After sifting through and evaluating more than 6,000 photographs submitted by photographers from 48 countries on six continents … the panel of judges for the Lens Culture International Exposure Awards 2009 have chosen the winners. Top prize went to Italian photographer Marco Vernaschi for his disturbing photo-essay about the effects of drug trafficking in a small West African country. Single Image Awards went to Brad Moore, Stella Johnson, and Laura Pannack. And 25 photographers from 13 countries won Honorable Mention Awards.

Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to all of the participants and everyone who made this competition such a success!

You can see all of the winning photographs here: Portfolio Winner, Single Image Winners, and Honorable Mention Winners.