Why this picture won the Dutch Photo of the Year

Winning the highest award in the Dutch competition is an unimaginable experience for the 47-year-old photographer. "I never thought that such a thing could happen, never." He said explain. But this was also a great opportunity for him as a freelancer to continue traveling across Europe, from Belgium to Sweden, documenting the long journey of refugees out of their ravaged homes in search of a safe haven. "I hope I can find the person in the photo. I want to know what he thinks."

For the judges, Richardson's photo was a natural choice.

“Earlier, when we saw this photo, we knew it was a very important one.” Francis Kohn, chairman of the Dutch competition jury and picture director of AFP, commented. “It gathers power precisely because of its simplicity, especially the symbolism of the barbed wire. We felt that its visual expression encapsulated everything that was happening to refugees.

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