It is no easy task to choose the most outstanding pictures from amongst thousands of entries, even for experienced judges. Still, the results of the 6th annual China International Press Photo Contest were announced on March 25, 2010. After a four-day selection process, the judging committee, comprised of 13 experts from five continents, selected 16 pictures to be awarded gold, silver, and bronze prizes and two awards of excellence in eight categories, both for singles and photo essays. Ultimately, Kids in Refugee Camp in Pakistan by Australian photographer Daniel Berehulak from Getty Images was chosen as Photo of the Year 2009.
The selection of Photo of the Year was not with- out controversy. Originally, a gold-prize-winning picture from the single Portraits & People in the News (POPN & POPNS) category was chosen as the winner, but was then stripped of the honor after it was found that the entry was snapped in 2008. After re-selection and voting, Kids in Refugee Camp in Pakistan was promoted from a bronze prize to the gold. According to Colin Crawford, deputy managing editor for visual journalism at The Los Angeles Times, the distant gaze of the little girl in the photo is so penetrating that it shocks viewers. In the race for Photo of the Year, it had the advantage of being a picture with immediate impact and having high image quality.