Judges Comments

First Place: “Brother Grad” was an easy first-place choice for us. We were immediately drawn to this image because of the emotion and layering it provides. It's something that not everyone is seeing, like a behind-the-scenes moment. Second Place: The unique angle in “Retire” was appealing, and the caption was well written. We like that the military uniform and American flag are visible in the frame, with the subjects perfectly placed in the open space. Third Place: The photographer was able to make a nice frame from a town-hall style meeting in “Christie Announces.” This image has nice lighting and captures an interesting moment from a government meeting. Alternate: We like that “Graduation” was shot at a tilted angle, and we appreciate the wide view of the crowd — making the viewer's eyes move across the frame to see all the fun reactions on everyone's faces.