Revealing the World Through a Lens: 2025 World Press Photo Contest Winners
The winners of the 2025 World Press Photo Contest have been revealed, showcasing a gripping selection of the most powerful photojournalism and documentary photography produced throughout 2024. From global conflicts to quiet moments of personal reflection, these images compel us to pause, reflect, and re-engage with the stories shaping our time.
The contest offers a profound look beyond the headlines. Rather than racing with the news cycle, these photographs demand closer attention. They cover both major world events and those stories often overlooked — from climate catastrophes and protests, to personal tales of resilience, identity, and displacement. In a year defined by political unrest, environmental urgency, and human perseverance, the winning entries offer a vital visual record of what it means to be alive in 2024.
World Press Photo Yearbook 2025 – available from our affiliate, Amazon
2025 Photo of the Year Winner
This year’s coveted World Press Photo of the Year was awarded to Samar Abu Elouf, a Palestinian photojournalist based in Doha, working for The New York Times. Her photograph shows Mahmoud Ajjour, a young boy severely injured during an Israeli military strike in Gaza in March 2024.
Doha, Qatar, 28 June 2024. Mahmoud Ajjour (9), who was injured during an Israeli attack on Gaza City in March 2024, finds refuge and medical help in Qatar. © Samar Abu Elouf, for The New York Times
As his family fled an Israeli assault, Mahmoud glanced back to urge others forward. In that moment, an explosion tore through the crowd—severing one of his arms and devastating the other. Evacuated with his family to Qatar, Mahmoud is now undergoing rehabilitation. With quiet determination, he’s learning to write, play games, and open doors using his feet. His dream is heartbreakingly simple: to receive prosthetic limbs and live the life of a normal child.
Children have borne a staggering share of the suffering in this war. By December 2024, the United Nations reported that Gaza had the highest number of child amputees per capita anywhere in the world.
The photographer who captured Mahmoud’s story is herself from Gaza. Evacuated in December 2023, she now lives in the same Doha apartment complex as Mahmoud’s family. There, she has formed close bonds with other evacuees and documented the recovery of some of the few severely injured Gazans able to receive treatment abroad.
Abu Elouf receives an additional €10,000 prize, along with a FUJIFILM GFX100 II medium-format digital camera package worth over €14,000, shared with the two Photo of the Year finalists.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, “The Israel-Gaza war has killed more journalists over the course of a year than in any other conflict CPJ has documented.” As of 4 April, the toll includes 165 Palestinian journalists, two Israeli journalists, and six Lebanese journalists. Among these are cases in which Palestinian journalists were reportedly targeted—raising serious concerns about press freedom and the safety of media workers in conflict zones. [Read more]
Underground Field Hospital © Nanna Heitmann
Underground Field Hospital © Nanna Heitmann, Magnum Photos, for The New York Times
A Ukrainian man from the Luhansk region, forcibly conscripted by Russian-backed separatist forces just two days before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, lies gravely wounded in a makeshift field hospital deep within an underground winery near Bakhmut. On 22 January 2024, he was treated for injuries so severe that his left leg and arm were later amputated. Donbas, Ukraine.
The man was drafted on 22 February 2022 to fight for the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic—a pro-Russian separatist entity in eastern Ukraine. Like thousands of others from occupied territories, he had little choice. After Russia unilaterally annexed the region, the separatist militias were absorbed into the Russian military. Now part of Russia’s broader invasion force, these conscripted fighters have been caught in some of the fiercest combat zones. The city of Bakhmut, in particular, has become emblematic of the war’s brutality, with relentless fighting and staggering casualties on both sides.
Africa – Kenya’s Youth Uprising
© Luis Tato, Agence France-Presse. In 2024, Kenya’s National Treasury proposed a controversial bill introducing new taxes on basic goods, aimed at tackling the country’s mounting debt. The response was swift and fierce. Young Kenyans, mobilizing through social media, took to the streets in protest. On 25 June, demonstrators stormed Parliament in a dramatic escalation that ended in deadly clashes with police—many were killed or abducted, and hundreds more injured.
See more of Luis Tato’s photos from this series: Kenya’s Youth Uprising: A Movement in Focus
World Press Photo Yearbook 2025 – available from our affiliate, Amazon
A Nation in Conflict by Burmese photojournalist Ye Aung Thu
One of the most compelling visual stories of the year, A Nation in Conflict by Burmese photojournalist Ye Aung Thu has been named a finalist in the 2025 World Press Photo contest. His deeply personal and unflinching portrayal of Myanmar’s unfolding civil war pulls back the curtain on a revolution that continues to rage far from the spotlight of global media.
In a moment of intense combat, fighters from the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and SOF operate a heavy machine gun during an attack on a junta stronghold. Photographed on 21 April 2024, also in Taung Soon, the image reveals the makeshift but determined nature of the insurgency.
See the full series: A Nation in Conflict: Myanmar’s Revolution Captured in Award-Winning World Press Photo Series by Ye Aung Thu
Te Urewera: The Living Ancestor of the Tūhoe People
Te Urewera: The Living Ancestor of the Tūhoe People by Tatsiana Chypsanava, Pulitzer Center & New Zealand Geographic | Finalist – World Press Photo 2025 Long-Term Projects
Hidden within the misty, forested heart of New Zealand’s North Island, Te Urewera is more than just land—it is a revered ancestor for the Tūhoe people. This sacred region holds generations of memory, law, sustenance, and spiritual guidance. For the Tūhoe, their bond with Te Urewera is not metaphorical but deeply lived.
Capturing this profound relationship, photojournalist Tatsiana Chypsanava embarked on a long-term visual journey now honoured as a finalist in the 2025 World Press Photo contest. Her work invites the world to see Te Urewera not just as wilderness, but as the enduring heartbeat of Tūhoe identity. See her full series here.
