First day of Winter. The sun is piercing through the cloudless sky. We head to the 2026 World Press Photo exhibition at the Brisbane Powerhouse. Somehow it is darker and colder there.

Since 1955, the annual World Press Photo Contest has celebrated the most compelling, informative, and inspired examples of photojournalism and visual storytelling from around the globe. This exhibition brings the best of the 57,376 photographs by 3,747 photographers from 141 countries.

An independent jury chose images that brought depth and nuance to some of the most pressing issues facing the world today, from devastating conflicts and the overstep of law enforcers, to the climate crisis and women’s empowerment. And I quote : “Together, this collection of stories from around the world demands our sustained attention, challenging our assumptions and encouraging all viewers to look deeper and find new perspectives”.

It is free and on until the 21st of June.

World Press Photo Exhibition 2026

These stood out for me. A female polar bear feeds on a sperm whale carcasss in the Norwegian archipelago as their hunting areas become smaller by Roie Galitz.

Edith was a domestic servant in Saudi when she had her daughter Blessings.She hid her pregnancy and delivered the baby alone. Unmarried women who become pregant risk arrest. Women suffer abuse and violence and often have their passports confiscated but this was doubly difficult for Edith and Blessings because she had no documents. It took her eight years to sort it out and return to Kenya. By Kiana Hayeri.

Separated by ICE By Carol Guzy

Luis’s distraught daughters cling to their father as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detain him after an immigration hearing. New York City, New York, United States, 26 August 2025

Cocha and their three children – ages seven, 13, and 15 – were left inconsolable, facing immediate financial hardship and profound emotional trauma. In a democracy, the camera’s presence in that court hallway is an essential witness to a policy that has turned courthouses into sites of shattered lives.

World Press Photo of the Year

Saher Alghorra,Palestine, for The New York Times Witnessing Gaza

In 2025, civilians in Gaza endured starvation, famine, and relentless bombardment as the death toll surpassed 75,000 and Israeli authorities severely restricted the flow of humanitarian aid. A ceasefire agreement in October has yet to bring meaningful relief. Palestinian journalists – living through the reality they document The photographer worked under immense danger, driven by a refusal to let the world turn away. “Even when everything around me told me to stop, I couldn’t- silence would mean surrender.”

1. Tamer Hassan al-Shafei and his family break their Ramadan fast in the remains of their home. Beit Lahia, Gaza Strip, 4 March 2025

Paula Hornickel. Emma the Social Robot

Waltraud talks with Emma, a social robot that recognizes faces and remembers past conversations.

Germany’s care homes are facing two crises: staff shortages and loneliness. A 2023 study found that one in five residents aged 80 and older describe themselves as “severely lonely.” This reality has prompted trials of social robots like Emma, developed by a Munich-based startup. Waltraud, a resident of Haus im Wiesengrund in Albershausen, had her doubts but over time formed a bond with Emma. “When she tells her jokes, that’s really good. That’s my kind of humor, says Waltraud, though she emphasizes that human contact is always preferable.

Mohamed Mahdy Egypt, Moon Dust

More than 30,000 residents of Wadi El-Qamar, also known as Moon Valley, in western Alexandria, Egypt, live less than 15 meters from a cement factory that fills their homes with toxic dust. Children are born with asthma. Families suffer from lung disease and irreversible respiratory damage. In 2016, the photographer-who lives nearby and has asthma himself – began documenting their stories and ongoing legal battles.This project has helped secure medical and legal aid for families while revealing how industrial practices that fuel the climate crisis devastate the most vulnerable communities first.

What colour do you live in ?