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AFP photographers chosen as finalists in the 2019 World Press Photo awards
Three AFP photographers nominated for prizes in the 2019 edition of the World Press Photo.
Brendan Smialowski was nominated in the “General News – Singles” category for an image of President Emmanuel Macron being taken by the hand by President Donald Trump during the French leader’s official visit to the White House in April 2018.
Brendan Smialowski has been based in Washington since 2003 and joined AFP in 2012. He is accredited to the White House and has covered national affairs and recent natural disasters.
Pedro Pardo is nominated in the “Spot News – Singles” category for his image of Mexican migrants climbing over the border fence with the United States.
A photojournalist since 1998, Pedro Pardo is based at the AFP bureau in Mexico City and his coverages have included the migrant crisis, the drug war and Fidel Castro’s funeral.
He has won several prizes including 3rd prize in the Contemporary Issues- Stories category of the World Press in 2012 and second place in the Bayeux Calvados War Correspondents awards in 2011.
John Wessels has two nominations in the ”General News – Stories” category for his work in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The first – A Fight for Democracy – shows a supporter of opposition leader Martin Fayulu during demonstrations in Kinshasa. The second – Fighting Ebola and Conflict – depicts a medical worker at a treatment center in a conflict zone.
John Wessels began his career as a photojournalist in 2014 and joined AFP in 2016. He has been based in Kinshasa since 2017. His work has mainly focused on humanitarian crises across the country.
In 2018 three AFP photographers won World Press Photo awards, including Ronaldo Schemidt who won the top prize of World Press Photo of the Year for his image of a Venezuelan demonstrator in flames during clashes with riot police.
This year’s winners will be announced on April 11.
About AFP:
AFP is a global news agency delivering fast, accurate, in-depth coverage of the events shaping our world from conflicts to politics, economics, sports, entertainment and the latest breakthroughs in health, science and technology. With 2,400 staff spread across almost every country, AFP covers the world 24 hours a day in six languages. AFP delivers the news in video, text, photos, multimedia and graphics to a wide range of customers including newspapers and magazines, radio and TV channels, web sites and portals, mobile operators, corporate clients as well as public institutions.