Every year since 1955 an international jury has convened in Holland under the auspices of the World Press Photo Foundation to choose the finest press photographs of the year. Universally recognized as the definitive competition for photographic reporting, it has been described by Michael Rand – for many years Art Director of The Sunday Times Magazine – as ‘the international photographic contest.’

Publishing the results of the most recent annual World Press Photo Contest, this exceptional book contains the most haunting and inspiring photographs from 2009 – nearly 180 pictures submitted by photojournalists, picture agencies, newspapers and magazines throughout the world.

Selected from more than 96,000 images taken by over 5,000 photographers representing 124 countries, these prizewinning photos capture the most powerful, moving and sometimes disturbing events of the year.