© Spencer Platt, USA, Getty ImagesWorld Press Photo of the Year 2006

The photo by Getty shooter Spencer Platt "shows a group of young Lebanese driving through a South Beirut neighborhood devastated by Israeli bombings. The picture was taken on 15 August 2006, the first day of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah when thousands of Lebanese started returning to their homes." World Press Photo jury chair Michele McNally describes the winning image: "It's a picture you can keep looking at. It has the complexity and contradiction of real life, amidst chaos. This photograph makes you look beyond the obvious."

More photos here

-----------------

PRESS RELEASE Amsterdam, 9 February 2007 US photographer Spencer Platt wins premier award The international jury of the 50th annual World Press Photo Contest selected a color image of the US photographer Spencer Platt of Getty Images as World Press Photo of the Year 2006. The picture shows a group of young Lebanese driving through a South Beirut neighborhood devastated by Israeli bombings. The picture was taken on 15 August 2006, the first day of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah when thousands of Lebanese started returning to their homes. World Press Photo jury chair Michele McNally describes the winning image: "It's a picture you can keep looking at. It has the complexity and contradiction of real life, amidst chaos. This photograph makes you look beyond the obvious." This year 4,460 professional photographers from 124 countries entered 78,083 images in the most prestigious annual international competition in press photography. The judging sessions took place in Amsterdam from 27 January to 8 February. The jury gave prizes in 10 theme categories to 58 photographers of 23 nationalities from: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Palestinian Territories, People's Republic of China, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and the USA. The 2007 jury: Chair: Michele McNally (USA), assistant managing editor The New York Times Members: - Peter Bialobrzeski (Germany), photographer Laif Photos & Reportagen - Philip Blenkinsop (Australia), photographer Agence Vu - Ruth Eichhorn (Germany), director of photography Geo - Adrian Evans (UK), director Panos Pictures - Maya Goded (Mexico), photographer Magnum Photos - Diego Goldberg (Argentina), photographer - Wen Huang (People's Republic of China), picture editor Xinhua News Agency - Alexander Joe (Zimbabwe), photographer Agence France-Presse - Jerry Lampen (the Netherlands), photographer Reuters - Jean-François Leroy (France), director Visa pour l'Image - Maria Mann (USA), photography consultant Secretary: Stephen Mayes (UK), director image archive Art + Commerce Anthology Spencer Platt, the author of the World Press Photo of the Year 2006, will receive his award and a cash prize of 10,000 euro at the awards ceremony in the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam, on Sunday 22 April 2007. In addition, Canon will donate Platt a Canon Pro SLR camera. The awards ceremony is preceded by a three-day program of lectures, discussions and screenings of photography. Three exhibitions will be shown at the Oude Kerk: the annual award-winning pictures, a special selection of Platt's work and a theme exhibition about climate change in Africa, documented by African photojournalists. The exhibitions are open to the public from 24 April to 17 June and the annual exhibition will subsequently visit over 85 locations around the world. For a provisional exhibition schedule see: www.worldpressphoto.nl/exhibitions. World Press Photo receives support from the Dutch Postcode Lottery and is sponsored worldwide by Canon and TNT.