Best news photographs on display in Wellington

An exhibition of the world's best press photographs from last year is coming to Wellington this month.

It is the first time that the acclaimed World Press Photo Exhibition, featuring 160 of the best press images from around the world last year, will be in New Zealand.

The exhibition will be at the Academy of Fine Arts Gallery at Queens Wharf from June 8 to June 30.

Entry will be free.

Among the photographs on show will be Danish photographer, Erik Refner's winning entry of an emotive black and white shot of the body of a one year old boy in Afghanistan being washed and wrapped in a white cloth in preparation for burial.

The prize-winning photo was chosen from a record number of 49,235 photos submitted by 4,171 photographers from 123 countries.

The World Press Photo Exhibition is regarded as the most prestigious international contest in professional press photography. Founded in the Netherlands in 1955, the competition is based in Amsterdam and features the world's best press photographers' work.

The contest is judged by a panel of renowned international photographers and aims to support and promote the work of professional press photographers internationally.

The exhibition travels to over 70 countries annually.

The New Zealand Netherlands Foundation and the Royal Netherlands Embassy have combined to bring the exhibition to New Zealand.