Reuters photojournalists submit some 1,500 photos every day, creating an annual archive of over half a million images, bearing witness to events as they happen across the globe.

Our World Now 3 draws upon this unparalleled resource to document a year in the life of our vibrant, troubled, beautiful planet.

This award-winning work pushes the boundaries of what news photography is and can be: it ranks among the finest photojournalism of our times. Sometimes funny, sometimes devastating, always compelling, the images in this book encompass the fantastic diversity of trends, moods and stories that defined 2009.

A stunning summary of the past year that captures the full range of life, from faith to festivities, celebrity culture to cruel conflict, in sometimes witty, sometimes disturbing, but always compelling, snapshots’ – The Independent