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Photography Culture

The 2026 World Press Photo Awards Have an Obvious Gear Trend

Chris Gampat
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Last updated on 05/14/2026
04/09/2026
13 Mins read
A person in blue shorts holds a dolphin tail in red-stained water, with only part of their body visible.
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Last Updated on 05/14/2026 by Chris Gampat

Every year when the World Press Photo awards are announced, we do a breakdown of the gear that was used to make the images. It’s something that every photographer wants to know about in the same way that photographers want to know about the Nikon camera in outer space. So we did a breakdown and you can see that below.

The Breakdown by Camera Gear

This year, the World Press Photo Awards have quite a fascinating breakdown when it comes to camera gear used. This includes:

Besides the drones, that means that most of the cameras used by these professional photographers are full-frame. There are two point and shoots and a very small handful of APS-C cameras. All of those APS-C cameras are from Fujifilm, mind you.

In terms of photojournalism, obviously whatever camera you have on you is the best one. But as far as what the winning photographers are choosing, they’re actively reaching for bigger sensors. This, once again, has to do with photography — not content creation.

Without further delay, here are the 2026 World Press Photo Contest winners

AFRICA

Singles

A group of elephants is herded by people and vehicles in a fenced area in a dry, wooded landscape.
Title: When Giants Fall Credit: © Halden Krog, for Daily Mail Caption: Professional hunters shoot a family of elephants identified for culling. Sango Wildlife Conservancy, Savé Valley Conservancy, Zimbabwe, 23 October 2025. Story: In 2025, the government of Zimbabwe authorized the culling (killing for the purpose of population control) of 50 elephants in the Savé Valley Conservancy. This decision followed a 2024 cull of 200. Authorities say the growing population has surpassed what the land can sustain, worsening human-wildlife conflict as drought drives elephants searching for food and water into closer contact with people. Wildlife organizations dispute claims of overpopulation and condemn culling. They have raised concerns including the fracturing of elephant social structures, and the trauma inflicted on surviving animals, which could increase aggression toward humans.

When Giants Fall 

Halden Krog, South Africa, for Daily Mail

A group of young ballerinas in white tutus ascend a staircase against a yellow tiled wall.
Title: Joburg Ballet School Credit: © Ihsaan Haffejee, for GroundUp Caption: Young dancers from the Joburg Ballet School backstage at the Soweto Theatre during their year-end performance. Soweto, South Africa, 7 December 2025. Story: In apartheid South Africa, ballet was the preserve of white culture, inaccessible to people of color. Today, the Joburg Ballet School offers subsidized training to children from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, with locations in Soweto, Alexandra, and Braamfontein. Parents describe seeing their children learn ballet as something they never thought possible.

Joburg Ballet School

Ihsaan Haffejee, South Africa, for GroundUp

Children Who Do Not Exist

Two people sit side by side in low light, one facing forward and the other in profile against a textured wall.
Title: Children Who Do Not Exist

Credit: © Kiana Hayeri, for The New York Times

Caption: Edith Magomere Ingasiani and her daughter Blessings Iminza (9), at their home. Blessings was born in Saudi Arabia without a birth certificate. Vihiga County, Kenya, 30 August 2025.

Story: Tens of thousands of Kenyan women migrate to Saudi Arabia for domestic work, where many endure abusive conditions, including passport confiscation and withheld wages. While working there, Edith Magomere Ingasiani hid her pregnancy; unmarried women who give birth risk arrest. She delivered her daughter Blessings alone in January 2016, raising her in the shadows for years. When Edith tried to return home to Kenya, Blessings’ lack of documents trapped them in bureaucratic limbo. In 2024, they finally made it back. “Home is always the answer,” she says. “It took eight years to get there.”
Carmignac Photojournalism Award winner

Kiana Hayeri, Iran/Canada, for The New York Times

Stories

Four girls sit beneath a bullet-riddled wall in a damaged building, with two windows visible above them.
A soldier with a rifle carefully ascends a stairway, casting a shadow on the wall beside him.
A truck with people passes through a street with damaged buildings and debris in a war-torn area.
A woman in patterned clothing gazes sideways, raising one hand; her arm shows patches of lighter skin.

