Explore 26 Stunning Images from the World Press Photo Contest

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In stark black-and-white and stunning color, this year’s winning photographs capture global events on a human scale

Eli Wizevich – History Correspondent

April 17, 2025 9:00 a.m.

A remarkable display of photojournalism occurred this year with the World Press Photo Contest, which attracted a significant number of submissions. A total of 3,778 photographers from 141 countries submitted over 59,000 photographs, depicting major global events and personal stories that resonate beyond headlines.

Submissions highlighted key issues such as the ongoing conflict in Gaza, immigration challenges, and the impacts of climate change, while also shedding light on everyday lives and personal narratives that remain often overlooked.

“The world has changed significantly since the inception of World Press Photo in 1955,” stated Joumana El Zein Khoury, executive director of the organization. “We are living in an era where it is all too easy to disengage and ignore the harsh realities surrounding us. However, these images compel us to confront uncomfortable truths about our world and our roles within it.”

The announcement of 42 regional winners on March 27 saw juries from six global regions, including Africa, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas, select works that stood out amidst the vast pool of entries. Subsequently, on April 17, a global winner and two additional finalists were revealed.

Below are highlights of the global finalists and some notable regional winners from this year’s competition.

World Press Photo of the Year: Mahmoud Ajjour, Aged 9

In a heart-wrenching image, 9-year-old Mahmoud Ajjour, who sustained injuries from an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City in March 2024, is captured receiving medical care in Qatar. The image tells his story of resilience amidst chaos, as Mahmoud had urged others to flee before the blast that harmed him.

Since relocating to Qatar, he has begun to adjust but continues to require assistance with daily activities and aspires to obtain prosthetic limbs. “His mother recounted a poignant moment when Mahmoud asked her, ‘How will I be able to hug you?’” recalled Samar Abu Elouf, the photographer who documented him.

The trauma faced by children in conflict zones is staggering, with U.N. reports indicating that over 13,000 children have died, and around 25,000 have been injured during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

“This image by Abu Elouf serves as an essential reminder of the complexities of Mahmoud’s situation,” noted Lucy Conticello, chair of the global jury.

World Press Photo of the Year Finalist: Night Crossing

Photographer John Moore captured a powerful moment in Night Crossing, which portrays a group of Chinese migrants seeking warmth by a fire in Campo, California, after making their perilous journey across the U.S.-Mexico border.

The number of Chinese migrants has surged recently, with 38,200 apprehensions recorded in 2024, a stark increase from only 2,200 in 2022. Economic difficulties and political oppression continue to drive this migration.

Moore noted the undercurrent of fear within the undocumented immigrant community, where uncertainty looms with each passing day.

World Press Photo of the Year Finalist: Droughts in the Amazon

In a striking photo by Musuk Nolte, a young man is seen navigating the dry riverbed of the Solimões River in Brazil to deliver food to his mother, illustrating the severe drought affecting the Amazon Rainforest. Once accessible by boat, the changes in water levels now force him to walk over a mile through a parched landscape.

Nolte’s work sheds light on the broader implications of climate change, urging viewers to understand how such crises can impact both environmental and human health.

Regional Winner: Africa, Singles

In Sudan, where a civil war has devastated the nation since 2023, photographer Mosab Abushama‘s portrait titled Life Won’t Stop captures a groom celebrating his wedding amidst ongoing violence. He poses with a gun, symbolizing the duality of joy and danger in a brutal context.

“Despite the chaos around us, this wedding was a testament to life continuing amidst despair,” Abushama reflected, emphasizing the importance of finding joy even in the most challenging circumstances.

Regional Winner: Asia-Pacific and Oceania, Long-Term Project

The work of Tatsiana Chypsanava showcases the resilient spirit and culture of the Ngāi Tūhoe people in New Zealand. Her long-term photography project documents both the people and their environment, illustrating the intrinsic connection between the community and nature. Images depict local traditions, children, and the landscape that plays a significant role in Tūhoe life.

Chypsanava emphasizes the ethos of sustainability prevalent in her community, encapsulated by the saying, “Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata” (“When the land is in good health, so too are the people”).

Regional Winner: Europe, Singles

Photographer Nanna Heitmann offers a sobering glimpse into the impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine through her image Underground Field Hospital. It depicts a soldier receiving care in makeshift conditions near Bakhmut, where he suffered life-altering injuries shortly after being conscripted into a militia just days before the Russian invasion.

Regional Winner: North and Central America, Stories

In the aftermath of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, photojournalist Rebecca Kiger documented the community’s struggle with the ensuing environmental disaster. Her images, stark in both color and black-and-white, portray residents grappling with the repercussions of the hazardous situation.

One notable photo captures a young girl selling lemonade made from bottled water outside her home, a poignant illustration of how life adapts amid adversity.

Regional Winner: South America, Singles

Captured by Anselmo Cunha, the image titled Aircraft on Flooded Tarmac depicts a Boeing 727-200 stranded at Salgado Filho International Airport in Brazil. Taken during devastating floods in Rio Grande do Sul, it symbolizes the intersection of climate change and human activity in a single frame.

Regional Winner: West, Central and South Asia, Long-Term Projects

In his project Bullets Have No Borders, Ebrahim Alipoor highlights the dangerous life of kolbars—border couriers in Iranian Kurdistan. These individuals carry heavy loads across perilous terrain to circumvent government restrictions, often at great personal risk. Alipoor’s stark imagery reveals the realities faced by those driven to such extremes to survive amid hardship and economic instability.

Through these powerful narratives, the World Press Photo Contest continues to shine a spotlight on human experiences, reminding us of the interconnectedness of our world and the stories waiting to be told.

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