2009 World Press Photo Exhibit

Rebecca Brayton: Each year themes in the World Press Photo exhibit are influenced by the events of that year. Hi, I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to watchmojo.com. And today, we’ll be checking out some of the most striking photos from the World Press Photo Tour of 2009. How is the World Press competition evolved since it started in 1955?

Jarre Janssen: We started with 300 entries in 1955. We’re now at 97,000 images almost more than 5,000 photographers.

Rebecca Brayton: Tell us more about the role and significance of photojournalism in reporting today?

Jarre Janssen: Like 10 years ago, you would give a photographer a year to do his assignment, to go to a place of interest and then let him shoot, let him investigate the whole situation and I’ll see here you would ,you would say okay, this is a good reportage, you’re going to publish it. Nowadays, magazines and newspaper have less money and also less time to have the photographers spend his time on an assignment.

Rebecca Brayton: How does citizen journalism affect photojournalism?

Jarre Janssen: We always have people with their mobile phone and sometimes newspapers choose to publish this image. So it influence press photography but on the other hand, good photography is only possible by good photographers who have a good eye for the subject.

Rebecca Brayton: What are some elements that you would say give a photo its impact?

Jarre Janssen: It’s part of aesthetics. It has to have to a journalistic value but that’s for press photography like the way we look at it.

Rebecca Brayton: Thank you very much.

Jarre Janssen: Thank you.