American photographer wins World Press Photo 2013

John Stanmeyer won the World Press Photo of the Year 2013 contest with this picture of African migrants on the shore of Djibouti city at night taken February 26, 2013. The prize-winning entries of the World Press Photo Contest 2014, the world's largest annual press photography contest, were announced February 14, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

THE HAGUE - American photographer John Stanmeyer won the World Press Photo 2013, announced the World Press Photo foundation during a press conference in Amsterdam on Friday.

China photo contest winners exposed

Stanmeyer, of the VII Photo Agency, produced a picture showing African migrants on the shore of Djibouti city at night, raising their phones in an attempt to capture an inexpensive signal from neighboring Somalia. Stanmeyer received a cash prize of 10,000 euros (about $13,600).

Over the last decade, 49-year-old Stanmeyer has worked nearly exclusively for National Geographic. His winning photo was also shot for the magazine.

An international jury selected the winners of the 57th World Press Photo contest.

"It's a photo that is connected to so many other stories -- it opens up discussions about technology, globalization, migration, poverty, desperation, alienation, humanity," said jury member Jillian Edelstein.

Jury member David Guttenfelder said: "The photo is like a message in a bottle, it is one that will last for all of us. People will bring their own life experiences to it as they stand in front of it."

The jury gave prizes in nine categories to 53 photographers. By the mid-January deadline, 98,671 images had been submitted by 5,754 photographers from 132 countries and regions. Stanmeyer's picture also won the 1st prize in the Contemporary Issues category.