AP monthly staff photo contest

Each month, the Associated Press management honors photographers for outstanding photo coverage while on assignment. The winners for the December 2014 AP Staff Photo Contest are Mohammad Sajjad in the news category for his coverage of the Taliban School Attack and Manish Swarup in the features category for his essay, Disappearing Brass Bands. Congratulations to both photographers for their outstanding work. Below we feature some of the contest winning imagery. 

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Taliban School Attack | Photos by Mohammad Sajjad

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Pakistan Photo Gallery

A Pakistani man comforts a student standing at the bedside of a boy who was injured in a Taliban attack on a school that killed more than 100 people, at a local hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014. Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai issued a statement in response to the attack: "I am heartbroken by this senseless and cold blooded act of terror in Peshawar that is unfolding before us. Innocent children in their school have no place in horror such as this."(AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

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On December 16, 2014, nine gunmen affiliated with the Taliban conducted a terrorist attack on the Army Public School in northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar. The militants, all of whom were foreign nationals, included one Chechen, three Arabs and two Afghans. They entered the school and opened fire on school staff and children, killing 145 people, including 132 school children, ranging between eight and eighteen years of age.

APTOPIX Pakistan

A plainclothes security officer escorts students evacuated from a school as Taliban fighters attack another school nearby in Peshawar, Pakistan, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014. Taliban gunmen stormed a military-run school in the northwestern Pakistani city, killing and wounding scores, officials said, in the worst attack to hit the country in over a year. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

APTOPIX Pakistan

Pakistani volunteers carry a student injured in the shootout at a school under attack by Taliban gunmen, at a local hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan,Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014. Taliban gunmen stormed a military school in the northwestern Pakistani city, killing and wounding dozens, officials said, in the latest militant violence to hit the already troubled region. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Pakistan

The lifeless body of a Pakistani student, a victim of a Taliban attack in a school, lies in a casket at a local hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014. Taliban gunmen stormed a military-run school in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar on Tuesday, killing and wounding scores, officials said, in the highest-profile militant attack to hit the troubled region in months.(AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Pakistan

The bloodstain feet of militants killed by security forces in an operation are seen in an ambulance in Peshawar, Pakistan, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014. The military said Pakistani security forces killed five "terrorists" on the outskirts of Peshawar, where the Pakistani Taliban carried out a school massacre earlier this week, killing 148 people, mainly children. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Pakistan

A Pakistani photographer takes pictures in principal's room at the Army Public School attacked the day before by Taliban gunmen, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. Pakistan mourned as the nation prepares for mass funerals Wednesday for over 140 people, most of them children, killed in the Taliban massacre in a military-run school in the countryís northwest in the deadliest and most horrific attacks in years, officials said. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Pakistan

A group photograph of students of the Army Public School that was attacked the day before by Taliban gunmen, is seen in the school principal's office in Peshawar, Pakistan, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. Pakistan mourned as the nation prepares for mass funerals Wednesday for over 140 people, most of them children, killed in the Taliban massacre in the military-run school in the country's northwest in the deadliest and most horrific attacks in years, officials said. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

The Week In Mideast Photos Gallery

Pakistani women leave the Rahman Baba graveyard after offering prayers at the graves of victims in Tuesday's school massacre in Peshawar, Pakistan, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014. Taj Muhammad, one of the gravediggers at Peshawarís largest graveyard has a rule. He said he never cries when he buries the dead. He's a professional, he said. But as the dead bodies, mostly children, started coming in from a school massacre this week that killed 148 people, he began to weep. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Pakistan

Pakistani soldiers inspect inside the Army Public School attacked the day before by Taliban gunmen, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. Pakistan mourned as the nation prepares for mass funerals Wednesday for over 140 people, most of them children, killed in the Taliban massacre in a military-run school in the countryís northwest in the deadliest and most horrific attacks in years, officials said. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

