Anthony Suau’s image of an armed officer moving through a home in Cleveland, Ohio, following an eviction is the winner of World Press Photo of the Year 2008. This year, a record 5,508 professional photographers from 124 countries submitted a total of 96,268 images. The winning image was taken in March 2008 as part of a story commissioned by Time magazine.  Anthony Suau will receive a cash prize of €10,000 from World Press Photo at an awards ceremony in Amsterdam on 3rd May.

Canon UK Press Release

Canon congratulates World Press Photo of the Year winner

United Kingdom / Republic of Ireland, 13 February, 2009: Canon today congratulates American photographer Anthony Suau, winner of World Press Photo of the Year 2008. His image showing an armed officer moving through a home in Cleveland, Ohio, following eviction as a result of mortgage foreclosure, was chosen from a total of 96,268 images. 

Now in its 52nd year, the World Press Photo Contest is universally acknowledged as the world’s most prestigious competition for photojournalists. This year, a record 5,508 professional photographers from 124 countries submitted images – an increase of 10 per cent from last year.  Canon has been a global corporate sponsor of World Press Photo since 1992.

Gregory Kukolj, Marketing Communications Director, Canon Consumer Imaging, Europe, and Member of the World Press Photo Advisory Board comments: “There are few occasions in the photojournalistic calendar when so much talent is reviewed by a single, international jury.  Canon’s longstanding sponsorship of World Press Photo is an association driven by our passion for images, and our interest in those who create them.  Each of the photographers in this 2009 Press Photo Contest has had their passion for their work prestigiously recognised, and we would like to extend our warmest congratulations to all the winners.”

The international jury of 13 picture editors, photographers and press agency representatives – chaired by MaryAnne Golon – deliberated for two weeks before awarding prizes in 10 theme categories to 63 photographers of 27 nationalities, with one image being selected as World Press Photo of the Year 2008.

The winning image was taken in March 2008 as part of a story commissioned by Time magazine.  Anthony Suau will receive a cash prize of €10,000 from World Press Photo at an awards ceremony in Amsterdam on 3rd May. In addition, Canon Europe will provide Anthony Suau with an EOS 5D Mark II camera.

An exhibition of the prize-winning World Press Photo images will be shown from Monday 4th May until the 28th June 2009, in the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam.  Subsequently the exhibition will tour to some 100 cities in 45 countries around the world.

Further information about World Press Photo is available at www.worldpressphoto.org

A selection of prize-winning images is available for publication on the international wire services of AP, AFP, EPA and Reuters, and on the press download area of World Press Photo’s corporate website www.worldpressphoto.org/downloads (registration required).

An up-to-date exhibition schedule is also available online: www.worldpressphoto.org/exhibitions

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