West – April 2022 – Sports Feature

Judges Comments

The layering of the first place image awed us - the visual awareness demonstrated here of catching the winner’s celebration while other competitors are still competing in the background was superb. Across all the categories, we saw many images that were overtoned - too much work on bringing up shadows, adjusting sharpness or clarity or toning to the point of shifting colors into an unreal realm. This image, though, we did feel needed a touch more contrast, but the moment is just so strong we had to have it in first place. The second image is a semi-standard podium image but the photojournalist’s timing (and selection decisions) found the one moment where a driver’s face wasn’t covered up by confetti. A smart edit. The third place image we talked about at length as it wasn’t a quick read. But the more we discussed it, the more we realized how much an audience would engage with the photo - it stops you and makes you look. We also joked that maybe the athlete was moving away from the pond, having been hurled out of it instead of hurling themselves into it.

Judges: Mark E. Johnson/University of Georgia, Dr. Kyser Lough/University of Georgia, Dr. Andrea Hudson/University of Georgia