Greek photographer wins prestigious Photojournalism award

Greek photographer Aris Messinis who works for Agence France-Presse (AFP), has won the Visa d’Or news photography prize for his coverage of the mass arrival of migrants on the island of Lesvos last year.

Messinis was honoured at the photojournalism annual festival and he took out the top award of the evening, as the Visa d’Or for news is considered the most prestigious award given at the Visa Pour L’Image festival.

 “I documented their struggle for a better life,” he said.

Mr Messinis added there was no conflict of interest between photographing and rescuing and it was a ‘normal human reflex’.

“We try to keep our distance, to be objective. But sometimes it is good to lend a hand to somebody who needs a hand. It is a personal decision,” he added.

The work is on display in Perpignan in southern France.

“Our photographer Aris Messinis has done outstanding work with this powerful, moving and disturbing series of images,” AFP’s chief executive and chairman Emmanuel Hoog said in a statement.

“This Visa d’Or also recognises all the AFP teams throughout Europe and the Middle East who are reporting on the migrant crisis,” he added.

Messinis’ photos went viral, showing life jackets as well as boat debris at the foot of a cliff, men crying with joy upon their arrival in Europe and extreme rescue operations. He joined AFP in 2003 and has been promoted head of the agency’s photo desk in Athens.

He firstly received great praise and awards for capturing the Libyan conflict in 2011 when he recorded the battle for Syrte, days before the death of dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

*Image by Agence France-Presse (AFP) afp.com