World Press Photo Exhibition 2019

Overview

The World Press Photo Foundation is a global platform connecting professionals and audiences through raw visual journalism and storytelling. The organisation was founded in 1955 when a group of Dutch photographers organised a contest to expose their work to an international audience. Since then the contest has grown into the world's most prestigious photography competition and global travelling exhibition.

The 62nd edition of the World Press Photo Exhibition will touch down in Sydney this year and will be on display at the State Library of NSW from May 25 until June 23. The winners from this year's contest were chosen by an independent jury that reviewed more than 78,000 photographs by 4738 photographers from 129 countries.

The one that took top honours for 2019 is John Moore's Crying Girl on the Border. The image, which also won first prize in the spot news category, shows Honduran toddler Yanela Sanchez crying as her mother is taken into custody at the US border. This will be on display alongside other finalists, including Pieter Ten Hoopen's series which documents a migrant caravan who were fleeing violence and harsh economic conditions, Nadia Shira Cohen's shot of beekeepers tending their hives in Yucatán, Mexico, and Enayat Asadi's striking image of an Afghan refugee comforting his companion.

Further categories on show will include contemporary issues, environment, general news, long-term projects, nature, people, sports and spot news.

To complement the exhibition, the State Library will stay open late on three Friday nights (June 7, 14 and 21) so you can check out the exhibition out of hours. It'll even open up the bar and chuck on some music. Otherwise, the Library is open up until 8pm Monday to Thursday if you'd rather check it out after work without the crowds.

Image: John Moore, Getty Images, 'Crying Girl on the Border' (cropped).