For the second year in a row a Charles Sturt University (CSU) photography student has been announced as one of 10 finalists in the world's largest student photography competition.

Photography student Mr Joshua Thomas (pictured) in the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Wagga Wagga is the only Australian finalist for the 2016 Sony World Photography Awards announced yesterday.

Student entrants were asked to submit a single image based on the brief 'millennials'.

Mr Thomas's image 'Irezumi (Insertion of Ink)', (pictured) shows a young 18 year-old receiving his first tattoo at a local tattooist in Wagga Wagga during an annual 'Flash Day' where tattoo artists create a number of original designs and allow the public to choose the artwork they'd like.

His 'Irezumi' image was subsequently chosen by an expert panel of judges from a record number of entries from over 400 educational institutions on five continents.

In 2015, CSU photography student Mr James Farley was among the ten students finalists for the award. CSU lecturer in photography and digital imaging Dr Jamie Holcombe said this was an outstanding outcome for the University two years in a row.

"I am very pleased for Joshua, because being shortlisted for the Sony Student Focus Award acknowledges the commitment he has shown to his photographic practise as a student at Charles Sturt University," Dr Holcombe said. "Joshua regularly produces outstanding images, which have already been recognised at both a regional and a national level in Australia, and this honour brings well-deserved international attention to his work."

Mr Thomas said being involved in such a prestigious photography competition as the 2016 Sony World Photography Awards is an opportunity like no other he's had in his photographic career.

"It was a complete surprise I'd been selected to be a finalist," Mr Thomas said. "I've been overwhelmed with inspiration and confidence to push my photographic endeavours even further. I can't imagine the opportunities that lay ahead, but I'm excited to tackle them whatever they may be."

The ten student finalists compete for €30,000 worth of Sony photography equipment for their university. They and their tutors will be flown to London to attend the 2016 Sony World Photography Awards where the Student Focus Photographer of the Year title winner will be announced on Thursday 21 April. The shortlisted students' images can be viewed here.

All the shortlisted photographers will now shoot a new series of images using the highly acclaimed α7 ILCE-7K full frame camera from Sony, which is given to each shortlisted student as part of their prize.  The student' shortlisted images will all be shown at Somerset House, London from 22 April to 8 May as part of the 2016 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition, and will be published in the annual Sony World Photography Awards book.

From this new work, an expert panel of judges will select one winner who will receive €30,000 worth of Sony photography equipment for their university.

Another CSU lecturer in photography, Mr Christopher Orchard, said, "I am incredibly proud of the achievements of our students and this provides fantastic recognition of our program's strengths in terms of technical capacity, but also in critical thinking and reflective making. Josh has done a brilliant job in responding to this year's Student Focus brief, not only in producing a visually arresting image, but in making all of us take time to reflect on the theme."