World Press Photo of the Year: Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş shouts after shooting Andrey Karlov, the Russian ambassador to Turkey, at an art gallery in Ankara, Turkey. © Burhan Ozbilici (Turkey)/World Press Photo
The winners of the 60th edition of the World Press Photo competition have been announced, with Istanbul-based Associated Press photographer Burhan Ozbilici taking the top spot with an ‘explosive’ image capturing the assassination of a Russian ambassador late last year. Each year, the World Press Photo works to honour a photographer who captures or represents an image of significant journalistic importance in the past year, with particular attention placed on their visual creativity and skill.
Ozbilici, whose shots also won first prize in the Spot News Stories category, caught on camera the moment 22-year-old off-duty police officer Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş shot and killed Andrey Karlov, the Russian ambassador to Turkey, at an art exhibition in Ankara (19th December 2017). Altıntaş would go on to wound three other people before being killed by police officers in a shootout. He reportedly shouted “Revenge for Aleppo and Syria,” at the scene, a moment captured in Ozbilici’s photographs.
After the incident occurred, Ozbilici revealed that he had not even intended to be there; he only attended because the gallery was on his way home. Speaking about the incident to the Guardian at the time, he said that he felt a large sense of responsibility at the scene: “I’m a journalist. I have to do my work. I could run away without making any photos… But I wouldn’t have a proper answer if people later ask me: ‘Why didn’t you take pictures?’”
Mary F. Calvert, member of the jury, spoke about the winning photograph:
“It was a very very difficult decision, but in the end we felt that the picture of the Year was an explosive image that really spoke to the hatred of our times. Every time it came on the screen you almost had to move back because it’s such an explosive image and we really felt that it epitomizes the definition of what the World Press Photo of the Year is and means.”
The World Press Photo 2017 contest drew entries from around the world: over 5,000 photographers from 125 countries submitted 80,408 images. The jury gave prizes in eight categories to 45 photographers from 25 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Syria, New Zealand, Turkey, UK, and USA.
A selection of other category winners are below. To see the complete gallery of winners on the World Press Photo website, click here.
Activist Ieshia Evans stands her ground while offering her hands for arrest as she is charged by riot police during a protest against police brutality outside the Baton Rouge Police Department in Louisiana. © Jonathan Bachman (USA)/World Press Photo: Contemporary Issues, 1st place singles
Jockey Nina Carberry flies off her horse, Sir Des Champs, as they fall at The Chair fence during the Grand National. © Tom Jenkins (UK)/World Press Photo: Sports, 1st prize singles
Civilians escape from a fire at a house destroyed by an air attack in the Luhanskaya village. © Valery Melnikov (Russia)/World Press Photo: Long term projects, 1st prize stories
A woman shares a taxi ride to Santiago de Cuba following the death of Fidel Castro. © Tomás Munita (Chile)/World Press Photo: Daily Life, first prize stories
Five-year-old Maha and her family fled from the village Hawija outside Mosul, Iraq, seven days ago. © Magnus Wennman (Sweden)/World Press Photo: People, 1st place stories