Sudan’s War: A Nation Trapped

Abdulmonam Eassa, Syria/France, for Le Monde

A woman in a hijab rides a rearing horse in shallow water under a cloudy sky.
Seven people in pastel robes pose by hay bales and a large tarp in a dry, open field at sunset.
Women in blue outfits and white headscarves ride horses in a dynamic, smoky equestrian performance.
Warriors on horses carry flags through dust at sunset, with crowds and red banners in the background.

Farīsāt: Gunpowder’s Daughters

Chantal Pinzi, Italy, Panos Pictures

A soldier in camouflage stands on a vehicle amid a crowd waving Madagascar flags during a protest.
Armed soldiers in camouflage are surrounded by a large crowd of people, many raising their hands and shouting.
Two uniformed men drag a shirtless person on the ground in an urban street, as others look on.
A person holds a black pirate flag in a street protest, with others and smoke in the background.

Madagascar’s Gen Z Protests

Luis Tato, Spain, Agence France-Presse

Long-Term Project

A broom sweeps dirt on a tiled floor with a visible footprint in the background.
Man in a jacket stands in a doorway, holding a phone to his ear, with light and shadows around him.
An elderly man and a young man sit closely on a couch, holding hands, in a warmly lit room.
A man lies on a hospital bed covered with a sheet, in a medical room with equipment and a curtain.
A wall mural with Arabic calligraphy, a window, palm trees, a hut, and birds in black and white.
Boy in a Ronaldo jersey stands on a rooftop with pigeons flying and city buildings in the background.
A man using a laptop sits beside a boy wearing an oxygen mask on a couch with stuffed toys.
Person holding a chest X-ray in front of their body in a room with ornate curtains and a window.

Moon Dust

Mohamed Mahdy, Egypt, Arab Documentary Photography Program

ASIA-PACIFIC AND OCEANIA

Singles

A police officer leans on a police vehicle near a crashed car and a person lying on the ground.
Title: Bondi Beach Terror Attack Credit: © Edwina Pickles, The Sydney Morning Herald Caption: An overwhelmed police officer leans over near the bodies of Boris (69) and Sofia (61) Gurman. During the Bondi Beach Terror Attack, the couple were killed while attempting to disarm one of the shooters. Sydney, Australia, 14 December 2025. Story: During Bondi Beach’s “Chanukah by the Sea,” a community event celebrating the Jewish holiday, two armed men motivated by ISIS ideology attacked participants, killing 15 people. The victims included 10-year-old Matilda and 87-year-old Ukrainian Holocaust survivor Alexander Kleytman. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the mass shooting an antisemitic attack and the deadliest terrorist incident on Australian soil ever. The shooting has prompted a significant re-evaluation of public security and religious freedom protections in Australia.

Bondi Beach Terror Attack 

Edwina Pickles, Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald

A giant panda walks between mossy trees in a forest, with greenery and tall trees in the background.
Title: Mountain Resident of Wanglang Credit: © Rob G. Green, National Geographic Society, Henry Luce Foundation Caption: A wild giant panda is captured by a camera trap in the Wanglang National Nature Reserve. Sichuan, China, 11 November 2025. Story: Recent population estimates suggest that fewer than 2,000 pandas remain in the wild, and only a few dozen individuals live within Wanglang National Nature Reserve’s 323-square-kilometer territory. This rare sighting was made possible through a pilot exchange program between the National Geographic Society and wildlife biologists, aimed at supporting wildlife monitoring efforts and fostering cross-cultural cooperation in conservation. Established in 1965, Wanglang is one of China’s oldest wild panda nature reserves and today serves as a key site for education and scientific research collaboration within the larger Giant Panda National Park system.

