National – July 2017 – Sports Action

Judges Comments

It was summertime, traditionally a slow time for sports. Rodeo pictures dominated this category. In fact, 11 of the 31 images were rodeo images, and one stood out from the others. The 1st place image was indeed from a rodeo, but what an image it is! We've never seen a bull so high off the ground and physically contorted, and the moment of capture is perfect. Going old school if we may, because we're old photo guys, this photo defines the proverbial "moment of anticipation." How is this going to end, for both bull and rider? We know we're literally a fraction of a second away from that answer, butthe image makes us hungry to know what that answer will be. The2nd place image is a nice peak action moment from the most commonly photographed location on a baseball field - second base.We liked the airborne fielder and the application of the tag. The 3rdplace photo, from a soccer match, does a wonderful job of giving us a refreshing look at a scene so ordinary sports shooters record it probably thousands of times per year. But this one really works. The composition that moves us left to right with the intensity on the faces of the players shifting as we move toward the action, the peak action,even the position of the goal keeper. Tight, clean and easy to read.The alternate photo, from a mud run, has great expressions throughout, but definitely needed a tighter crop.

Judges: John Harte/Bakersfield College, Alex Horvath/New York Newsday