Named after a Russian photographer killed in Ukraine, the Moscow-based international press photo contest saw a surge in popularity as the jury prepares to pick the best shots taken by young professionals across the globe.

This year, the contest received applications from a record-setting 80 countries across five continents, the organizers said. The young photographers sent pictures snapped in places, ranging from Yemen and Bolivia to Bhutan and the Solomon Islands. The number of participants, meanwhile, doubled since the event was first launched five years ago.

The jury will now select the shortlist which will be posted online in June. The final winners will then be announced this fall.

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Named after Russian photojournalist Andrei Stenin who was killed while covering the war in Eastern Ukraine, the contest seeks to celebrate press photo skills and highlight the dangers photographers all over the world face while doing their job.

The Moscow-based event is organized by Rossiya Segodnya and held in Moscow.

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