World Press Photo is marking seven decades of powerful photojournalism with an exclusive limited-time print sale featuring 70 iconic photographs from the past 70 years. The "70 Prints for 70 Years" collection offers photography enthusiasts and collectors a rare opportunity to own museum-quality prints of some of history's most significant images, including several photographs that have never been available for purchase as prints before.
The carefully curated selection showcases work from 70 different photographers, ranging from world-renowned photojournalists to unexpected contributors. Notable photographers in the collection include Charlie Cole, Jaime Rojo, Lee-Ann Olwage, Vincent Mentzel, and Diana Markosian. The collection also features unique contributions from individuals not primarily known for photography, such as Neil Armstrong's portrait of Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Additionally, the selection includes work from participants in the Joop Swart Masterclass, demonstrating World Press Photo's commitment to nurturing emerging talent in visual journalism.
Among the most powerful images in the collection is Charlie Cole's legendary photograph of a lone demonstrator confronting a line of People's Liberation Army tanks on Changan Avenue in Beijing during the Tiananmen Square protests on June 5, 1989. This iconic "Tank Man" image captured a moment of peaceful resistance following the military's violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations that had been ongoing for weeks. While no official death toll was released, witnesses estimated casualties in the thousands. The photograph became an international symbol of courage and peaceful resistance, though it remains banned in China and the fate of the unidentified demonstrator is still unknown.
The collection spans diverse subjects and emotions, including Diana Markosian's vibrant photograph of Pura celebrating her quinceañera in Havana, Cuba, on August 6, 2018. The image shows the 15-year-old riding through her neighborhood in a pink 1950s convertible, surrounded by her community. This coming-of-age celebration held special significance, as Pura had been diagnosed with a brain tumor years earlier and told she wouldn't live past age 13. The quinceañera tradition, marking a girl's transition to womanhood, has evolved in Cuba to include elaborate photo and video documentation, often compiled into photobooks.
Another compelling image by Forough Alaei documents the ongoing struggle for women's rights in Iran, showing female football fans watching a match between Iran's Persepolis and Japan's Kashima Antlers from a segregated section at Tehran's Azadi Stadium on November 10, 2018. The photograph captures the complex reality of Iran's restrictions on female sports attendance, an issue that became a focal point of international pressure. Despite FIFA President Gianni Infantino's meetings with Iranian officials and brief concessions allowing select women to attend international matches, the restrictions were later reinstated following objections from judicial authorities.
The collection also features breathtaking nature photography, including Jaime Rojo's stunning image of monarch butterflies streaming through protected indigenous fir forests in Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. Shot on February 24, 2023, the photograph captures the annual migration through the oyamel forest's ideal overwintering microclimate in Michoacán. Sports photography is represented by José Azel's dynamic shot of runners in the men's 1500-meter event at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, as well as the very first World Press Photo of the Year winner from 1955 – Mogens von Haven's action shot of a motorcycle crash during the Motocross World Championship in Denmark.
The sale offers each of the 70 photographs as limited-edition, museum-quality prints measuring 20 x 30 centimeters (approximately 8 x 12 inches). Unframed prints are priced at €150 ($180/£135), while framed versions cost €250 ($300/£220). The sale runs from November 17 through November 26, 2025, after which these specific prints will no longer be available for purchase. Newsletter subscribers can receive a 15% discount during the first 24 hours of the sale.
According to Joumana El Zein Khoury, Executive Director of World Press Photo, the sale serves a dual purpose of honoring the organization's rich history while supporting the future of photojournalism. "Over the past 70 years, World Press Photo has collaborated with ambitious, brave and innovative photographers who have shaped our collective memory of world events, and offered us new ways of seeing," she explained. "Each print represents not only a moment in time, but also the courage and creativity of the photographer behind it."
Founded in the Netherlands in 1955, World Press Photo has become synonymous with excellence in photojournalism and documentary photography through its annual competition that highlights global issues through powerful visual storytelling. The organization emphasizes that proceeds from this print sale directly support photographers during a challenging time for independent visual journalism, while also contributing to World Press Photo's mission of safeguarding and protecting photojournalism worldwide. For collectors and photography enthusiasts, this limited-time sale represents a unique opportunity to own pieces of photographic history while supporting the continued vitality of visual storytelling.
