Finalist: Hassan Ammar, Hussein Malla and Felipe Dana of Associated Press
Nominated Work
Hoda Kinno, 11, is evacuated by her uncle Mustafa, in the aftermath of a massive explosion at the port in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 4, 2020. Massive explosions rocked downtown Beirut, flattening much of the port, damaging buildings and blowing out windows and doors as a giant mushroom cloud rose above the capital. Witnesses saw many people injured by flying glass and debris. A large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the port exploded, causing at least 203 deaths, 6,500 injuries, and US$15 billion in property damage, and leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless. (Photo by Hassan Ammar.)
Civilians help to evacuate an injured sailor from a ship which was docked near the explosion scene that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. (Photo by Hussein Malla.)
An injured man walks at the explosion scene that hit the seaport, in Beirut Lebanon, Aug. 4, 2020. (Photo by Hussein Malla.)
A damaged hospital is seen after a massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 5, 2020. (Photo by Hassan Ammar.)
Civilians carry a victim at the explosion scene that hit the seaport in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 4, 2020. (Photo by Hussein Malla.)
A painting hangs on the wall of a heavily damaged room in the Sursock Palace after the explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 8, 2020. The Sursock palace, built in 1860 in the heart of historical Beirut on top of a hill overlooking the now-obliterated port, is home to beautiful works of arts, Ottoman-era furniture, marble and paintings from Italy. (Photo by Felipe Dana.)
Lebanese soldiers search for survivors after a massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 5, 2020. (Photo by Hassan Ammar.)
A man evacuates an injured person after a massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 4, 2020. (Photo by Hassan Ammar.)
Wounded people are evacuated as smoke rises from a massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. (Photo by Hassan Ammar.)
A Lebanese man helps an injured man who was wounded by an explosion that hit the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 4, 2020. (Photo by Hussein Malla.)
Aftermath of a massive explosion is seen in in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 4, 2020. (Photo by Hassan Ammar.)
A wounded woman is evacuated after a massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 4, 2020. (Photo by Hassan Ammar.)
Injrued are evacuated after a massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 4, 2020. (Photo by Hassan Ammar.)
A broken statue from the 19th century lays on the floor of the Sursock Palace, heavily damaged after the explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 8, 2020. (Photo by Felipe Dana.)
A drone picture shows the scene of an explosion at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 5, 2020. (Photo by Hussein Malla.)
Biography
Hassan Ammar is an Associated Press staff photographer based in Beirut, Lebanon. Ammar covers all news in the area of his base. He has worked for the AP since 2008 and beyond day to day assignments in news, he has helped to cover several Olympic Games, Soccer World Cups and the Hajj pilgrimage. He has also been embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq.
Hussein Malla is the Associated Press chief photographer in Beirut, Lebanon. Malla joined the AP as a freelancer in Lebanon in 1998 and became a full-time staff photographer in October 2003 when he took up base in Jordan, then rebased in Beirut as a chief photographer in 2005. Beyond his day to day duties covering news in the area, Malla has covered several stories for AP in Pakistan, and the Middle East. He also covered the U.S.-led war on Iraq, under the regime of Saddam Hussein.
Felipe Dana was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1985. He got an early start on his career at age 15 when he began working as an assistant photographer. He later pursued a degree in photography at a local university, all the while working as a commercial photographer and contributing to various local and international news agencies.
In 2009, he decided to dedicate himself solely to photojournalism, documenting the social upheaval in his native Rio de Janeiro as the city prepared for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
Dana has also documented urban violence in Latin America, the Zika epidemic, the migrant crisis in Europe and Africa and conflicts in the Middle East, including the fight against ISIS and the Israel and Palestinian conflict.
Dana currently is a roaming enterprise staff photographer for AP covering stories in the Middle East and Europe.