The 68th annual World Press Photo Contest has just unveiled the category winners and finalists for the 2025 edition, offering a compelling first look at the photojournalists and visual storytellers shaping the global conversation. From powerful portraits and conflict coverage to stories of climate change and cultural identity, these images shine a light on the most urgent, beautiful, and moving moments captured this past year.
The competition, now in its 18th year, is open to all members of the public and “celebrates the ability of an individual photograph to capture and distil a singular moment, and to evoke a broader narrative.” Categories include “Landscape” and “Travel” but also “Portraiture” and “Motion”, ensuring a wide variety of submissions.
Each image in the winning collection is more than just a photograph, it is a story, a testament, and a call to pay attention. The World Press Photo Contest honours photojournalists who risk their lives and dedicate their craft to documenting truth. Categories span regional and thematic narratives, with winners selected from thousands of submissions across the globe.
The World Press Photo of the Year and the two finalists will be announced on 16 April 2025 and will receive a $5,000 prize. Category winners will go on display from 17 April to 5 May 2025 as part of an exhibition at Somerset House in London. You can explore the complete gallery of this year’s award-winning stories and visuals on the official World Press Photo website.
Cover image by Ye Aung Thu, an award-winning Burmese photographer. A Nation in Conflict — view the full story: worldpressphoto.org/Ye-Aung-Thu