and territories submitted for the 2024 Sony World Photography Awards. The overall winner will be announced on April 18.

Some of the finalist appear below. For more images and to learn more about the awards, go to worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards.