Winners of the World Press Photo announced in De Nieuwe Kerk
On Thursday 17 April, World Press Photo announced the major winners of the world’s most prestigious photojournalism competition at De Nieuwe Kerk Amsterdam. According to the jury, the best news photo of the year was taken by Palestinian photographer Samar Abu Elouf (born 1983) for The New York Times. The image is a poignant photograph of a young boy who was seriously injured during an Israeli attack on Gaza in March 2024.
With the photo ‘Mahmoud Ajjour, Aged Nine’, Abu Elouf wins the main prize, Photo of the Year. “A silent photo that speaks loudly. And it not only tells the story of a young boy but also of war in a broader sense, which will have an impact for generations to come,” said Joumana El Zein Khoury, director of World Press Photo.
The World Press Photo exhibition in De Nieuwe Kerk has been completely revamped this year, including a special presentation in honor of 70 years of World Press Photo. The exhibition premieres annually in the church before traveling to more than 60 locations worldwide. It will be open from Friday 18 April until Sunday 21 September 2025.
John Moore and Musuk Nolte are the finalists
During the press conference in Amsterdam, El Zein Khoury also announced the two finalists.
American photographer John Moore (born 1967) was recognized for his work Night Crossing, which explores the complex realities of migration. The image captures a group of Chinese migrants traveling through South and Central America on their way to North America. “The otherworldly atmosphere of the image, combined with the tenderness between parent and child, invites reflection and raises questions about the uncertainty ahead. In a single photo, the photographer conveys both immense vulnerability and resilience,” said the jury.
Mexican photographer Musuk Nolte (born 1988) was also named a finalist for his photograph Droughts in the Amazon. The image depicts a young man on his way to visit his mother in Manacapuru, a village in the Amazon that was once accessible by boat. In 2025, however, he must walk two kilometers across a dried-up riverbed. A powerful photograph that “illustrates the consequences of climate change and the stark contrast of dry, desert-like landscapes in the world’s largest rainforest,” according to the jury.
Dutch photographers awarded
Six regional juries and an international jury reviewed 59,320 submissions from 3,778 photographers across 141 countries. A total of 42 winning projects and photographers have been selected, including two Dutch photographers: Marijn Fidder (born 1997) and Prins Vos (born 1991).
Prins Vos’s portrait features Mika, a 21-year-old from Rotterdam, who has been waiting 22 months for his first consultation at a gender clinic. Through this work, the photographer highlights the well-being of transgender individuals waiting for their next step in transition.
Dutch documentary photographer Marijn Fidder’s work portrays a bodybuilder—the Ugandan top athlete Tamale Safale. Despite his disability (he lost his leg in a motorcycle accident), Safale competes in tournaments against athletes without physical limitations.
World Press Photo anniversary and revamped exhibition at De Nieuwe Kerk
This year marks the 70th anniversary of World Press Photo, and the milestone is receiving special attention at the De Nieuwe Kerk exhibition, featuring a dedicated presentation in the high choir.
A major update this year is the overall design of the exhibition, with photos and stories displayed in a fresh, innovative way. Particularly striking is the memorial space, which includes the names of all journalists killed in 2024. Last year was the deadliest year since the Committee to Protect Journalists began keeping records over thirty years ago, with at least 103 journalists losing their lives.
One of the chapels focuses on how World Press Photo evaluates photographs. How can one be certain that images and information are authentic? What is media framing? These and other questions take center stage.
In the audio tour, the photographers themselves provide insights into their images.
