Djibouti Callers Photograph Wins 1st Prize | NDJ World Mobile

DJIBOUTI CITY – American photographer John Stanmeyer won the 2013 World Press Photo Award on Friday with his image of African men standing in the night trying to get a cellphone signal.

Picture of Djibouti callers wins 2013 Word Press Photo 1st prize. Photo Credit: ATP

The migrant workers live in the coastal city of Djibouti and hold up their cellphones with hopes of catching a cheap or free airway network, allowing them to call their families in neighboring Somalia.

The country of Djibouti has become a popular transit hub for migrant workers from Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea wanting to move to Europe and the Middle-East, looking for a better life.

Gary Knight, one of the jury members selection the first prize winner, said that Stanmeyer’s photo speaks of ‘great hope’.

Stanmeyer shot the picture for National Geographic and was awarded $US12,000 in prize money.

The World Press Photo winning picture was chosen from 98,671 entries submitted by 5,754 photographers. The 2013 entries were less than in 2012 when 103,000 photos were submitted.

World Press Photo director Michiel Munneke said “it’s not about the number of entries we receive but about the quality of the image”. He said: “We want to confront, inspire and make the public aware of subjects and events that make a difference”.

The 2013 award was the 57th annual edition of the event. The winning photos in 9 categories will be on display on April 18th at the New Church in Amsterdam.

Afterwards, the exhibition will continue to remain on display traveling through more than 100 cities in 45 countries.

Sponsored LinksThis entry was posted in Lifestyle and tagged Djibouti Callers, migrant workers, National Geographic, photographer John Stanmeyer, picture of hope, World Press Photo on February 14, 2014by Administrator. Previous PostTeenager Talks About Sky Dive Gone WrongNext PostBreivik Not Happy With Prison Life