The window for applications for the Istanbul Photo Awards 2019, an international news photography contest organized by Anadolu Agency, Turkey's premier news agency, has now closed, organizers said on Friday.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the contest, which aims to support the profession of photojournalism. 

Since last November nearly 15,000 photographs from over 100 countries were submitted to the contest. 

Many award-winning photographers applied to the contest, which attracted interest from top media and photo agencies. The pictures in the contest include shots of the most important news events of the year.

 Mainly focusing on news and sports photos, the contest has four categories: Single News, Story News, Single Sports and Story Sports. 

The winner of the Photo of the Year will be awarded $8,000, while winners in other categories will be given $5,000 for first prize, $3,000 for second prize, and $1,500 for third.

A number of exhibits will be held inside and outside Turkey to spotlight the work of the award-winning photographers. The winning pictures will also be presented in a special photo album.

Jury 

In April, an international jury will meet to select the winners, and the awards will be announced on April 25.

Deborah Copaken, an award-winning photojournalist and author, is joining the jury for the first time this year. 

Also returning as jury members this year are Marion Mertens, a senior digital editor at Paris Match in France, Yuri Kozyrev, photojournalist with Netherlands-based Noor images, Georges De Keerle, a photographer and visual media adviser, Michel Scotto, AFP director of photo business development, Ahmet Sel, visual news editor in chief for Anadolu Agency, and Firat Yurdakul, photography editor for Anadolu Agency.

Copaken, born in 1966 in Boston, has worked as a photojournalist in Afghanistan, Israel, Romania, Zimbabwe, and Russia. 

Her photographs have been featured in Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Financial Times, L’Express, Libération, Géo, and Stern. Copaken is also an Emmy-award winning TV news producer. 

Currently a columnist at the Atlantic magazine, Copaken is also New York Times bestselling author of Shutterbabe and The Red Book, among others.