First place: Faces can make a photo and the players in this judo photo tell the story.
Second place: Another wonderful reaction photo but shot from an elevated angle that cleaned up the background.
Third place: Was a classic "thrill of victory and agony of defeat" image that is clean and a quick read.
The alternate: Emotional image but tighter crop would have cleaned up the background and elevated this into the top three.
Judges:
Robert Hanashiro/USA Today, Keith Birmingham/Southern California News Group
Judges Comments
First place: Faces can make a photo and the players in this judo photo tell the story. Second place: Another wonderful reaction photo but shot from an elevated angle that cleaned up the background. Third place: Was a classic "thrill of victory and agony of defeat" image that is clean and a quick read. The alternate: Emotional image but tighter crop would have cleaned up the background and elevated this into the top three.