The results from our Fall 2013 clip contest are in! Thanks to Dave Weatherwax of The Jasper Herald, and Vaughn Wallace, Lightbox editor at TIME.com, for being our judges this time around! Below you can find the winning photos with comments from our panels. Thanks to everyone who submittted!
1. DAVE WEATHERWAX, of The Jasper Herald:
“Overall, we were very pleased and encouraged by the quality of images being produced. Nice work. But the one thing we do want to emphasize is that we were very disappointed overall with the quality of caption writing. There were several photos that we probably would have given more consideration to placing had the photographer done the other half of their job and written more complete captions to help us better understand the moment captured. A lot of these photographs would not even be publishable in a publication because of the lack of information and because the subjects of the photos were not even identified. Even if these photographs weren’t captured for the purpose of a publication, do yourselves the favor and gather the information because one, it is practice, and two, if these photos end up in your portfolios, we can promise you many editors will not consider you for their internships or jobs without complete caption information in your portfolios.
This category was really hurt by the lack of caption information. When individuals are clearly the identified in a frame and the subject of it, even in sensitive situations, we need to know how they are.
1rst: We appreciated how the photographer got close and found an intimate moment between the two individuals on the right side of the frame. Sadly, no names for the individuals photographed.
Friends, family, and fellow chefs stand together at the candlelight vigil for Chef Charlie Trotter at his old restaurant, Charlie Trotter’s on West Armitage Avenue on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 in Chicago. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Family and friends gather and listen as Nathan’s father Charles Francis speaks at a small memorial on the side of South Oakley Avenue as family and friends gather annually for a vigil on the day of Nathan Francis death, who was 20 when he was shot in front of his hilltop home three years ago, in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013. JABIN BOTSFORD
Family and friends hug and comfort each other at the memorial service for Linda Valez at First Baptist Church on Sat, Oct. 5, 2013 in Wheaton, Ill. Linda Valez was found dead last week in Glen Ellyn, Ill. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Chicago police officer Geoff Roberts covers his face from the smoke as firefighters battle a blaze on the 3300 block o North Clark Street on Friday, Oct. 25, 2013 in Chicago. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Leslie Fewell, left, Star Simpson, center, and Suzanne Kotch hug as Paul W. Imhoff superintendent of Upper Arlington Schools announces the win during an election day party as the district receives the results of its 4-mill levy which was approved in Upper Arlington, Ohio on Tuesday, Nov. 05, 2013. JABIN BOTSFORDPORTRAIT
Veteran Lt. Col. William Haeflinger holds a propeller of a B-17 Bomber at Lewis University Airport on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013 in Romeoville, Ill. Haeflinger completed 29 bombing missions on a B-17 during World War II. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Sammuel Wilson from Jackson, Mississippi stumbled into shoe shining twenty five years ago, when he decided he wanted to find himself a trade and not a job. Every time I pick up a new shoe is a new challenge. I don’t know it all, I’m still learning how to shine shoes after twenty five years. There’s something in pleasing my clients every time they come to pick up their shoes. The reactions I get keep me in this business,” said Wilson. DREW BLY
My grandmother, Virginia Gilliland, 80, holds the portrait of her and her late husband, Carroll Gilliland, November 29, 2013. Carroll died a week after the portrait was taken, of congestive heart failure after being married for 61 years. JUSTIN GILLILAND
SPORTS ACTION
There was a lot of solid, daily action sports photos in this category. We hope that the students would not only continue to capture this quality of peak action photos, but also to challenge themselves to take more risks with the way they cover the action. Very few frames gave us the overall feel of the environment of the sport along with the action.
1rst: Nice, tight frame with clean background.
Western Kentucky University’s Antonio Andrews gets away from Troy’s Chris Pickett during their game at against Troy at WKU on Saturday, October 26, 2013. BRIAN POWERS
Blake Sarmiento and Mitchell Garcia of Western Kentucky University attempt to tackle Caleb Nelson of Murray State. WKU and Murray State played a rugby dress match to benefit breast cancer awareness. MICHAEL NOBLE JR.
Western Kentucky University’s Joel German is defended by Troy’s Jeremy Spikner during their game at WKU on Saturday, October 26, 2013. Western would go on to loose 32-26. BRIAN POWERS
SPORTS FEATURE
This category was filled with a number of great, storytelling images from the games and events covered that did a good job of taking a look at the sidelines as well as sticking it out through the end of games for those moments.
1rst: This frame is just filled from corner to corner with great information and a great moment in a situation that is often not easy to move around in and compose a good frame because of the chaos surrounding it. But this was very nicely captured.
