Category: Contests

It seems one thing the World Press panel, in its wisdom, appreciated this year is that news consumers have seen their share of dead Palestinian babies, Palestinian funerals and Muslim men clustered before cameras in a blind rage. I’m not saying, by the way, that such scenes aren’t occurring regularly or reflective of a people under siege. What I am saying (and is remarkably controverted by these choices this year) is how the depiction of the Palestinian tends to be so narrow, so one-dimensionally represented as victimized and militant in the Western press.

The challenges of digital manipulation won’t ever be fully eradicated, but major contests like WPP can help define the tone for this generation of photographer by continuing to lead with clear and decisive rules and enforcement.

World Press Photo has announced the winners for its annual photo contest, one of the most anticipated photography competitions in the world. Here are the stories behind the overall photo of the year, as well as the winners in the five news categories.

The Olympics sparked a deep examination by U.S. media of Russia’s policies and politics, so it’s eye-opening to see how the country’s own media operates. Photographer M. Scott Brauer spent a month painstakingly documenting Russia’s journalism industry and found that, visually, at least, it is indistinguishable from media in the U.S.