Photographs have such a great power to provoke thought and transmit emotion by cleverly telling stories about people in front of and behind the camera. Sometimes they portray events that were inspiring, uplifting, or even unexpected and shocking. Pulitzer Prize Award-winning photographs often have a tendency to catch the attention of spectators for their critical and challenging content as well as provoking very different reactions.
Patiently waiting for the photo opportunity to present itself or having to hide the camera from angry mobs, helping to save people’s lives, or simply immortalizing the very moment of survival or death—that’s what many of these photographers encounter while documenting the events. Numerous great photographers each year submit their work for the Pulitzer Prize, which showcases and celebrates outstanding achievements in American journalism.