After a three-year absence, the most powerful images from professional photojournalists across the globe are now showing in Auckland at the World Press Photo Exhibition. RNZ's Justin Gregory speaks to the exhibition's curator Marika Cukrowski (who is visiting from Amsterdam) and one of the winning contestants, Egyptian photographer Mohamed Mahdy.

After a three-year absence, the most powerful images from professional photojournalists across the globe are now showing in Auckland at the World Press Photo Exhibition.

In this episode of Voices, Justin Gregory speaks to the exhibition's curator Marika Cukrowski (who is visiting from Amsterdam) and one of the winning contestants, Egyptian photographer Mohamed Mahdy.

Listen here

Check out all of the award-winning images here.

Mohamed Mahdy's photo series Here, The Doors Don't Know Me is one of the standouts at this year's exhibition and won the Open Format Award.

In it, Mahdy combines found imagery with his own photographs of daily life in the small fishing village of Al Max, near Alexandria.

Two years ago, the Egyptian government began evicting people from their homes in Al Max and relocating them to housing several kilometres away from the canals, citing the risk of rising sea levels.

Already a third of the community has been relocated, but not all the residents believe these evictions are really necessary.

Mohamed says the name of his series - Here, The Doors Don't Know Me - was inspired by a conversation he had with a local woman.

The World Press Photo Exhibition is showing at Auckland's Smith and Caughey Building until 20 August.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details