Judges Comments

Many of the entries in the picture story and essay category would have been improved with tighter editing and elimination of redundancies. First place was a clear winner in which the photographer gained the trust of the subject and access to intimate situations. Though this was a lengthy entry, each image moves the story forward and creates a narrative. The photos are accompanied by detailed captions and quotes that give context, educate the viewer and give a sense of the character of Taryn. The second place entry was good event coverage, filled with good moments and showed technical competence in dealing with difficult light. Though more concise in its edit, this story could have been tightened up slightly. We also feel a more thoughtful sequencing of the images would improve this entry. We chose not to award third place in this category because of sprawling edits and lack of cohesion.