Photojournalists across the world capture the most fascinating images that open our eyes to new cultures and inform us about the world. Photography is undoubtedly a medium that unifies us and keeps the people of the world aware of one another. We recently saw the shortlist for Sony's World Photography contest that features dozens of photographers and now we bring you the winners of the 2012 World Press Photo contest.
In this contest, 101,254 pictures from 5,247 photographers of 124 different nationalities were entered. Of those, 350 photos were awarded in 9 different categories ranging from contemporary issues and daily life stories to nature and portraits.
Samuel Aranda's photo, above, took the big prize as the World Press Photo of the Year. Check out some of our favorites from the competition, below.
Photo by Jan Dago: In Tahrir Square, a child is propped atop an adult's shoulders, fully clad in military uniform, in a peaceful effort to ask President Hosni Mubarek to step down
Photo by Tomasz Lazar: In Harlem, New York, a protestor is arrested at a demonstration against police tactics and income inequality.
Photo by Alex Majoli: In Cairo, protestors cry in rebellion at Tahrir Square in response to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarek's speech about refusing to step down.
Photo by Stephanie Sinclair: Tahani, a child bride in Yemen at the age of 6, poses with her husband, 25 years old at the time of their marriage. They are joined by another child bride, Ghada, and her husband.
Photo by Alejandro Kirchuk: A married couple of 65 years, Marcos (89) and Monica (87) live everyday together through the added obstacle of Monica's diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease.
Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba: Chieko Matsukawa finds her daughter's graduation certificate in the rubble in the aftermath of Japan's earthquake in 2011
Photo by Lars Lindqvist: At the port of Ishinokmaki, boats are stranded atop the piers in the wake of the 9.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Japan
Photo by Johnny Haglund: A girl in the Democractic Republic of Congo goes fishing in the Congo River. She carries the fish in her mouth, a common practice, because it is less likely to slip out of her grip.
Thousands of shark fins are sorted through in China, where shark fin soup is a very popular meal. It is reported that 90 percent of sharks have disappeared because of the international demand for the dish.
Photo by Brent Stirton: Two rhinos meet, one of which survived a vicious dehorning by poachers in South Africa only a few months ago.
A sergeant in South Africa demonstrates how to operate a gun to a group of white youths at a camp dedicated to go up against Nelson Mandela's culturally mixed “rainbow nation.”
Photo by Adam Pretty: Silhouettes of divers practicing at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China during the 14th FINA World Championships.