Mountain Resident of Wanglang

Rob G. Green, United States, National Geographic Society, Henry Luce Foundation

A distressed man gestures in front of burning high-rise buildings with heavy smoke and flames.
Title: A Desperate Plea Credit: © Tyrone Siu, Reuters Caption: Mr Wong cries out in anguish as fire engulfs the Tai Po housing complex he calls home. Moments earlier, he phoned his wife, who was trapped in the building, and they exchanged what would be their final words. Hong Kong, 26 November 2025. Story: A massive fire at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po claimed 168 lives, becoming Hong Kong’s deadliest fire since 1948. While no official cause has been reported, investigations by Hong Kong authorities found that bamboo scaffolding, construction netting, and flammable Styrofoam boards on windows acted as accelerants for the fire, trapping residents inside. More than 2,000 firefighters were involved in rescue efforts, killing one and injuring twelve.

A Desperate Plea 

Tyrone Siu, Hong Kong, Reuters

Stories

A bride in a white gown stands in floodwater outside a large, ornate, closed church door.
Three boys sit on church pews as floodwater covers the floor, looking curiously toward the camera.
Five men in formal attire stand in knee-deep floodwater, pants rolled up and hands in pockets.
Newlyweds kiss in a flooded church aisle, surrounded by joyful wedding party in blue and white attire.

Wedding in the Flood

Aaron Favila, Philippines, Associated Press

Large, messy office with empty chairs, scattered papers, and computers on desks, appearing abandoned.
A wig and several photos of people are scattered on a tiled floor next to someones feet in sandals.
A person with a purple umbrella and fan sits near makeshift tents and people on a rocky ground with mountains behind.
A uniformed guard stands in front of a gated residential complex with scattered debris and parked cars.

Scam Hub Under Siege

Jes Aznar, Philippines, for The New York Times

A narrow, lush green peninsula extends into the ocean, bordered by waves and dramatic cloudy skies.
A person in blue shorts holds a dolphin tail in red-stained water, with only part of their body visible.
A woman sits beside a man lying on a bed in a rustic, sunlit room with wooden walls.
A group of people gather outdoors, examining seaweed laid out on green mesh drying racks.

The Last Dolphin Hunters

Matthew Abbott, Australia, Oculi, for The New York Times 

Long-Term Project

An elderly woman smiles joyfully as she receives a bouquet of flowers from a younger person outdoors.
A person in striped pajamas sits on a hospital bed, looking out of a window, in a dimly lit room.
A crying toddler in a coat is pulled by two adults in a hallway, looking distressed.
A man sits on a mat with a young child resting their head on his lap in a calm, intimate moment.
An older woman brushes a young girl’s hair at a dining table while another child eats next to them.
Two young dancers in black leotards stretch at a ballet barre in a mirrored pose on a wooden floor.
People in masks and a hazmat suit walk together, one carrying a photo, during a somber outdoor procession.
Two girls sit on a bed with plush toys and a Sanrio Characters backdrop in a cozy bedroom, black and white photo.

Motherhood at 60 

Wu Fang, China

EUROPE

Singles

A bloodied woman sits against a graffiti wall at night, surrounded by emergency responders with flashlights.
Title: Russian Attack on Kyiv Credit: © Evgeniy Maloletka, Associated Press Caption: Valeria Syniuk (65) sits near her badly damaged home. She was asleep when a Russian missile destroyed the building opposite hers. Kyiv, Ukraine, 24 April 2025. Story: On 24 April 2025, Russia launched one of the deadliest attacks on Kyiv since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Hours after international peace negotiations stalled again, missiles and drones struck at least five residential neighborhoods, killing 13 people and wounding 90. Russia’s intensifying air campaign continues to devastate life across the country, systematically targeting infrastructure, hospitals, and educational institutions. By December 2025, at least 14,775 civilians had been killed since the invasion began. April 2025 was the worst month for child casualties in nearly three years.

Russian Attack on Kyiv

Evgeniy Maloletka, Ukraine, Associated Press

An elderly person in a wheelchair faces a robot across a table in a bright, modern room with large windows.
Title: Emma the Social Robot Credit: © Paula Hornickel Caption: Waltraud talks with Emma, a social robot that recognizes faces and remembers past conversations. Though skeptical at first, Waltraud says she felt connected to Emma over time. Albershausen, Germany, 3 July 2025. Story: Germany’s care homes are facing two crises: staff shortages and loneliness. A 2023 study found that one in five residents aged 80 and older describe themselves as “severely lonely.” This reality has prompted trials of social robots like Emma, developed by a Munich-based startup. Waltraud, a resident of Haus im Wiesengrund in Albershausen, had her doubts but over time formed a bond with Emma. “When she tells her jokes, that’s really good. That’s my kind of humor,” says Waltraud, though she emphasizes that human contact is always preferable.