APTOPIX Pakistan

Hospital security guards carry a students injured in the shootout at a school under attacked by Taliban gunmen in Peshawar, Pakistan,Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014. Taliban gunmen stormed a military school in the northwestern Pakistani city, killing and wounding dozens, officials said, in the latest militant violence to hit the already troubled region. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)(AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Pakistan

A Pakistan army soldier stands guard in the Army Public School, attacked Tuesday by Taliban militants, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2014 in Peshawar, Pakistan. The Taliban massacre that killed more than 140 people, mostly children, at the military-run school in northwestern Pakistan left a scene of heart-wrenching devastation, pools of blood and young lives snuffed out as the nation mourned and mass funerals for the victims got underway. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Pakistan Photo Gallery

The uncle and cousin of injured student Mohammad Baqair, center, comfort him as he mourns the death of his mother who was a teacher at the school which was attacked by Taliban, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014. Taliban gunmen stormed a military-run school in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar on Tuesday, killing more than 100, mostly children, officials said, in the highest-profile militant attack to hit the troubled region in months. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

The Week In Mideast Photos Gallery

People attend the funeral of a student killed in Tuesday's Taliban attack on a school that killed 148 people, mostly children, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

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Disappearing Brass Bands | Photos by Manish Swarup

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India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Monday, Nov. 3, 2014 photo, Ram Charan, 35, from Bareilly some 256 kilometers (160 miles) from Delhi, a member of Master Band, an Indian brass band specialized in playing weddings, poses for a portrait in New Delhi. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)

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The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of the year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the bride's neighborhood, dressed in brilliant sequinned uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans. But the tastes of the young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence.  

India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Monday, Sept. 22, 2014 photo, members of Indian Brass band, specialized playing in weddings, rehearse in their barrack, in New Delhi, India. The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the neighborhood. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)

India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Nov. 7, 2014, photo, musical interments along with personal belongings of members of Master Band hang are hanged on the wall of their barrack, in New Delhi, India. The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the neighborhood. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)

India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Nov. 28, 2014 photo, members of Master Band prepare for work, in New Delhi, India. The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the neighborhood. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)

India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Sept. 24, 2014, photo, members of Master Band prepare for work, in New Delhi, India. The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the neighborhood. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)

APTOPIX India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Sept. 24, 2014 photo, members of Master Band travel in bus for work, in New Delhi, India. The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the neighborhood. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Nov. 30, 2014, photo, members of Indian Brass band, play drum or dhol in a wedding procession, in New Delhi, India. The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the neighborhood. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)

India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Sept. 24, 2014 photo, members of Indian Brass band, specialized playing in weddings, rest on reaching the spot from where the procession is supposed to start, in New Delhi, India. The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the neighborhood. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)

India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Nov. 30, 2014 photo, a member of Indian Brass band, plays trumpet in a wedding procession, in New Delhi, India. The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the neighborhood. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)

India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Oct. 17, 2014 photo, members of Indian Brass band, specialized playing in weddings, rest on reaching the spot from where the procession is supposed to start, in New Delhi, India. The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the neighborhood. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)

India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Nov. 3, 2014 photo, members of Master Band wait for transportation to leave for work, in New Delhi, India. The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the neighborhood. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)

India Disappearing Brass Bands

In this Dec. 2, 2014 photo, a member of Indian Brass band, specialized playing in weddings, waits to get back to their barrack after accompanying a wedding procession, in New Delhi, India. The wedding season is in full swing in India, marking what should be the busiest time of year for the traditional brass bands that lead raucous processions announcing the arrival of the bridegroom to the neighborhood. Dressed in faded military-style uniforms or long silken tunics and turbans, brass bands playing the latest Bollywood tunes have long been a must-have at any Indian wedding. But as the tastes of young, wealthier Indians shift to more modern music, young couples increasingly choose DJs playing electronic music instead of live bands. The shift is leaving band owners and musicians struggling to find gigs, exacerbating an already difficult existence. (AP Photo /Manish Swarup)

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