Midwest – December 2020 – Photo Story/Essay

Judges Comments

With only three entries total, this was not a difficult decision. The only challenge was the debate over third place. In the end, the opinion that an entry that did not meet the definition of the category could not be awarded, and we went with just two winners. The photo story is both a lost art in the contemporary newspaper world, and yet given the ability to publish nearly unlimited images from virtually every assignment the category could be rife for both abuse, or opportunity. In a thin category it might not take much, just some solid work and decent editing, to get some points in the contest. The trick is for the judges to maintain standards and not just award points for a set of related photos. Our first place choice was pretty easy. The story of the older woman moving from her home into a congregate setting was tightly edited, had a good variety of images, and told the story. The second place story of the family left homeless by a tornado needed that tighter edit. It also needed a better variety of angles and perspectives. The majority of the images are taken with the same lens, from the same distance. There is a lack of connection, intimacy, that creates just enough disconnect to weaken the storytelling.

Judges: Sean D. Elliot/The Day, Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel, Jim Evans/Retired