Hilliard Darby senior running back Hunter McSweeney is hoisted into the air as he celebrates with teammates and fans after a football game at Hilliard Darby High School in Columbus, Ohio on Thursday, Nov. 01, 2013. JABIN BOTSFORD
Marion Catholic High School junior Abby Kresal prepares to jump in the water for a warm up at the Illinois High School Association girls state swimming preliminaries at New Trier High School on Friday, Nov. 22, 2013 in Chicago. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Grace Schenkelberg, a member of Infinity Athletics team Unity from Avon Lake, Ohio with girls age 14 and under, reacts with teammates to winning the Ultimate Pyramid award in the L3-Small Junior Cheer Division and winning a spot at the ULTIMATE National Championship in Orlando Florida in April 18-19, 2014 during the awards ceremony at the Cheerleaders of America Holiday Kick-Off Championship where cheer teams from around the midwest competed at The Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013. JABIN BOTSFORD
Warren East Cheerleaders line the field at Warren East before they take on Hopkinsville on Friday, September 20, 2013. BRIAN POWERS
FEATURE
Its no surprise that this was our favorite category to judge. Lots of nicely captured moments in this category.
Joseph Walker and daughter Acelyhne Walker press their hands against the glass during a visit on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2013. “I’ve pretty much watch my daughter grow up in here,” Walker said. “It’s not only like I’m in jail, it’s like they are too.” BRIAN POWERS
Kids crowd around the aquarium glass to catch a glimpse of a scuba diving Santa Claus at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium during the 25th anniversary of Wildlights, efficiently powered by AEP Ohio, where millions of LED lights have transformed the Columbus Zoo into a twinkling maze and will be open from November 22 until January 5th in Powell, Ohio on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013. JABIN BOTSFORD
Rick Williams, left, and Shawn Stigler mow the grass growing from the cracks of an empty lot on the corner of West 63rd Street and South Halstead Street on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013 in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Fans cheer as team Speed Gaming faces team DK in the first game of the final match of the PC game, Dota 2, finals during the Major League Gaming Championship as thousands of spectators watch the best teams from around the globe compete in a three-day video game tournament for $100,000 in prizes playing the soon to be released and highly anticipated game Call of Duty: Ghosts (Xbox 360) and wildly popular PC game, Dota 2 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013. JABIN BOTSFORD
2. VAUGHN WALLACE, Lightbox Editor at TIME.com:
PORTRAIT
“The category had a wide range of portraiture that skewed heavily towards formal, lit work. While there’s definitely need in this world for the formal portrait, I would have liked to see more environmental portraits and the emotion and sense of personality that come with them.
“I can’t even say that these arrests bring comfort,” said Tariq Shabazz, “now these parents will have to go without a son as well.” Shabazz holds a candle during a prayer in front of Pierce Ford Tower on Friday, September 13, 2013 to honor his son, Larry Thomas. Thomas was shot September 2, and died from his wounds a day later at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. BRIAN POWERS
Veteran Lt. Col. William Haeflinger holds a propeller of a B-17 Bomber at Lewis University Airport on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013 in Romeoville, Ill. Haeflinger completed 29 bombing missions on a B-17 during World War II. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Melanie Durrett, 22, of Hodgenville Ky. sits with her boyfriend of a year Derail Shelton and their dog Cochece in their temporary home, The Holiday Motel in Cave City, Ky. The two have been living there for about a month. “I’ve been trying to find work”, Durrett says, “It’s been real hard, a mixture of the recession and my hand tattoos.” KATIE MCLEAN
SPORTS ACTION
So many football images! The bar gets higher and higher to make a truly spectacular image from a college football game. Lots of peak action but I would have liked to see cleaner backgrounds.
Warren East’s Eli Brown stiff arms Hopkinsville’s Brian Boyd during the Raiders homecoming game against Hopkinsville at Warren East on Friday, September 20, 2013. BRIAN POWERS
Julianna Rosas cools off with a cup of water as she runs down North Broadway during the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013 in Chicago. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
WKU junior Willie McNeal catches a pass for the first down. WKU won 44-28 against Georgia State at the Georgia Dome on Nov. 02, 2013. JEFF BROWN
SPORTS FEATURE
I was surprised at the variety of images submitted to this category. There are several photos that I would almost certainly classify as “action” rather than “feature”– curious as to the rationale behind the photographer’s decision to include them.