Emma the Social Robot

Paula Hornickel, Germany

A polar bear stands on a dead whale amid floating sea ice viewed from above.
Title: Polar Bear on Sperm Whale Credit: © Roie Galitz Caption: A female polar bear feeds on a sperm whale carcass in the polar pack ice north of the Norwegian archipelago, Svalbard. 82° North, International Waters, 8 July 2025. Story: Polar bears are primarily seal predators, but as ice retreats in the summer and hunting becomes harder, they increasingly rely on opportunistic scavenging. Near Svalbard, the ice-free season has lengthened by 20 weeks in the last 30 years. Sperm whales typically avoid ice-covered polar waters, so this carcass was a rare sight. Scientists speculate that after dying, the male sperm whale drifted north, carried by winds and currents. The photographer spent two days observing the scene from a small boat, capturing it by drone to reveal a scale difficult to grasp from sea level.

Polar Bear on Sperm Whale

Roie Galitz, Israel

Stories

A man beats a roadside fire with a tree branch in heavy smoke near a red wine route sign on a rural road.
Two people in masks urgently carry a black bin on a smoky road surrounded by dry grass and haze.
Wildfire burns along a mountain ridge at night, with smoke and flames lighting up the dark sky.
Aerial view of a village with many buildings severely damaged or destroyed by fire.

Burned Land

Brais Lorenzo, Spain, EFE, Revista 5W, El País

Two people in camouflage gear attach a grenade to a drone outdoors, one with a tiger tattoo on his hand.
A soldier in gear holds a rifle, sitting in a vehicle with several electronic devices mounted above.
A woman mourns over a fallen horse amid rubble, while others stand nearby in a damaged area.
People wearing balaclavas assemble items at workbenches in a busy, well-lit workshop or factory.

Drone Wars

David Guttenfelder, United States,The New York Times

A man helps a woman in a wheelchair sit at a set dining table with a small Swedish flag in a cozy restaurant.
Woman in a floral dress holding lilacs stands beside an empty wheelchair under a blooming lilac tree in a garden.
A woman in bed wearing a bow and crown sips from a straw while someone assists her.
A frail woman in a white dress lies in bed, gracefully raising her arms like a ballerina.

Engla Louise

Sanna Sjöswärd, Sweden/Iran, for Corren

Long-Term Project

A group of people stand on the roof of a building with old signs against a cloudy sky.
A woman in a car’s backseat lovingly holds a man lying with his head on her lap, both softly lit.
Two children run through a sunny parking lot in front of a tall apartment building with many windows.
Four men sit and talk on a bench in a park as a boy rides a balance bike on a path behind them.
A young boxer stands in a ring, surrounded by a crowd of men in a city outdoor setting.
Tall apartment buildings with trees in the foreground and a person sitting on a low rooftop at sunset.
Four people play cards around a plaid-covered table, each with cards in hand and some cards on the table.
Two police officers talk to a group of people gathered on a city street near a convenience store.

Extramuros

William Keo, France/Cambodia, La Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Die Zeit

NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA

Singles

Person in a blue graduation gown is handcuffed with zip ties and held by a gloved officer.
Title: Columbia University Pro-Palestine Protests Credit: © Alex Kent, for The New York Times Caption: ​​Barnard College alumna Jesse Pearce is arrested outside Columbia University’s commencement ceremony. Along with current students, alumni protested the institution’s ongoing financial ties to Israel. New York City, New York, United States, 21 May 2025. Story: Facing intense political pressure to limit pro-Palestine demonstrations, many US universities became focal points in a national conflict over free speech and institutional independence. At Columbia University, the Trump administration suspended $400 million in federal funding to force a crackdown on campus protests, causing severe administrative upheaval. The students were caught in this institutional crossfire, but many members of the graduating class of 2025 as well as alumni chose to exercise their first amendment rights in protests and demonstrations.

