World Press Photo Contest winners cast a lens on resilience, pain and bliss

Young dancers from the Joburg Ballet School backstage at the Soweto Theatre prepare for their year-end performance. Soweto, South Africa. December 7, 2025. Ihsaan Haffejee for GroundUp hide caption toggle caption Ihsaan Haffejee for GroundUp The winning images in the 2026 World Press Photos contest attest to a year of conflict and chaos. War, migration issues and climate upheaval dominated the news. NPR highlighted the "photo of the year' — Separated by ICE . It was taken by Carol Guzy of the United States for the Miami Herald and captures the pain of a family being separated in a New York court. There were also award winners that offer hope and happiness — like that photo of young ballet students in Johannesburg, South Africa, as they pause for a reflective moment before a performance. It is all the more stirring because before Apartheid came to an end, ballet was an art form typically reserved for white South Africans. The photographer, Ihsaan Haffejee, based in Johannesburg, says his editor had asked that photojournalists keep an eye open for good news stories. He says he took his camera to the Joburg Ballet School "year-end performance in which the young students showcase the ballet skills that they have learnt throughout the year. …