World Press Photo Exhibition to touchdown in Sydney

The exhibition showcases a range of provocative images, with the mission statement of communicating powerful emotions that transcend the power of words. The winner of the World Press Photo of the Year 2004 is an image of a woman mourning the death of a relative killed in the Asian tsunami, taken by Reuters photographer Arko Datta in India on December 28.

"Canon Australia is delighted to again be the major sponsor of such a prestigious exhibition that pays tribute to the photographic excellence of the international press," says Mr Shuichi Tsukahara, managing director of Canon Australia. Marking a first for the competition, this year is significant in that it is the first time that all entries were judged in digital format.

"The fact that this renowned professional photography competition was judged entirely in digital is indicative of the level of acceptance the format has achieved," said Stuart Poignand, marketing manager Canon Australia's consumer imaging product group. "The immediacy and quality made possible by the latest digital SLR models have revolutionised photojournalism."

The winning images were selected by the World Press Photo Foundation from a record 69,190 entries (submitted by a record 4,266 photographers) from 123 countries. The Australian winners for 2004 include Adam Pretty, Dean Sewell, Patrick Brown and Trent Parke.

The World Press Photo Foundation is an independent platform for international press photography, founded in 1955. This platform manifests itself in the annual World Press Photo of the Year Contest and the corresponding yearbook and exhibition.

The exhibition will be on display for free at the State Library of NSW, from 24 June to 17 July 2005. Call (02) 9273 1414 for more information