World Press Photo Of The Year: Samuel Aranda, New York Times Photographer, Wins Award (PHOTO)

New York Times photographer Samuel Aranda was announced the winner of the iconic World Press Photo competition on Friday.

The 55th annual jury of the World Press Photo contest selected Aranda's photograph of a woman consoling an injured male relative in Yemen as 2011's photo of the year. The woman is covered almost entirely by her burqa, by exception of small parts of her face and arms that seem to sneak out from beneath her robes. Aranda took the photograph in a Sanaa mosque that was being used as a hospital by demonstrators protesting against Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The Times' Lens blog described the winning photograph as having the "feel of a Renaissance painting." Mr. Aranda told the Times that it was one of the first shots he took during his two months on assignment in Yemen. "The woman is not just crying. It was something more. You can feel that the woman is really strong," Aranda said of the female subject in his photograph.

The World Press Photo competition is one of the most famous competitions for photojournalists in the world. The award-winning photographs are made into a traveling exhibition, which visits more than 45 countries over the course of the year. Click over to the World Press Photo website to view all the winners and exhibit schedule.

Comments

[FredSays]

12:13 AM on 02/14/2012

Beautiful photograph! It's a modern day version of the Pietà by Michelangelo.

[filiusj]

08:42 PM on 02/13/2012

Love is Universal.

[Francois Bergeron]

07:38 PM on 02/13/2012

Fantastic pic.

[TheBaffler]

07:33 PM on 02/13/2012

Whole lotta Islamophobes here in a snit over Muslims being presented as the caring humans they are.

[Cody Wandel]

04:26 PM on 02/13/2012

Good thing they noted that this man was a relative, or this photo could have been a death sentence for her. She's already being immodest by showing her wrist.

[TheBaffler]

07:29 PM on 02/13/2012

Islamophobe alert.

[Cody Wandel]

07:56 PM on 02/13/2012

I read all this nasty stuff people have to say and nobody has any response. I say one joking thing and instantaneously someone pops up calling me an islamophobe.

[msmanatee]

07:24 AM on 02/14/2012

It is NOT Islamaphobic when you point out the obvious misogyny in the picture. That is what made it so moving for me. That both are human and in pain yet the man can be almost naked and the women is forced under heavy dark clothing as a criminal for being female. And knowing the risk she took to show her humanity, it indeed could be a life sentence.

[fatback65]

12:36 PM on 02/14/2012

What is it with you people? Pretty sick.

[Cody Wandel]

05:40 PM on 02/14/2012

Me sick? Those aren't my rules.

[bk1]

10:40 PM on 02/12/2012

What I see in this picture is the seemingly endless paradox of religion in this world. The nuturing sense of security that it bestows being extended in the face of the pain that it derives. From the origins of man to this picture, it has been a constant in our society and the most common source of conflict in our collective existance. In light of the events of the past ten years, will anyone really be surprised if it takes us to the edge of destruction?

[BOin08]

10:29 PM on 02/12/2012

wrist skin = porn

[fatback65]

12:37 PM on 02/14/2012

To some.

[nwlover]

07:10 PM on 02/12/2012

I just glanced at it & sincerely thought it was a gorilla holding a man, until I noticed the gloved hand wasn't furry.

[grumbles]

11:52 AM on 02/12/2012

looks like "The Piata" ...........

[ladydragon]

10:40 PM on 02/11/2012

Several years ago I was coming back from lunch in Arlington VA where I worked at the time, it was a glorious spring day, on the sidewalk a woman was walking toward me, she had her baby in a stroller, she was covered in a black Burka from head to toe, the only thing I could see was her eyes. At first I admired how cute the baby was and she could see me smiling at the baby, then I looked at her. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, even though I couldn't see her face, I could see her smile.

[zwyziec]

07:25 PM on 02/11/2012

Many posts are commenting on her burka.

The picture is not about that. It is about her eyes, her hand, her gloves and her compassionate hold on a man who looks to be in his dying moment.

The burka is black. She is wearing sanitary gloves indicating she may be a nurse. Her eyes are piercing yet slightly hidden.

But it is her hands, comforting, strong, resolute and transferring her strength and compassion to this poor man at a critical moment. She has done this before. She knows history. She is also angry at the injustice in her country.

She chose to wear a burka. Who are we to criticize her custom, her beliefs.

We need more people like her.

[plepgeat]

12:53 AM on 02/12/2012

Her eyes look totally hidden in the photo I'm looking at here. He's sitting up and looks reasonably healthy. I think your narrative says more about you than them.

[msmanatee]

07:34 AM on 02/14/2012

"Who are we to criticize her custom, her beliefs." Are you kidding me? We should just sit buy while they take away her every right as a human being? Are honor killings a choice too? Stoning for alleged adultery? Forced covering while you walk 10 paces behind (or in front of if there are land mines) the male? We have to be more civilized and compassionate than that. She has no voice...this is not her "choice". And soon this may not be our choice either. Are we to learn nothing from history as it continues to repeat?

[papapj]

06:41 PM on 02/11/2012

WOW!

[blurredmolly]

06:14 PM on 02/11/2012

what a great website

[EdmundoOrejel]

05:00 PM on 02/11/2012

Amazing!

[thefeargame]

04:53 PM on 02/11/2012

It is beautiful...humanity at its very best.

[msmanatee]

07:37 AM on 02/14/2012

And very worst.

I loved it for that reason. A very strong image indeed.