Image of Turkish assassin wins World Press Photo award

'Taking A Stand In Baton Rouge' by photographer Jonathan Bachman for Thomson Reuters which won first prize in the Contemporary Issues, Singles, category.

As an off-duty policeman who had just assassinated Russia's ambassador to Turkey stood in front of Burhan Ozbilici waving a gun, the veteran Associated Press photographer summoned the composure to stand his ground and keep taking pictures.

"I immediately decided to do my job because I could be wounded, maybe die, but at least I have to represent good journalism," Ozbilici said Monday as his image of gunman Mevlut Mert Altintas looming over the body of Ambassador Andrei Karlov was named World Press Photo of the Year.

'Black Days Of Ukraine' by photographer Valery Melnikov for Rossia Segodnya, which won first prize in the Long-Term Projects category.

'We Are Not Taking Any Prisoners' by photographer Alessio Romenzi, which won third prize in the General News, Stories category.

'They Are Slaughtering Us Like Animals' by photographer Daniel Berehulak for The New York Times, which won first prize in the General News, Stories, category.'Sweat Makes Champions' by photographer Tiejun Wang, which won second prize in the Daily Life, Singles, category.

'Standing Rock' by photographer Amber Bracken which won first prize in the Contemporary Issues, Stories, category.

Mevlut Mert Altintas shouts after shooting Andrei Karlov, right, the Russian ambassador to Turkey, at an art gallery in Ankara, Turkey. Photo / Burhan Ozbilici

Ozbilici's image of a political murder's immediate aftermath was part of a series titled "An Assassination in Turkey" that also won the Spot News - Stories category in the prestigious awards. The photos were captured in the moments before and after Altintas drew a handgun and shot Karlov at an Ankara gallery on December 19.

In the winning photo, the assassin, wearing a suit and tie, stands defiantly, pistol in his right hand pointed at the ground and with his left hand raised, his index finger pointing upward. His mouth is wide open as he shouts angrily. The ambassador's body lies on the floor just behind Altintas."Burhan's striking image was the result of skill and experience, composure under extreme pressure and the dedication and sense of mission that mark AP journalists worldwide," AP Executive Editor Sally Buzbee said. "We are enormously proud of his accomplishment."

Pacing near the body of his victim, the gunman appeared to condemn Russia's military role in Syria, shouting: "Don't forget Aleppo! Don't forget Syria!" Altintas, who was a policeman, was later killed in a shootout with Turkish police.

Ozbilici said his professional instincts kicked in despite the shocking scene unfolding in front of him.

Explaining how he remained collected enough to keep taking pictures, he said: "I understood that this was big history, it was history, (a) very, very important incident."

The winning image announced yesterday was among 80,408 photos submitted to the prestigious competition by 5034 photographers from 125 countries. The World Press jury awarded prizes in eight categories to 45 photographers from 25 countries.

Jury chairman Stuart Franklin called Ozbilici's image "an incredibly hard-hitting news photograph" and part of a strong series documenting the assassination.

"I think Burhan was incredibly courageous and had extraordinary composure in being able to sort of calm himself down in the middle of the fray and take the commanding pictures that he took," Franklin said. "I think as a spot news story it was terrific."

But Franklin said after the presentation that he did not vote for Ozbilici's photo to win the overall prize, despite the quality of the image and the bravery involved in capturing it.

'Caretta Caretta Trapped' by photographer Francis Perez shows a sea turtle entangled in a fishing net off the coast of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.

He said he had a philosophical issue with recognising as the world's top photograph a picture showing the victim and shooter in the same frame because he thinks it gives the shooter the publicity he sought by carrying out the shooting as he did.

The eclectic selection of winners in the photo competition's eight categories highlighted the dominant news topics of the last year - including conflict in Syria and Iraq, Europe's migrant crisis, the death of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro and the Olympic Games in Rio.

Winning nature photos included images depicting humanity's devastating effect on wildlife, such as a gruesome photograph of a poached rhino with its horn hacked off and another showing a turtle swimming while enmeshed in a green fishing net.

Jonathan Bachman of the United States, a photographer for Thomson Reuters, won the Contemporary Issues - Singles category with an image of Ieshia Evans being detained in Baton Rouge during a July 9 protest over the death of Alton Sterling, a black man killed by police. Evans stands bolt upright in a flowing dress as two police officers in body armour and helmets move to take her into custody.

Franklin called Bachman's image "an unforgettable sort of comment on passive resistance. It's really a lovely photograph. You'll never forget it."

AP photographer Vadim Ghirda, based in Romania, won second prize in the Contemporary Issues - Singles category with an emotionally charged photo of migrants crossing a river as they attempt to reach Macedonia from Greece.

For the first time, the World Press Photo awards for still images were announced at the same time as those for Digital Storytelling in the categories of Innovative Storytelling, Immersive Storytelling, Long Form and Short Form.

The digital award winners covered issues that included modern relationships, the rise of walls and fences around the world, and the story of an American boxer from Flint, Michigan. Among media whose work was recognised were The New York Times, The Washington Post and smaller independent producers.