1rst: I wasn’t in love with this frame, but what I imagine of the subject elevates it: it appears as if she’s pensive, getting in the zone before the meet. The lower edge’s crop feels a bit awkward, and I wish the lines of the dividers in the pool were utilized to partition the background with a bit more intentionality.
Marion Catholic High School junior Abby Kresal prepares to jump in the water for a warm up at the Illinois High School Association girls state swimming preliminaries at New Trier High School on Friday, Nov. 22, 2013 in Chicago. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Grace Schenkelberg, a member of Infinity Athletics team Unity from Avon Lake, Ohio with girls age 14 and under, reacts with teammates to winning the Ultimate Pyramid award in the L3-Small Junior Cheer Division and winning a spot at the ULTIMATE National Championship in Orlando Florida in April 18-19, 2014 during the awards ceremony at the Cheerleaders of America Holiday Kick-Off Championship where cheer teams from around the midwest competed at The Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013. JABIN BOTSFORD
Fans prepare for a wet night at Warren East as they take on Hopkinsville on Friday, September 20, 2013. BRIAN POWERS
FEATURE
Good job getting out and finding a variety of features – from daily news work to documentary features. Since features often stand alone on newspaper pages, I gave more weight to the curious/interesting/bizarre moments rather than the images that simply didn’t fit in other categories.
1rst: Good job getting intimate here. This is a nice frame that leaves me guessing about the daughter’s expression. Very nice detail on the fingerprints pressed against the glass. Black and white works here to enhance the emotion of the frame.
Joseph Walker and daughter Acelyhne Walker press their hands against the glass during a visit on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2013. “I’ve pretty much watch my daughter grow up in here,” Walker said. “It’s not only like I’m in jail, it’s like they are too.” BRIAN POWERS
2nd: Weird. Weird. Weird. This reminds me of one of Elliott Erwitt’s dog photographs. The composition could be tighter, and the guy on the left distracts the eye, but the juxtaposition of the daughter’s face over the mother’s daughter works. Not sure I’d run this in a newspaper unless there was something important about these subjects.
Ariel Pedigo and family outside grandmother Elizabeth Pedigo’s home in Bowling Green on Thursday, September 26, 2013. BRIAN POWERS
3rd: Nice job finding something eye-catching and bizarre. Good moment between the two of them – would be curious to see how else you could’ve worked the scene. It’s good that we can read the label on the soap.
Western Kentucky University Sophomores, Hunter Heath and Brice Mickann, wash themselves with soap in a puddle by Chestnut Street North Lot in Bowling Green, Ky. The two said they decided to bathe in the puddle because they needed to shower. TYLER ESSARY
GENERAL NEWS
It feels odd to me that there were so few submissions to this category, which POYI categorizes as “Single photographs from a news event or social issue for which planning was possible.” Seems like this category should be overflowing with work from photojournalism students. Either way.
1rst: Excellent layering made this frame my #1 choice. You took a boring “protest”, found what’s interesting, and then framed around it. I bet this frame would work in color, too, although the black and white gives it a little more weight and simplicity.
Kevon Martis, dressed as an eagle, Director of the Interstate Informed Citizens Coalition, and Eric Martis, dressed as the grim reaper carrying a windmill, dress up to bring awareness to the killing of animals that occurs from industrial wind turbines as protesters carry signs and talk to patrons as they walk by to raise public awareness of the potential impacts of industrial wind turbines outside of the Hilton where the American Wind Energy Association had the Ohio Wind Energy Summit in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013. JABIN BOTSFORD
2nd + 3rd: Two different ways to shoot a vigil here: tight or pulled back. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. The tight shot is great for the emotion and the beautiful candlelight reflected on their faces; the loose shot is great because the stark neighborhood adds to the mood and lets viewers see that this wasn’t a thousand-person vigil…just a group gathered to remember the victim. Ideally, you find a happy medium with the strengths of both approaches: a shot that incorporates the gift of high-dynamic-range-sensors and outdoor candlelight.
Friends, family, and fellow chefs stand together at the candlelight vigil for Chef Charlie Trotter at his old restaurant, Charlie Trotter’s on West Armitage Avenue on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 in Chicago. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Family and friends gather and listen as Nathan’s father Charles Francis speaks at a small memorial on the side of South Oakley Avenue as family and friends gather annually for a vigil on the day of Nathan Francis death, who was 20 when he was shot in front of his hilltop home three years ago, in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013. JABIN BOTSFORD
I’m happy to talk specifically about any of the comments I left above. You can reach me via email at vaughn_wallace@timemagazine.com.”