Columbia University Pro-Palestine Protests

Alex Kent, United States, for The New York Times

Police in riot gear confront protesters in a street filled with green smoke at night.
Title: Portland Protests ICE Credit: © Jan Sonnenmair Caption: ​​Officers from the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies clash with demonstrators outside an ICE processing center. The intense summer protests centered on opposing the administration’s escalating mass-deportation agenda. Portland, Oregon, United States, 24 June 2025. Story: In 2025, the Trump administration shifted its immigration enforcement from the border to the US interior, aiming for 3,000 arrests per day and abandoning protections for schools, hospitals, courthouses, and places of worship. In response, Portland, a “sanctuary city” that prohibits its own state and local law forces to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, became a flashpoint for resistance. During the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations in June, localized protests escalated into nightly clashes outside the city’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.

Portland Protests ICE

Jan Sonnenmair, United States 

A group of women in traditional clothing hold roses, with one woman standing at the center, facing forward.
Title: The Trials of the Achi Women Credit: © Victor J. Blue, for The New York Times Magazine Caption: ​​Doña Paulina Ixpatá Alvarado stands with other Achi women outside a Guatemala City court. That afternoon, three ex-civil defense patrollers were found guilty of rape and crimes against humanity and sentenced to 40 years in prison each. Guatemala City, Guatemala, 30 May 2025. Story: For four decades, a group of Indigenous Maya Achi women in Rabinal lived in the same communities as the men who had raped them, sometimes as neighbors. Guatemala’s civil war led to the genocide of thousands of Maya Achi people by the military and local state-backed paramilitary forces, who used sexual violence as a systematic weapon to subjugate Indigenous communities. In 2011, 36 women broke their silence, launching and winning a 14-year legal battle against their abusers. Their collective resilience is transforming a legacy of wartime impunity into a historic victory for justice.

The Trials of the Achi Women 

Victor J. Blue, United States, for The New York Times Magazine

Stories

A distressed woman is held by several people, appearing scared or in pain, surrounded by a crowd.
Police officers in tactical gear line both sides of a hallway as people gather at the end of the corridor.
A woman holding papers walks toward closed elevator doors in a building hallway.
A security guard watches as a distressed woman and a crying child stand by a building corner.

ICE Arrests at New York Court

Carol Guzy, United States, Zuma Press, iWitness, for Miami Herald

An elderly woman in a wheelchair wearing a mask, with emergency lights glowing in the smoky background.
A wildfire blazes through a street at night, with palm trees and embers swirling in the smoky, orange sky.
A person stands in front of destroyed buildings, covering their face amid smoky, debris-filled air.
Burnt palm trees, destroyed cars, and debris by the ocean at sunset under a clear sky.

Los Angeles on Fire

Ethan Swope, United States, for Associated Press

A pregnant woman gets an ultrasound, smiling and pointing, with a partner and technician beside her.
A light-skinned arm with we still tattoo holding a darker-skinned hand, in black and white.
A man gently touches a swaddled newborn wearing a lace headband, sitting on a couch.
A person’s hand rests on a sticker-covered coffin as another holds the hands of the deceased inside.

Tanner’s Song

Jahi Chikwendiu, United States, The Washington Post

Long-Term Project

A man stands behind a seated woman, resting his hands on her shoulders in a rustic room.
A black dog stands in a ruined doorway, looking toward a deserted beach and the ocean beyond.
Black and white close-up portrait of an older man with a serious expression, standing near a doorway.
A hand gripping several freshly caught fish, their bodies hanging downward in black and white.
A large white boat sits on dry land with mountains and a town in the background at sunset, in black and white.
People stand in line with buckets and containers for water on a street in front of old buildings.
A person climbs stairs above a flooded courtyard with reflections on the ceiling, in black and white.
A lone tree stands on a hill as wildfire burns at its base; smoke fills the air in a mountainous landscape.