Expanding the Lens: A More Inclusive Contest Format
In response to a call for greater representation, the 2025 contest marks a shift in scale and reach. This year, 42 winning photographers were selected — up from 33 in 2024. For the first time, each region now sees three winners in both the Singles and Stories categories, plus one Long-Term Project winner per region. The result is a more nuanced, globally representative selection. Of the 42 winners, 30 were local to the countries where their images were taken — a significant step toward decentralizing global narratives.
The contest, held annually since 1955, is organized by the World Press Photo Foundation and celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. It continues to prohibit AI-generated imagery and uses a robust multi-layered verification process, including the analysis of original files and story facts by independent digital analysts.
Human Stories at the Heart of Global Issues
This year’s winning entries tackle themes including war, gender, displacement, protest, climate change, and resilience. Among the stories featured are:
- A 21-year-old transgender man in the Netherlands navigating identity and social transition.
- A Palestinian child, injured in Gaza, learning to live with amputation after an Israeli airstrike.
- A Ukrainian girl grappling with the trauma of war.
- A young Sudanese groom, captured in a moment of quiet contemplation on his wedding day.
- Tamale Safale, the first disabled Ugandan athlete to compete alongside able-bodied competitors.
- A secret Pride celebration in Lagos, Nigeria, where LGBTQI+ communities risk imprisonment for expressing themselves.
- Stark images of political uprisings from Kenya, Myanmar, Haiti, El Salvador, and Georgia.
- Intimate portraits of political leaders in the USA and Germany.
- Explorations of the human-animal relationship in Thailand and Zambia.
- Striking visual accounts of climate disasters in Peru, Brazil, and the Philippines.
A Global Jury, A Global Stage
The contest received 59,320 entries from 3,778 photographers across 141 countries. Judging began with six regional juries and culminated in final selections by a global jury chaired by Lucy Conticello, Director of Photography for M, Le Monde’s weekend magazine.
“We made our choices with an eye on the final mix,” Conticello said. “As much as the World Press Photo Contest award is an immense recognition for photographers, often working under difficult circumstances, it is also a recap of the world’s major events. We were looking for pictures that people can start conversations around.”
The announcement of the 2025 Photo of the Year and its two finalists took place on 17 April at De Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, home to the flagship exhibition. All 42 winners are eligible for the top honour.
On Tour: See the Images for Yourself
The 2025 winning photographs will be featured in World Press Photo’s global exhibition tour, which spans over 60 cities worldwide, including:
| Amsterdam: 18 April – 21 September Rome: 6 May – 8 June London: 23 May – 25 August Berlin: 6 June – 29 June Vienna: 12 September – 9 November | Budapest: 10 September – 9 November Mexico City: 18 July – 28 September Montreal: 27 August – 11 October Jakarta: 12 September – 11 October Sydney: 24 May – 6 July |
This anniversary edition of World Press Photo continues the Foundation’s mission: to foster understanding of the world through compelling visual stories. In an age of disinformation, algorithmic news bubbles, and image fatigue, these photographs serve as a vital reminder of the enduring power of real, ethical journalism.
As Executive Director Joumana El Zein Khoury said:
“We live in a time when it is easier than ever to look away, to scroll past, to disengage. But these images do not let us do that. They cut through the noise, forcing us to acknowledge what is unfolding, even when it is uncomfortable, even when it makes us question the world we live in — and our own role within it.”
For the full list of winners, visit: 👉 www.worldpressphoto.org
World Press Photo Yearbook 2025 – available from our affiliate, Amazon
World Press Photo Returns to Sydney with Its Most Powerful Exhibition Yet
The World Press Photo exhibition is back at the State Library of New South Wales — and this year, it’s bigger, bolder, and more confronting than ever. Opening Saturday, 24 May 2025, this internationally renowned showcase of the world’s best photojournalism features the most diverse selection of award-winning images in the event’s 68-year history.
For the first time, the exhibition includes three winners per region in both the Singles and Stories categories, alongside a Long-Term Project winner from each region. That’s a significant increase from previous years, offering a broader and more inclusive lens on the human condition in all its complexity — from the frontlines of conflict to the heart of climate catastrophe, from gender identity to global displacement.
“This is more than an exhibition,” says State Librarian Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon. “It’s a deeply moving experience that reminds us why visual storytelling matters. Presenting World Press Photo is part of our commitment to sharing stories that inform, move, and inspire.”
The exhibition’s return to Sydney comes with plenty of global weight behind it. The 2025 show features the work of 42 winners selected from a staggering 59,320 entries by 3,778 photographers spanning 141 countries. Each photograph speaks volumes — capturing the world as it is, not as we might wish it to be.
In addition to World Press Photo, the State Library is hosting six other free exhibitions this season. And during Vivid Sydney, visitors can enjoy exclusive after-hours access to the photo exhibition on three special Friday nights — 30 May, 6 June, and 13 June — from 6 to 9 pm.
Don’t miss your chance to experience this extraordinary exhibition. Entry is free, but the impact will last long after you leave.
📍 World Press Photo 2025
🗓 Opens Saturday, 24 May 2025
📍 State Library of New South Wales, Macquarie Street, Sydney
💡 Vivid Sydney late-night viewings: 30 May, 6 & 13 June (6–9 pm)
🎟 Free admission
For more, visit sl.nsw.gov.au or worldpressphoto.org
World Press Photo Yearbook 2025 – available from our affiliate, Amazon
Related stories
Kenya’s Youth Uprising: A Movement in Focus
Speos Magnum documentary & AFP photojournalism courses
Lessons in photography by Josef Koudelka
