Voyager Media Awards: Judged - New Zealand's best photojournalism

New Zealand Herald and NZME photographer Alan Gibson won Photographer of the Year at this year's Voyager Media Awards.

The judges thought Gibson nailed every aspect of photography with his entry.

Dean Purcell, another photographer from the NZ Herald and NZME, was also nominated for the award.

Among Gibson's portfolio were photographs capturing the raw emotion Kiwis felt after the Christchurch terror attacks last year.

The Christchurch mosque shootings were one of many mammoth stories across 2019.

The eruption of Whakaari/White Island, the SkyCity convention centre fire and three sporting world cups made it a busy year for news.

Alan Gibson's award-winning entry for Photographer of the Year:

Al Noor mosque shooting survivor Khaled Al-Jammali gets a kiss from his son, Mahmoud Al-Jammali. Also pictured are his other son, Hamoud Al-Jammali and daughter Tala Al-Jammali. Photo / Alan Gibson

In the days after the mosque shootings, emotions remained raw at the police cordon outside the Linwood Ave Mosque in Christchurch. Photo / Alan Gibson

The floral tribute in central Christchurch for the victims of the March 15 terror attacks. Photo / Alan Gibson

A couple of surfers walk along the beach at Mt Maunganui ahead of an intense weather system. Photo / Alan Gibson

Dean Purcell's entry for Photographer of the year:

All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith dives in for a try during the rugby test match between the All Blacks and the Wallabies played at Eden Park last year. Photo / Dean Purcell

Students release balloons at Al-Madinah School in South Auckland as a memorial service was held in memory of those killed in the Christchurch mosque shootings. Photo / Dean Purcell

Firefighters contend with the public as a huge fire has broken out in the new SkyCity Convention Centre. Photo / Dean Purcell

Gibson was one of many Herald journalists who took away top honours at the awards this year, with the newspaper also dominating.

The Herald won the two biggest and highly contested journalism titles in New Zealand - Website of the Year and Newspaper of the Year.

Judges described the NZ Herald as a "powerhouse news operation", as nzherald.co.nz also took out the rare digital double – Best News Website or App and the overall Website of the Year – after one of the biggest news years in New Zealand history.

Individual NZ Herald journalists were also honoured, including political editor Audrey Young, named political journalist of the year, and Nicholas Jones, awarded feature-writer of the year.