The World Press Photo Exhibition returns to Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall from 7 to 26 November. The free exhibition brings together award-winning photographs from around the world, capturing the most powerful, moving and sometimes disturbing images of the year.
This year, 98,671 images were submitted to the contest by 5,754 photographers, from 132 different nationalities. The exhibition features about 140 of the winning photographs.
John Stanmeyer won the World Press Photo of the Year 2013 competition with this photo of African migrants on the shore of Djibouti city at night, raising their phones in an attempt to capture an inexpensive signal from neighbouring Somalia — a tenuous link to relatives abroad.
John Stanmeyer won the World Press Photo of the Year 2013 with this photoJohn Stanmeyer, USA, VII for National Geographic
Jillian Edelstein, one of the judges, said: "It's a photo that is connected to so many other stories—it opens up discussions about technology, globalisation, migration, poverty, desperation, alienation, humanity. It's a very sophisticated, powerfully nuanced image. It is so subtly done, so poetic, yet instilled with meaning, conveying issues of great gravity and concern in the world today."
Jury member David Guttenfelder said: "The photo is like a message in a bottle, it is one that will last for all of us. People will bring their own life experiences to it as they stand in front of it."
1st Prize General News Single: Alessandro Penso. 21 November 2013, Sofia, Bulgaria. Military Ramp, an emergency refugee centre, was opened in September 2013 in an abandoned school in Sofia, Bulgaria. The centre provides housing for about 800 Syrian refugees, including 390 childrenAlessandro Penso, Italy, OnOff Picture2nd Prize General News Stories: William Daniels. 17 November 2013, Central African Republic. Demonstrators gather on a street in Bangui to call for the resignation of interim President Michel Djotodia following the murder of Judge Modeste Martineau Bria by members of Seleka. Bangui, Central African Republic.William Daniels, France, Panos Pictures for Time1st Prize Spot News Single: Phillipe Lopez. 18 November 2013, Tolosa, the Philippines. Survivors of typhoon Haiyan march during a religious procession in Tolosa, on the eastern island of Leyte. One of the strongest cyclones ever recorded, Haiyan left 8,000 people dead and missing and more than four million homeless after it hit the central Philippines.Phillipe Lopez, France, Agence France-Presse1st Prize Spot News Stories: Goran Tomasevic. 30 January 2013, Damascus, Syria. Syrian rebel fighters take cover amid flying debris and shrapnel after being hit by a tank shell fired towards them by the Syrian Army in the Ain Tarma neighbourhood of Damascus.Goran Tomasevic, Serbia, Reuters2nd Prize Spot News Stories: Tyler Hicks. 21 September 2013, Nairobi, Kenya. A woman and children hiding in the Westgate mall. They escaped unharmed after gunmen had opened fire at the mall on 21 September 2013. At least 39 people were killed in one of the worst terrorist attacks in Kenya's history.Tyler Hicks, USA, The New York Times3rd Prize Contemporary Issues Single: Christopher Vanegas. 8 March 2013, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. Police arrive at a crime scene where two bodies hang from a bridge; another three are on the floor. They had been killed by organised crime in Saltillo, Coahuila, in retaliation against other criminal groups.Christopher Vanegas, Mexico, La Vanguardia / El Guardían1st Prize Contemporary Issues Stories: Sara Naomi Lewkowicz. 17 November 2012, USA. As the fight continued to rage, Shane told Maggie that she could choose between getting beaten in the kitchen, or going with him to the basement so they could talk privately.Sara Naomi Lewkowicz, USA, for Time1st Prize Daily Life Single: Julius Schrank. 15 March 2013, Burma. Kachin Independence Army fighters are drinking and celebrating at a funeral of one of their commanders who died the day before. The city is under siege by the Burmese army.Julius Schrank, Germany, De Volkskrant1st Prize Daily Life Stories: Fred Ramos. 10 August 2013, San Salvador, El Salvador. Date found: 1 February 2013. Time 3:45pm. Location: a sugar plantation in Apopa, San Salvador, El Salvador. Sex: Female. Age: Between 17 and 18 years old. Time of disappearance: not available. The North Central American Triangle (Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador) is one of the most violent regions in the world. In many cases, clothes that are found become the only means to identify victims.Fred Ramos, El Salvador, El Faro2nd Prize Sports Action Single: Andrzej Grygiel. 24 March 2013, Szczyrk, Poland. Competitor at a slalom contest in Szczyrk, Poland.Andrzej Grygiel, Poland, for PAP-Polska Agencja Prasowa3rd Prize Sports Action Stories: Quinn Rooney. 27 April 2013, Adelaide, Australia. Daniel Arnamnart of Australia competes in the men's 100m backstroke during day two of the Australian Swimming Championships on 27 April 2013 at SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Adelaide, Australia.Quinn Rooney, Australia, Getty Images1st Prize Sports Feature Stories: Peter Holgersson. 19 December 2013, Lidingö, Sweden. Swedish athlete Nadja Casadei has participated in the World and European Championships in heptathlon. In autumn 2013, she was diagnosed with cancer and by January 2014 she completed her chemotherapy. She has continued to train throughout her illness, hoping to be healthy and ready by the summer for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.Peter Holgersson, Sweden1st Prize People – Observed Portraits Single: Markus Schreiber. 13 December 2013, Pretoria, South Africa. A woman reacts in disappointment after access to see former South Africa President Nelson Mandela was closed on the third and final day of his casket lying in state, outside Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa.Markus Schreiber, Germany, The Associated Press1st Prize People – Observed Portraits Stories: Carla Kogelman. 19 July 2012, Merkenbrechts, Austria. Hannah and Alena, two sisters living in the rural village of Merkenbrechts, Austria.Carla Kogelman, the Netherlands1st Prize People – Staged Portraits Single: Brent Stirton. 25 September 2013, West Bengal India. A group of blind albino boys photographed in their boarding room at the Vivekananda mission school for the blind in West Bengal, India. This is one of the very few schools for the blind in India today.Brent Stirton, South Africa, Reportage by Getty Images2nd Prize People – Staged Portraits Stories: Denis Dailleux. 3 February 2011, Cairo, Egypt. Ali, a young Egyptian bodybuilder, poses with his mother.Denis Dailleux, France, Agence Vu3rd Prize Nature Stories: Christian Ziegler, Germany, for National Geographic Magazine. 25 January 2011, Congo. A five-year-old bonobo turns out to be the most curious individual of a wild group of bonobos near the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite being humans' closest living relatives, little is known about Bonobos and their behavior in the wild in remote parts of the Congo basin. Bonobos are threatened by habitat loss and bush meat trade.Christian Ziegler, Germany, for National Geographic Magazine1st Prize Nature Stories: Steve Winter. 2 March 2013, Los Angeles, USA. A cougar walking a trail in Los Angeles' Griffith Park is captured by a camera trap. To reach the park, which has been the cougar's home for the last two years it had to cross two of the busiest highways in the US.Steve Winter, USA, for National Geographic