Mexico, A Changing Climate

César Rodríguez, Mexico, Norwegian Red Cross, SNCA, The New York Times

SOUTH AMERICA

Singles

An older woman and four children lie on a bed, smiling and laughing together in a sunlit room.
Title: A Territory of Hope Credit: © Priscila Ribeiro Caption: Sandra Mara Siqueira rests with her grandchildren, Micael, Davi, Ana Flávia, and Vitória. Living in the Parque dos Lagos occupation since 2013, the family seeks land regularization to guarantee access to basic infrastructure. Colombo, Paraná, Brazil, 15 November 2025 Story: Millions of Brazilians lack safe and affordable housing, with a national shortage of 5.9 million homes forcing approximately 16.4 million people into informal settlements. In the city of Colombo, the Parque dos Lagos occupation is home to 200 families living without official access to water, sewage disposal, or electricity. This project examines the struggle for land regularization, the legal process of converting informal possession into property rights. For Sandra Mara Siqueira and these communities, legal tenure is the essential gateway to credit, permanence, and dignity.

A Territory of Hope

Priscila Ribeiro, Brazil

People grieving and crying while embracing a plastic-wrapped casket, with hands touching its surface.
Title: Funeral for “The Four of Malvinas” Credit: © Santiago Arcos, for Reuters Caption: Teammates mourn Ismael Arroyo (15) who was tortured and murdered by Air Force personnel. Families, neighbors, and residents of Las Malvinas accompanied the coffins from their homes to the cemetery, turning the funeral into a massive public act of grief and protest. Guayaquil, Ecuador, 1 January 2025 Story: Ecuador’s militarized crackdown on transnational gangs has transformed vulnerable communities into targets for state violence. In December 2024, four Afro-Ecuadorian boys – aged 11 to 15 – disappeared after a neighborhood football practice in Guayaquil. The government initially denied involvement, then attempted to label the children as criminals. The discovery of their burned remains near an air force base shattered the Las Malvinas community and exposed the dangers of security policies that racially profile and criminalize marginalized youth.

Funeral for “The Four of Malvinas”

Santiago Arcos, Ecuador, for Reuters

A man in white is pushed by riot police with shields during a protest on a city street.
Title: Milei’s Argentina Credit: © Tadeo Bourbon, for Revista Mu Caption: Police detain Father Jorge “Chueco” Romero during a pensioners’ protest. Police detain Father Jorge “Chueco” Romero during a pensioners’ protest. Members of the “Opción por los Pobres” (Option for the Poor) clergy have joined weekly demonstrations against pension freezes and cuts to essential medical coverage. Buenos Aires, Argentina, 14 May 2025. Story: In Argentina, aggressive austerity measures aimed at curbing 200% inflation have plunged the nation’s older people into a desperate struggle for survival. With the minimum pension hovering around $300 – less than half the estimated basic cost of living – many retirees are forced to ration food and forgo essential medical treatments. Every Wednesday, pensioners gather outside the National Congress to protest low pensions and cuts to free medication programs. These demonstrations are frequently met with heavily militarized police responses, drawing international condemnation.

Milei’s Argentina

Tadeo Bourbon, Argentina, for Revista Mu

Stories

A group of shirtless men sit on the ground with heads bowed, lined up against a corrugated metal wall.
A woman comforts another woman lying on a dirt road, covered partly by a yellow blanket, near vegetation.
Several workers in orange uniforms clean a city street with soap and hoses, surrounded by buildings and people.

Those Who Carry the Dead

Eduardo Anizelli, Brazil, Folha de S.Paulo

A person in traditional attire made of leaves stands on a rocky path at night, holding a wooden staff.
A group of people carries a man in a burlap sack during a crowded outdoor gathering.
Women passionately sing and drum on sticks together, standing outside near a wooden fence.
A duck swims in a river at dusk, with dark trees and hills silhouetted against a cloudy sky.

