Tamás Révész, the show?s Hungarian organiser, called the images ?extraordinarily powerful?. The photographs were selected by a jury from 108,059 pictures submitted by 5,691 photographers from 125 countries, he added.
Révész said this year?s World Press Photo prize winner appeared alarming, but his opinion of the image changed after he learnt the story behind it.
The prize-winning photograph, by the South African Jodi Bieber, shows an Afghan girl who was disfigured by her in-laws for leaving her husband.
In spite of her terrible scars, the young girl?s strength and dignity shine in the photograph, said World Press Photo project manger Femke van der Valk.
?This picture does what press photos must do: shake up the viewer, thus drawing attention to violence against women,? he said.
A Hungarian photographer has been included in the World Press Photo show for the fifth year in a row. This year, Hungary is represented by an image in the Spot News category by Péter Lakatos of the Hungarian News Agency (MTI).
On the evening of May 23, 2010, Lakatos was on Budapest?s Szabadság Bridge where rescuers were trying to bring down a man attempting suicide from high above. After two hours of fruitless effort, the man set himself on fire and jumped ? an act Lakatos captured on film.
The photographer said it took him days to process the evening, and he does not like crossing the Szabadság Bridge to this day.
?A photographer really has to harden himself to do his job, but there are some times when this works against holding up, such as when a child is in an accident,? Lakatos said.
Two separate shows accompany the World Press Photo exhibition: Beyond the Body, a collection of exotic sport photos by Tomasz Gudzowaty; and Danube, which shows life along the river from the Black Forest to the Black Sea.
The World Press Photo 2011 exhibition can be seen until October 31.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
