Ukrainian photographer’s project wins World Press Photo 2024 contest

Ukrainian photographer Yuliia Kochetova won World Press Photo 2024 with a project, "War Is Personal." This is the most prestigious award for photojournalists.

The organizers announced the winners on Thursday, April 18, Rubryka writes.

It is worth reminding that earlier Kochetova's multimedia project about the war in Ukraine was included in the list of laureates in the Europe category.

"Emotional images stand out among the many works about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is still ongoing. The jury notes the insider's perspective of this story told by a Ukrainian photographer, which is especially noticeable in the visual symbolism, the intensive use of color, and the collaboration with a Ukrainian illustrator and DJ," the competition's jury comments on the victory of the Ukrainian photographer.

The World Press Photo jury also notes that Kochetova's audio recordings, music, and illustrations, which complement the photos taken during the war, make her project similar to a movie.

Now, this project has been announced as the winner of the Open Format Award category.

The project "War is personal" consists of photographs that Kochetova took in war-torn Ukraine, audio recordings, musical compositions, and illustrations that complement the photographs.

"I know that this photo and our flag will fly around the world. The summer of 2022, the border of the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, and this "checkpoint" and the urgent and urgent need to raise our flag… No prizes are won in war.

But I have been gifted with a clear sense that I am one of those who carry our flag. I will do it to the best of my ability — honor to those killed in battle, glory to living heroes. Thank you to those who defended and continue to defend my right to life," Kochetova responded to her victory.

Other photographers' wins in World Press Photo 2024

• The jury recognized Mohammad Salem's work "A Palestinian Woman Embraces the Body of Her Niece" as the photo of the year.

• Photo story of the year is the Valim-babena project by photographer Lee-Ann Olvage, which tells the story of the tradition of adult children caring for dementia patients in Madagascar.

• Long-term project – Alejandro Cegarra and his series of photographs about migrants in Mexico "Two Walls."

What is known about the World Press Photo contest

World Press Photo is a competition for all professional photographers in photojournalism or documentary photography. Winners are determined yearly: first at the regional level and then at the global level.

This year, the names of 24 regional winners were announced on April 3. Then, four laureates were chosen among them in global nominations:

• World Press Photo of the Year,
• World Press Photo Story of the Year,
• World Press Photo Long-Term Project Award,
• World Press Photo Open Format Award.

We will remind that last year, the winner of the competition was the Ukrainian photographer Yevhen Maloletka. He was awarded for a series of pictures, "The Siege of Mariupol."

First, his series was included in the list of laureates in the Europe category, and then one of the pictures from the Mariupol maternity hospital bombed by the Russians was named Photo of the Year.

Also, Mololetka in the United States of America received the Pulitzer Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in journalism and literature.