Manacillos: A Return to Life

Ever Andrés Mercado Puentes, Colombia

A person holds a purple cloth outside a rustic wooden house, surrounded by dry grass and bushes.
A person’s hand pulls back a curtain, revealing a dimly lit room with another person sitting inside.
A hand holds a photo album open to a picture of soldiers in camouflage uniforms standing together.
A child stands behind a billowing white curtain in a dimly lit room, sunlight streaming through a window.

Name the Absence

Ferley A. Ospina, Colombia

Long-Term Project

A weathered hand held up in front of a dirt road stretching into a rural, overcast landscape.
A woman and young girl hold hands and smile as fabric billows above them indoors; a dog lies in the background.
A child jumps off a bench, a girl sits on a chair, a dog stands, and two people are in the background outdoors.
Two preserved frogs in glass jars filled with liquid, displayed side by side in black and white.
A thin, shirtless person with a visible spine stands alone in an empty, barren field.
A person bends over in a dusty, barren field under a hazy sky, with scattered plants on the ground.
Seven people hold signs and a banner protesting agrotoxins and cancer in front of a large, ornate building at night.
A woman walks through a cemetery holding flowers, surrounded by rows of graves and headstones.

The Human Cost of Agrotoxins

Pablo E. Piovano, Argentina, Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation, Philip Jones Griffiths Foundation, Lawen.doc

WEST, CENTRAL, AND SOUTH ASIA

Singles

A large crowd gathers as flames engulf the upper floors of a grand white building with domed towers.
Title: Nepal’s Gen Z Uprising Credit: © Narendra Shrestha, EPA Images Caption: Fire and smoke engulf Singha Durbar after protesters stormed and set the government complex alight during violent demonstrations. Kathmandu, Nepal, 9 September 2025. Story: A government ban of 26 social media platforms on 4 September 2025 was the breaking point for Nepal’s youth. On 8 September, thousands took to the streets, part of a generation of young people around the world refusing to accept systems that perpetuate corruption, unemployment, and economic hardship. Within two days, 76 people were dead, most of them young demonstrators killed by police. Thousands more were injured. On 9 September, following Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s resignation, protesters stormed and set fire to Singha Durbar, the historic complex at the heart of Nepal’s government.

Nepal’s Gen Z Uprising

Narendra Shrestha, Nepal, EPA Images

A large crowd of people tightly packed together, some climbing atop others, in a dusty outdoor setting.
Title: Aid Emergency in Gaza Credit: © Saber Nuraldin, EPA Images Caption: Palestinians climb onto an aid truck as it enters the Gaza Strip via the Zikim Crossing in an attempt to get flour, during what the Israeli military called a “tactical suspension” in operations to allow humanitarian aid through. 27 July 2025. Story: In 2025, famine took hold amid what a UN Commission has concluded is a genocide in Gaza, which Israel disputes. Israeli authorities imposed a complete aid blockade in March, a tactic described by humanitarian organizations as the weaponization of starvation. The UN reports that between 27 May and 31 July at least 1,373 Palestinians seeking food were killed at or near aid distribution sites. Despite a ceasefire agreement in October, more than 75% of the population still face hunger and malnutrition. The photographer was born in Gaza and has documented life there since 1997.

Aid Emergency in Gaza

Saber Nuraldin, Palestine, EPA Images

A grieving woman holds a young girl in her arms, surrounded by others offering support and comfort.
Title: A Daughter’s Grief in Kashmir Credit: © Yasir Iqbal, Outlook India Magazine Caption: Sanam Bashir (21) collapses with grief at her mother’s funeral. Nargis Begum (45) died from shrapnel wounds after a mortar shell struck while the two were fleeing their home. Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, India, 9 May 2025. Story: The Kashmir region has been contested between India and Pakistan since the 1947 partition of British India, a territorial dispute that has fueled decades of conflict. On 22 April 2025, an attack on tourists in Pahalgam killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan-backed militant groups and responded with strikes on 7 May. Four days of intense cross-border shelling, drone attacks, and airstrikes followed. Thousands of civilians were displaced, dozens killed, and homes and infrastructure along the Line of Control (the de facto border) were destroyed. Widespread international pressure secured a ceasefire on 10 May, averting further escalation between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

A Daughter’s Grief in Kashmir

Yasir Iqbal, India, Outlook India Magazine

Stories

Three people rest on floor bedding in a sparsely furnished room; a woman sits while two lie down under blankets.
Seven women and girls, some holding young children, sit and stand in a waiting room with papers on the wall behind them.
A patient lies on a medical bed while a healthcare worker in PPE stands beside her in a clinic room.
A woman in a colorful dress carries a baby while walking on a rocky mountain trail under a clear sky.

