A major new global prize celebrating the work of both professional and amateur photographers has been awarded in Paris.

The Prix Pictet is the first competition of its type to focus on the global issue of 'sustainability' - and, this year in particular, on water.

The winner of 100,000 Swiss francs (�53,000) is the Canadian photographer Benoit Aquin.

Here - the head of the Prix Pictet jury, Francis Hodgson, shows off Aquin's work and images from some of the 17 other photographers who made the shortlist.

There are no captions with this slideshow.
All photographs courtesy Prix Pictet 2008.

Music: Memory of Light by Dave Hewson.
Slideshow production by Paul Kerley.

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