Kenny Reynolds

1) Election Night Surprise

This story was a great example of a reporter/photographer team thinking on their feet. The crew had the presence of mind to break away from the regular election night festivities when a hotel elevator containing 19 passengers became stuck. The story was very well written with a built in surprise in the middle of the donut. The photographer came off of the sticks and stayed with the action, even when doors were seemingly slammed in his face. They captured the moment that the passengers came off of the elevator, showing the frustration that was felt during the ordeal. This is a classic example of taking a run of the mill story and making it special. Great nat sound and editing really helped to hold my interest.

2) Daisy Come Home

The photographer really worked it on this story, staying with the action and capturing great moments. I was especially impressed that he/she was rolling when law enforcement got the call that Daisy had been found Ð great anticipation. You could feel the emotion when the mother got the word. In these situations it is rare that you are around to catch the reunion Ð but the crew did it here. The tension of this life or death situation was evident throughout the piece. The editor placed great nat sound throughout. This was a great story that tugged at your heartstrings.

3) This Is Ugly

Kudos to the photographer for getting his feet wet! I felt like I was in the middle of the water while watching this story. The crew did an excellent job of putting a face on the story through the eyes of the business owner. I think we all got a chuckle from the nat break of the phone ringing in the tavern. I could tell that the photog put time and effort into getting the interior shots of the barbershop because the water was so still. This was a well crafted story which showed the teamwork of the photographer/reporter duo.

Honorable Mention - Rosemount Fire

This photo essay was extremely well done, telling the story of a Church fire through the eyes of its parishioners. The photographer turned his camera around to capture the emotion of the people who stood by helplessly as their place of worship went up in flames. There were great visuals and nat sound throughout. The shot of the embers burning was particularly impressive. Excellent use of natural light for the interviews. A great effort.

Katrina (Brown) McCann

#1 Election Night Surprise

This story was a perfect example of Spot News. The photographer was sent to one story, and another one ended up happening. This story was filled with moments, and great sound. The photographer put them self right into the middle of the action, and caught the whole story as it unfolded. Even when doors were closed, they stuck with the story and followed through till the end. There was a great set-up, and it was a different kind of story that you never see. This story was truly a surprise.

#2 Daisy Come Home

This was a great example of thinking on your feet. It took a lot of anticipation, and being at the right spot, at the right time. There was unbelievable moments and sound. The photographer caught every moment as it happened. The looks on the people's faces were unforgetable, and the mother and daughter reuniting was priceless. This was a heartwarming story, and the photographer did an excellent job of putting you right in the middle of the action.

#3 This is Ugly

The photography in this story was excellent. It was a solid piece with great shots, sound and editing. The photographer really pulled you into the story. You felt like you were standing waist deep in water, right along with them. The story had a great character and a moment that made us laugh out loud. It was one of the most enjoyable spot news stories to watch. You could tell the photographer really took their time on this story, and shot all the pieces of the story. The photographer didn't stand on the sidelines, but was right there in the water with everyone else. This piece should really inspire other photographers to go above and beyond the story.

HM Rosemount Fire

This was a wonderfully shot story. There were certain shots that stood out. It's hard to take a fire story and make it different from every other fire story. This photographer paid attention to detail.. Instead of only shooting flames, they turned the camera around towards the people. You really felt like you were standing next to them watching their church burn. I feel like they used the natural lighting very well, and had creative shots. I also feel they listened to the people telling the story, and the shooting showed that.

Scott Hedeen

Above average television news is what we expected, being picked up and plopped down the middle of breaking news is what we all deserved.

Taken to a place and introduced to someone or some situation is what great spot news is. Having the feeling of walking side by side with someone's drama is something that sets one story out from another.

The first place story was what I like to call a "gear changer" . A election night podium locked down love fest turns to another story. The story on the press riser and plugged into a mult box goes out the door, down the hall and up into an elevator shaft. While the glad handing politicos speak of party victories, the party goers are all stuck in an elevator. Off the tripod , getting the sound, staying with the story, the photojournalist and the ever important co-operating reporter showed the confidence of going for the real story (or at least the one that had the real drama) . Great shooting is always the kind that portrays the moment, this moment was captured and served up in grand style.

The Second place story was set up and paid off masterfully. While not entirely beautiful in it's level of visual composure, the story was golden in it's capture of human drama. The photojournalist got the deputies and the missing child's family to feel at ease around him/her...enough to forget the camera was there and show the ever missing wonderful element of our craft... emotion. Best thing? The photojournalist got the shots.

The third place story was the personalization of flooded town. The local drinking establishment and the man who ran it opened up in front of me. I've never physically met this man but through this story, I did. A tension building edit pace through out set up the urgency of the rising waters only to have the human reality of the flooded bar still getting phone calls added the much needed levity. Crafted well the photographer controlled the piece not unlike a conductor and a symphony.

Honorable mention went to a stylish take on a church fire. Told in a very classic locked down beauty shot way, the photographer the people who worshipped at the church relive the reason why the church's fiery demise was news story. An eye for detail and ears to hear the compelling sots, a solid citizen of a story.

Richard Essex

Election night surprise is a fantastic example of reporter and photographer working together for the story. In place of the same old same old election night story, we are taken from the election hall to an elevator filled with anxious election night partygoers trapped. The photographer stayed with the action. It was obvious he/she more than beat the competition that night.

Daisy Come home --- great example of staying with the story and it paid off in pure emotion. The story made me really feel like I was right there.

It was ugly---This is now the benchmark for flooding stories. Well crafted team work..

Rosemount Fire--I really loved this story. Instead of going out and bringing back a boring vo of a church fire..the camera was turned around to capture the story of the people...great example of thinking and shooting...

Kurt Austin

Election Night Surprise was indeed a surprise. What was an average election night story turned out to be quite exciting---with 19 election night workers stuck in an elevator. The photojournalist was right there and had all the right moments---from the time fire fighters discovered the problem to the time the trapped were freed. The editing was seamless from the election night speeches to the tension on the elevator. Great teamwork between the photojournalist and the reporter.

The second place story, Daisy Come Home, had every moment you could ever hope for in a spot news story. A 2-year-old is lost. Searchers are out in force. The photojournalist is right there when deputies get the call that the little girl is found. Also there when the mother is told her daughter is found and again for the reunion. You rarely see all of these elements in one complete story.

The 3rd place story, This is Ugly, was my number one choice to begin with. Very well shot. The photojournalist shot wonderful sequences, gathered crystal clear nat sound and wonderful moments, all the while wading through one to two feet of water. Again, great teamwork between the reporter and the photographer.

Rosemount Fire ended up with an Honorable Mention. It was beautifully shot and edited. The emergency lights reflecting off the cemetery headstones were incredible!

A great debate was raged over the story telling, and even if it wasn’t a complete story, like on Inside Hurricane Charley. The photojournalist was literally right in the middle of the hurricane. You felt it. I was getting chills just watching the footage. But the story was told as a 1st person narrative. "Here we are in the middle of Hurricane Charley" and here is what I saw. Unconventional, out of the box, intense, but in the end the judges on a whole decided it was just not a story.