Southeast – August 2019 – Spot News

Judges Comments

First place makes good use of the stark red light and conditions of the situated photographed. The water falling in the background add intensity and motion to an otherwise still image. Second place does a good job at capturing the story of this news event. While fairly direct and distant, the photographer successfully pulled all the elements of the story together into one image. Third place does a good job at showing the damage and impact of a storm. The image combines good use of composition and light to bring the elements together into an easy to read image. While lacking a human element, the image succeeds in making an artful image from a spot news event. Overall this category could have used more creativity and nontraditional thinking about how to make a spot news image. And while it is not always possible in these sort of situations, the images would always benefit, and have greater impact, with more intimacy and closeness.

Judges: Daniel Vasta/Freelance, JuliAnna Patino/New York Times