Congratulations to first round Hearst qualifiers!

After hours of sorting, editing, re-editing and then sorting again the WKU photo faculty is excited to announce the two finalists we have selected to represent WKU in the first round of the Hearst Photo competition. Congratulations to Jabin Botsford and to Adam Wolffbrandt for putting together an excellent selection of 8 images that represent a body of work over one year. One hour before the shooting deadline, Jabin nabbed an awesome picture of Regina Webb and her husband watching the election returns and Adam shot a great picture on Sunday, just two days before the shooting deadline that really looked into the face of how a mother and son feel about one-another. Be sure to check out their images below and offer them luck as we send the images off to be judged for the first of two rounds for the national photojournalism competition.

JABIN E. BOTSFORD’S PORTFOLIO ENTRY

Western Kentucky University senior guard Kahlil McDonald celebrates with his teammates after winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Summit Arena against the University of North Texas on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 in Hot Springs, Ark. McDonald scored 14 points to help WKU win the 2011 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament, 74-70 to advance to the NCAA for the 22nd time and first time since 2009.  JABIN E. BOTSFORD

Regina Webb of Bowling Green, Ky. Republican candidate for 20th district state representative, sits with her husband Brent Webb while witnessing the results of the local election Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at her home surrounded by family and friends in Bowling Green, Ky. Webb lost to incumbent State Rep. Jody Richards. JABIN E. BOTSFORD

Football players gather around Western Kentucky University senior Casey Tinius moments after he kicked a game-winning field goal Saturday November 5, 2011 in the Toppers’ 10-9 victory over Florida International at L.T. Smith stadium in Bowling Green, Ky. Tinius hadn’t made a field goal since WKU’s season opener against The University of Kentucky. JABIN E. BOTSFORD

Rayford Kytle, 65, from  Washington, D.C., has been living with HIV for more than 30 years and is attending the XIX (19th) International AIDS Conference to “find out what the latest developments are in AIDS prevention, research and care are and how I can help with the epidemic,” at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, July 25, 2012. Kytle has depression, a side effect of an early type of anti-HIV medicine as well as something called facial wasting, and requires injections once every 18 months so his face doesn’t look “like a walking skull.” The injections cost $1,500 each. Kytle is lucky enough to have private insurance that covers it, but other men in his support group are not so lucky. JABIN E. BOTSFORD

From left Western Kentucky University Hilltopper freshman forward Vinny Zollo, University of South Alabama Jaguar freshman guard Mychal Ammons, Western Kentucky University Hilltopper freshman forward George Fant, and University of South Alabama Jaguar sophomore forward Augustne Rubit jump to attempt and rebound the ball Saturday February 4, 2012 at Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky. Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers won 75-66. JABIN E. BOTSFORD

Fans erupt during a race leading up to 138th Kentucky Oaks horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on Friday, May 5, 2012. Fans from all sources wagered $39.9 million on the day of the Oaks, a 6.5-percent increase from the previous year and $226.9 million was wagered from all sources on the Kentucky Derby weekend. JABIN E. BOTSFORD

Members of the National Clergy Council in D.C. Rev. Rob Schenck, left, Rev. Alan Church, in back middle, and Pastor Gary Dull pray in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.  on Thursday June 28, 2012. People gather in front of the Supreme Court after the ruling on the health care plan was announced upholding most of it. Schenck holds a copy of the bench decision. JABIN E. BOTSFORD

One of Tim “WILD THANG” Lepard’s monkey and dog rodeo teams, also known as “Team Ghost Riders,” perform at the Bowie Baysox vs the Reading Phillies game at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, MD on Sunday June 24, 2012. The novelty of the performance is that the monkey’s ride the dogs voluntarily to herd goats. JABIN E. BOTSFORD

ADAM WOLFFBRANDT’S PORTFOLIO ENTRY

Tara Bauman (left), 8, Ashley Bartlett, and her daughter, Teagan Rathjen, 8, cry together while “Amazing Grace” is sung during a memorial service for victims of Wednesday’s bus crash at the Blue Hill United Methodist Church held on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012 in Blue Hill, Neb. The crash involved a school bus and semitrailer. Two students from Blue Hill Community Schools and drivers of both vehicles were killed. Five other students were injured. Tara and Teagan were classmates of Allie Thallman, who was injured in the accident. Allie’s sister, Caroline, was one of the four who died. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

Doane quarterback Reid Rando (19) gets tackled by Morningside defensive lineman Andrew Broocks (95) near the 10 yard line at the end of the fourth quarter on Saturday, Oct. 06, 2012 at Doane College in Crete, Neb. Broocks prevented the Doane Tigers from getting a touchdown, but the Tigers managed a three point field goal with one minute left to go in the game. The Morningside Mustangs won 28-3. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

Heather Berry rejects an apology kiss from her fiance Mark Duke after a small argument. She said they frequently fight because Mark is just a big kid. “He does have his good qualities,” she said. “He would do anything to make you smile.” Heather recently completed the Reach Higher Welfare to Work program through the Housing Authority of Bowling Green, which provides job experience and training to mothers in public housing in an attempt to better her life. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

Carter Seim, 8, glares at his opponent, Olivia Nyberg, 10, moments before they race down Commercial Street for the “Extreme Almost Illegal Soapbox Derby” during the annual Swedish Festival on Sunday, June 17, 2012 in Stromsburg, Neb. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

Brandi Fox cries in the arms of her father, Michael Rivers as firefighters attempt to extinguish a fire in her home on July 20, 2012. Fox, who was six months pregnant at the time, tried to put out the fire herself until the smoke and heat forced her out. “They said I made it out seconds before it was too late,” Fox said. Two cats and four dogs were trapped in the trailer when she escaped. Fox remained in the hospital for 24 hours from smoke inhalation, but firefighters said her efforts likely saved most of her home from extensive damage. The Fox family was able to repair the damage with the help of mostly anonymous donations, but the three Fox children lost all their belongings. “They’re still getting over the issues of losing everything,” Fox said. Firefighters were able to save all the animals from the fire. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

Edith Wentworth drinks a cup of coffee as wildfires spread near her home through 117 square miles (74,880 acres) of the Niobrara River Valley on July 23, 2012 in northern Nebraska. Edith put sprinklers on her roof to prevent hot embers from burning her home. She previously lost her home to a tornado and took precautions to protect her house from the fires. “It’s just so dry out there,” she said. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

After receiving an allergy shot, Brian calms down, chews on his cloth,  and gives his mother, Dee Shaffer a hug on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012 at their home in Ashland, Neb. Brian is allergic to 97 different things, so Dee must take several precautions to prevent reactions. The two have been living off Dee’s retirement fund for over a year after the state stopped paying her to care for Brian. After her retirement money runs out, Dee said they would be forced to the streets. “That would kill him,” she said, crying. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT

Local children pull as hard as they can for a game of tug-o-war in front of grain bins near a field in Morse Bluff, Neb. on Aug. 11, 2012. Residents of the 135 person village and their neighbors celebrated their quasquicentennial (Q125) by various events and games throughout several days. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT