The long wait is over: for the fifth time, Lurzer’s Archive has been looking for the 200 Best Talents among photographers from all over the world.

The 200 BEST Photographers, which comprises 416 pages and reaches art directors, art buyers and copywriters in agencies around the world, is not only a major source of inspiration but has also become a valuable art-buying tool.

“As a photographer it is great to be associated with Lurzers Archive, to help unblock creative block, to feature in the editorial, to advertise in the magazine and it is an honour to be selected to be featured on the cover of such a prestigious magazine” Tim Flach, Photographer.

All work is classified by easy-to-navigate categories, providing creatives in advertising agencies – as well as general photography enthusiasts with an outstanding overview of the best work currently being done in this field.

With the first two volumes having sold out within a very short space of time, it was increased from the third edition to 30,000, and this figure has been maintained for the latest edition.

The criteria for a nomination are also just the same as in recent years:

Art directors from advertising agencies and advertising magazines nominate their favorites, who are then invited to submit work.

Only the nominated photographers and those occupying the higher places in the Lurzer’s Archive creative rankings have a chance to be among the 200 BEST Photographers worldwide.

All in all, 860 photographers from 56 different countries all over the world – which in this year even included Afghanistan and Puerto Rico – sent in their images, making a total of 502 masterpieces that were admitted into the 200 Best Photographers worldwide 2012/2013.

This year’s categories were: Animals, Architecture, Automotive, Beauty & Nudes, Children, Fashion, Food & Drink, Interiors, Landscape, Objects, Portraits, Sports, Still Life

This time, the number of submissions was the highest – we counted no less than 10,229 – since the first edition of 200 Best Photographers. Just imagine: for the first edition of 200 Best Photographers worldwide back in 2004, we started out with 5,709 submissions.

Do not simply be content with any kind of illustration. 200 Best Illustrators is the perfect tool for those wishing to turn their advertising into little works of art. Numbering no less than 320 pages, this impressive volume showcases the world’s best illustrators in the following categories:

Advertising, Annuals, Books, Brochures and Calendars and more. The latest edition boasts an excellent mix of familiar names and new talents. The cover of this new edition comes from India or, to be more precise, from Taproot India, Mumbai. The motifs for Transasia Papers were also awarded a Golden Lion at Cannes in 2010.

Just 71 illustrators featured in the previous issues managed to keep their place in the current 200 Best, and are now joined by 129 new artists. Selection was made from 1,139 illustrators with 6,075 submissions received from 69 countries. And there was a further hurdle to scale before submissions could even be considered. Only those nominated by an ad agency art director or a publisher were eligible to present work, which must have appeared within the last 18 months. Those who made it through this arduous process truly do merit the title “200 Best Illustrators.” For creatives and art buyers in the world’s top agencies, 200 Best Illustrators has since become a standard reference work that is a must-have on any art director’s desk. Launched in 2004/2005 with a run of just 10,000, the volume had a circulation of 20,000 by issue 2006/2007, and this figure has since risen to 30,000. Copies of the new edition are available now for just € 29.50

With four issues of 200 Best Ad Photographers worldwide, a title that appears every two years, and three issues of 200 Best Illustrators worldwide already to its credit, Lürzer’s Archive has now published 200 Best Packaging.

Design worldwide 2010/2011, adding to the successful 200 Best series – Featuring a total of 248 pages, the volume showcases examples of the best international work done in the field of packaging design over the past couple of years. This makes 200 Best: Packaging Design worldwide not only an extensive source of ideas for all those involved in packaging design but also a veritable treasure trove for marketers seeking designers able to extract that added value from a product.

As was the case with previous volumes in the 200 Best series, work was reviewed by a top-notch jury, who selected the crème de la crème out of a total of 4,732 submissions received from 55 countries.

Published work is divided into the following categories: Accessories, Beverages: Alcoholic, Beverages: Non-alcoholic, CD design, Cigars & cigarettes, Cosmetics, Fashion, Food, House, Miscellaneous, Office equipment, Pharmaceuticals & OTC, Publishing, Shopping bags Look forward to savoring the world’s 200 best packaging designs for just €29.50.