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Renowned Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt will be honored at the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards. Erwitt (age 86) will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Photography prize in person at the annual gala dinner in London on April 23, 2015.

To coincide, a show celebrating Erwitt’s work from his 60-year career will be presented at Somerset House, London from April 24 to May 10, 2015 as part of the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition. A rare public talk between Erwitt and his long-time book designer Stuart Smith will also take place on April 24th.

Recognized worldwide for his candid (and often ironic) black-and-white images capturing everyday life, Elliott Erwitt is a modest master who approaches his commercial and personal work with the same wry and witty visual brilliance.

Since joining Magnum in 1953, Erwitt (a French-born American) has captured historic events, personalities, and humor with an effortlessness and an eye for good photos.

Erwitt’s images of President Nixon, Marilyn Monroe and Parisian dogs are instantly recognizable, and he has produced a huge body of work ranging from stills to film and continues to do so today. The exhibition at Somerset House will showcase this range with Erwitt’s vast collection of book publications, a collection of archive prints, a digital presentation of his Personal Best (Erwitt’s favourite photographs) and a selection of his films.

Friend and fellow Magnum photographer, Hiroji Kubota says about Erwitt: “Certainly, Elliott is a born photographer and also the most intelligent photographer I came to know.  It is astonishing that he has been a top photographer for the last 60 years. I bet he will stay on top for another 10 years. At least.”

The Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award is given each year by the Sony World Photography Awards in recognition of a photographer’s significance on the photographic industry. Previous recipients include Eve Arnold, William Klein, Marc Riboud, William Eggleston and Mary Ellen Mark. 

Alongside Erwitt’s exhibition at Somerset House, the winning and shortlisted photographers of the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards will also be on display.

More info on the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards here.