I just picked up a copy of the World Press Photo 2013 book this week and studied the winning photographs over the past few days. World Press Photo has been around since 1955 and run their international photojournalism and documentary photography contest annually.

The images are extraordinary and if you want to understand the power of a photograph to communicate on so many levels I challenge you to turn the pages of this book. The images will grip your head, your heart and your stomach. This collection of outstanding photographs offers a window to our world without filters and exposes both the strengths and terrible weaknesses in our humanity.

There is so much debate online and elsewhere in recent times on the decline of professional photojournalism with photographers being displaced by citizens armed with camera phones posting photographs in real-time across a multitude of social media platforms. Whilst there is without doubt significant change, these photographs demonstrate that there will always be a place for professional photojournalists who understand the power of a photograph.