World Press Photo announces 2012 contest winners

Was this taken by an X10 or is that an orb on the lower left?

Seeing a photo of the Wall Street crowd dangling from windows would have brought a bigger tear to my eye.
Then again, it would have been tears of joy ...
Humanity would have been better represented by photographs of those that have been baddly affected (millions) by the economic collapse which has affected the globe.
Surely there were enough opportunities?

That's what i called "Photo speaks louder than it is". Great Photo. like that....

Lose the burqa.

really?

Am I the only person that notices the designer handbag and 100% clean burka?

Kinda strange. He/She/it goes out/shopping and all of a sudden puts on gloves and hugs this person.

Maybe.

Can you believe it was shot at a speed of 0.4 sec?

Having reviewed the other images, I must say that this would have not been my choice as winner, but well done Samuel all the same!

Competitions are a bit subjective anyway, no matter who the judges are.

Wow- the comments on this post remind me why I don't read comments or participate much with the forums here.

I appreciate the diversity of opinion expressed in the comments here. They have given me new, alternative perspectives on the winning image, and on photo-journalism in general.

There is more to this picture than meets the eye!

Politics and west propaganda. That's the only thing I see.

A sort of pietà with black burka. This sort of composition has been honored for a long, long time. It is supposed to wrench out empathy that leads to global action. Perhaps a Security Council Resolution that gets vetoed by other permanent members.

Meanwhile, Pontius Saleh is undergoing medical treatment. Maybe his PR staff can gain the boss some empathy with a poignant hospital bed shot. Hey, if it works for the goose, why not the gander? But, even if it does not, the gentleman need not worry much. Provisions for his heirs have been long in the making, and life will be merry.

Anyway, it appears that war, disaster, famine, violence, and pain fare asthe besttopics if one wants to get published or kudos. "Saturday in the Park" just won't cut it.

the comment stream here is ... the result of dehumanizing of "the other". Blessed are the ones capable of empatic emotional responses beyond the cultural boundaries.

Not meaning to criticize the photo in any way, just wondering..why hold a suffering person in such an uncomfortable position? The hand on his throat looks a bit menacing, IMO..

What an awesome image it speaks to the soul

I'm astonished reading some messages below. I must admit I'm as simple as finding this photograph inspiring, moving and beautiful. It breaths sensibility and understanding of the suffering. It's got movement, tension and peace. It gives a second lecture and get you to wonder whether you understood the whole situation.
It's hard to realize that photography requires something from you, not only technology.

Personally, I find images like this offensive and highly invasive of people's privacy (regardless of whether permission was obtained). To gain from other's misery... well... I hope the photographer can live with it. I certainly couldn't.

So many of these images are nothing more than snaps.
I thought "The New Amazons" was actually a tsunami image, but I suppose the interest in the protester blinded viewers to the fact that the buildings are falling down!

This photo ticks a lot of boxes for me.

I've revisited it a lot of times this morning and I keep getting sucked in. It simply makes me think about the situation it was shot in.

For a photo to win such a contest it (seemingly) has to adress a larger issue than the actual situation depicted. It does. It has political impact. It elevates the burca-wearing woman to something resembling af pillar of comfort. It challenges a (common?) paradigm.

Not my favourite of the entrants - but a great photo.

This first prize creation only looks theatrical - but it is a very strong documentation of the present crazy world human suffering.

It's good but given the huge number of images submitted I'm disappointed.
Off hand can think of a dozen photos taken by James Nachtwey that are more powerful.

Press photography is the last stand in front of all this bugs, what they thing having a 16 MP and a 2.8 lens make them an artist of the image.
To capture kids, animals or landscape is something, to capture emotions is totally different.

@harrisoncrac: Compared to your gorgeous gallery, of course...

Awesome! Powerfull. Talented!

Had the jury tomatoes on the eyes?
The worst year in this photo contest: compose all - nothing is real
Well - in Spain, Greece etc. fake is everything, even the balance sheets of the Staten

Reminding me of the Christ being taken of the cross . A painting ! Beautiful indeed. Peaceful and powerful somehow. Deserve the price indeed !

P.S.
I am surprised by how many people are criticizing this photo: It is staged, the lighting is poor, the lunar landing was filmed in a Hollywood basement,... THE ONLY THING THAT'S FAKE AND PLASTIC HERE ARE YOUR COMMENTS! Move out of your parents basement and grow up. Also be very glad that you live in America where the only thing you worry about is loosing 50 pounds as your New Years resolution.

The real tragedy here are the comments...

That's photo of the year. Please I have seem that shot many times before from Viet Nam to orphanages or hospitals. Like everything else we are lowering the bar.

A picture is worth a thousand words. And opinions are still two a penny.

Like usual, boring and often simplistic and lazy photography.

unbelievable that a symbol of oppresion of female rights and equality is choosen as WPP contest winner..

the biggest problem with this picture is poor lighting. The second is that although the subject tells a story, the background is bland. Its a decent photo not a great photo

like Madona and child...congratulation shaving an imag like this from a very conservative country is amazing.

http://www.samuelaranda.net/

Gracias por presentar la realidad que se vive en este nuestro mundo.

As in the Abu Graib Christ-like photo, Western iconography self-perpetuating here. We see the world through it, and the world increasingly conforms to it.