For the third time Ringier was looking for the year’s best press photo. 74 photographers from nine countries joined the competition. Jan Šibík, who works for the magazine Reflex and whose pictures have already collected various awards in his native country, won with a photo of children working on a rubbish dump in Cambodia. «The picture belongs to a 12-part series I shot for a story», says Šibík. «The work of these children on the rubbish dump has moved me deeply. They live there with their families, combing the rubbish for reusable plastic, paper and bottles from dawn until dusk. Mind you, in every weather.»

Hungarian photographer Árpád Kurucz came in second place with his picture «Forest fire in Greece». «This picture evokes a range of emotions in the viewer», explains Kurucz. «It shows that life often hangs by a thin thread and that assistance from others can be key for people’s survival.» Kurucz works for the Hungarian daily Népszabadság, as does third-placed Simon Móricz, whose picture «After a storm at the Sziget Music Festival in Budapest» convinced the jury. 27-year old Simon Móricz is not a newcomer to the awards, having already reached third place at last year’s Ringier Photo Award. «My photo is emblematic of the feeling of complete freedom that often grasps people attending large music festivals», Móricz says about his award-winning picture.

The Ringier Photo Award only accepted photos published in a Ringier title in 2007. As in previous years, an independent international jury comprised of 19 experts selected the winners. This decision-making body included editors-in-chief, art directors and photo editors. Thomas Seelig, Jury President and Collection Curator at the Fotomuseum Winterthur explains: «The three award-winning works continue the tradition of good and outstanding press photos that manage to stand out even in times of accelerating information.»

Ringier Group Communications