Independent photojournalism and documentary photography are indispensable tools of political education for a democratic society and an essential part of shaping public opinion―especially in our so-called ‘post-factual’ times. In recognition of this, the independent non-profit organization World Press Photo Foundation, based in Amsterdam, has been presenting the World Press Photo Award for...

“The death of a beautiful woman is unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world,” wrote Edgar Allan Poe. And one is tempted to be of the same opinion when considering Ophelia, Madame Bovary, or Anna Karenina. This concept is also deeply rooted in Far Eastern culture: Buddhism even recommends daily meditation on one’s own death. The Japanese artist Izima Kaoru (*1954 in Kyoto) lets the...

The Polish photographer and filmmaker Tomasz Gudzowaty is actually known for his perfection—clear compositions, precisely chosen image frames, carefully considered down to the last detail. However, the approach to his Sumo series is completely different. For his photographic tribute to the Japanese national sport Sumo, Gudzowaty confronts his subject with the rebellious aesthetic of...