The challenge in general news is to make an image, or a set of images, that tells a story. Far too many entries in this category were mere recording of the presence of individuals. We’re not saying that sometimes that’s not all there is. But when it comes time to enter any contest, the goal should be to submit images that rise above the mundane, above the visual stenography. To manage storytelling and aesthetic in the same frame should be the goal. One without the other is at least part of the battle. The judges struggled to find an entry that covered the bases. In the end we opted for the snow-blower photo because we recognized the strong grasp of the light in a difficult situation. The moment may not have been hugely compelling, but the combination of the light and the composition, and the moment nudged the image to the top. The firefighter funeral was a good moment, we felt like maybe the real decisive moment was missed, or passed-over in the edit, where the flag-draped coffin was still being carried rather than at rest. We really liked the composition, with the crowd creating an almost vignetting frame around the point of focus. We’ve seen lots of COVID testing photos over the last two years, the judges really responded to the self-test aspect, the great face and the sense of tension in both body language and expression. The shallow depth of field sense of isolation really works.
Judges:
Sean D. Elliot/ The Day Publishing Co., Robert Button/ Freelance, Wes Bunnell/ Shore Publishing
Judges Comments
The challenge in general news is to make an image, or a set of images, that tells a story. Far too many entries in this category were mere recording of the presence of individuals. We’re not saying that sometimes that’s not all there is. But when it comes time to enter any contest, the goal should be to submit images that rise above the mundane, above the visual stenography. To manage storytelling and aesthetic in the same frame should be the goal. One without the other is at least part of the battle. The judges struggled to find an entry that covered the bases. In the end we opted for the snow-blower photo because we recognized the strong grasp of the light in a difficult situation. The moment may not have been hugely compelling, but the combination of the light and the composition, and the moment nudged the image to the top. The firefighter funeral was a good moment, we felt like maybe the real decisive moment was missed, or passed-over in the edit, where the flag-draped coffin was still being carried rather than at rest. We really liked the composition, with the crowd creating an almost vignetting frame around the point of focus. We’ve seen lots of COVID testing photos over the last two years, the judges really responded to the self-test aspect, the great face and the sense of tension in both body language and expression. The shallow depth of field sense of isolation really works.