“I’m Afraid”: Afghan Women Face US Aid Cuts

Elise Blanchard, France, for Time

Four people sit amid rubble and damaged buildings in a war-torn urban area at sunset.
A man herds goats by a riverside with green vegetation, near a road and some distant buildings at dusk.
A boy climbs inside a dim, damaged room as geese stand on sunlit stairs outside.
Men carry and stack bags of cement in front of damaged, crumbling buildings in a war-torn urban area.

A Syrian City Rebuilds, Still Divided

Nicole Tung, Hong Kong/United States, VII Photo, for The New York Times

A group of men embrace and reach out through a bus window as people gather and take photos.
A crowd of people holding pots and pans reach out for food at a crowded outdoor aid distribution point.
A family sits inside a ruined building surrounded by rubble and debris, with a dirt road on the right.
A tall building and city area are hit by explosions, with smoke and fire rising into the sky.

Witnessing Gaza

Saher Alghorra, Palestine, for The New York Times

Long-Term Project

A chalkboard with Persian writing leans against a wall, with peoples shadows cast beside it.
A boy stands in a ruined, rubble-filled room, holding broken objects, with light coming from a window behind him.
A soldier stands in a damaged, abandoned classroom with torn curtains and scattered toys.
A woman stands in a dark space, illuminated by a diagonal beam of sunlight from above.
A teacher writes on a blackboard while girls in white uniforms sit on the classroom floor, listening attentively.
Burned and damaged books and papers scattered in a pile of debris.
A woman in a red hijab writes on a chalkboard in a dimly lit classroom with a child watching.
Girls in white headscarves climb a rocky hill toward sunlight, carrying school bags, with dry grass around.

Hijacked Education

Diego Ibarra Sánchez, Spain

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Chris Gampat is the Editor in Chief, Founder, and Publisher of the Phoblographer. He provides oversight to all of the daily tasks, including editorial, administrative, and advertising work. Chris's editorial work includes not only editing and scheduling articles but also writing them himself. He's the author of various product guides, educational pieces, product reviews, and interviews with photographers. He's fascinated by how photographers create, considering the fact that he's legally blind./ HIGHLIGHTS: Chris used to work in Men's lifestyle and tech. He's a veteran technology writer, editor, and reviewer with more than 15 years experience. He's also a Photographer that has had his share of bylines and viral projects like "Secret Order of the Slice." PAST BYLINES: Gear Patrol, PC Mag, Geek.com, Digital Photo Pro, Resource Magazine, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, IGN, PDN, and others. EXPERIENCE: Chris Gampat began working in tech and art journalism both in 2008. He started at PCMag, Magnum Photos, and Geek.com. He founded the Phoblographer in 2009 after working at places like PDN and Photography Bay. He left his day job as the Social Media Content Developer at B&H Photo in the early 2010s. Since then, he's evolved as a publisher using AI ethically, coming up with ethical ways to bring in affiliate income, and preaching the word of diversity in the photo industry. His background and work has spread to non-profits like American Photographic Arts where he's done work to get photographers various benefits. His skills are in SEO, app development, content planning, ethics management, photography, Wordpress, and other things. EDUCATION: Chris graduated Magna Cum Laude from Adelphi University with a degree in Communications in Journalism in 2009. Since then, he's learned and adapted to various things in the fields of social media, SEO, app development, e-commerce development, HTML, etc. FAVORITE SUBJECT TO PHOTOGRAPH: Chris enjoys creating conceptual work that makes people stare at his photos. But he doesn't get to do much of this because of the high demand of photography content. / BEST PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: Don't do it in post-production when you can do it in-camera.
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