Pulitzer Prize Winning Photographs Inspire Photographers

Last updated on July 25th, 2022 at 06:16 pm

What do you think is the ultimate freelance photographer’s big dream?

Is it to make money, become famous, or win a Pulitzer Prize?

If it was to win a Pulitzer Prize for two photojournalists then this was their big dream week.  In April,  two photojournalists were recognized for their photography when the annual Pulitzer Prize winners were announced.

The Pulitzer Prize for Photography (Breaking News) was awarded to Massoud Hossaini of Agence France-Presse for, “his heartbreaking image of a girl crying in fear after a suicide bomber’s attack at a crowded shrine in Kabul” and the Feature Photography Pulitzer winner was Craig F. Walker of The Denver Post for, “his compassionate chronicle of an honorably discharged veteran, home from Iraq and struggling with a severe case of post-traumatic stress.”

Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs have changed the way the world views major events. One photograph can capture a moment more beautifully, or poignantly than words.

The 2012 Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs (I’ve linked to the winning photographs because they can be quite disturbing):

Breaking News Photography – Massoud Hossaini of Agence France-Presse

Feature Photography – Craig F. Walker of The Denver Post

Few people from my hometown of Santa Rosa, California can forget the 1997 Pulitzer-winning photograph for Spot News Photography by photographer Annie Wells, who worked for the local newspaper, The Press Democrat.  She captured a frightening moment when a local fireman rescued a Santa Rosa teenager from a raging local creek.

This creek runs through a section of Santa Rosa known as Bennett Valley that leads to a State Park.  I usually run dry during drought summers, so this picture surprised most of the residents.  No one thinks of the little creek as dangerous.

But 1996 was a particularly stormy, wet winter.  The photo illustrates the power of water–even in a small city creek after heavy rainfall. Since this photograph first appeared in our local paper, we’ve never been able to look at the small Santa Rosa creeks the same.

It’s a striking example of how photography has the ability to change our perceptions of what we think we know, or understand —

Copyright: 1996, The Press Democrat, photograph courtesy of www.pulitzer.org

Here is a video of a collection of some of the photographs which have won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news photography from 1961 to 2007 —

It’s always great to see photographers recognized for their life-changing photography work.

Remy Gervais

Remy Gervais is a training and business development coach by day and a freelance photographer in her spare time residing in the Northern California wine country.