ST. PETERSBURG, FL (March 24, 2005) – The Best Of Photojournalism 2005 Still Photography judges started today’s fifth day of picking winners at The Poynter Institute for Media Studies by viewing the entries in Cliff Edom’s “New America Award” category.
The winner they picked was Chicago-based freelancer Jon Lowenstein for his essay “Pocket Town Kids: Passion, Hope, and Connection on Chicago’s Southside.” The essay of 25 color photographs tells the story of the teachers who struggle to make education better for every child at the Paul Revere Elementary School, grades pre-kindergarten through eighth, and their students.
Cliff Edom’s “New America Award” recognizes excellence in photographic storytelling about rural or ethnically diverse people. Clifton C. Edom (1907-1991), a University of Missouri School of Journalism professor, cofounded the Missouri Photographic Workshop with his wife, Vilia, in 1949, and the award honors his legacy.
“Winning the Cliff Edom ‘New America Award’ is really cool, just because as a freelancer it’s really hard to get the work out there, and to get it seen,” Lowenstein said. “This project is supported by the Comer Science and Education Foundation, and I’m done with the ‘school’ phase of it and now I’m working on the next installment, following this neighborhood as it changes. The Comer Foundation helps kids who graduate go on to get more education. Public education is really important, and everybody deserves a chance to get an education, and being a part of this school has really taught me that.”
Judge Gary Hershorn said Lowenstein’s photographs “took me to the school. The essay had varied and strong pictures throughout. It had a good feel to it.” Judge Bonnie Jo Mount added, “The photographs had a spontaneous student style that reflected the energy of the environment.”
In 2003, Lowenstein won the NPPA-Nikon Documentary Sabbatical Grant, and in the 58th Annual Pictures Of The Year competition he was the Magazine Photographer of the Year. Currently he’s working on several book projects in addition to teaching photography to students at Paul Revere Elementary School, where he once helped to coach basketball and now helps to publish the community newspaper, Our Streets, in the same Southside Chicago neighborhood that he’s documenting.
The judges gave two Special Recognition awards in the Cliff Edom category. One was to Eustacio Humphrey of The Plain Dealer for “Eye On The Nation,” a rare look inside the American community of the Nation of Islam. The other one was to Steve Jessmore of The Flint Journal for an close look at Flint, MI, a city often highly maligned.
The panel today judged the Magazine Picture Story, Magazine Photographer of the Year, and Sports Portfolio of the Year categories, and these winners will be announced on Friday. Also coming Friday will be the announcement of the Newspaper Photographer of the Year and the Magazine Photographer of the Year.
Additional winners in other categories were announced on Thursday evening and the winning images were posted online at NPPA's contest Web site.
In the International News Picture Story category, first place went to Yuri Tutov of Agence France-Presse for his coverage of the Beslan school siege and rescue operation. Second place went to Altaf Qadri of EPA, and third place to Jahi Chikwendiu of The Washington Post. Honorable Mentions were awarded to freelancer Ross Taylor; Michael Laughlin of The Sun-Sentinel; Lynsey Addario of The New York Times; Timothy Fadek of Polaris Images; Francine Orr of the Los Angeles Times; and Ashley Gilbertson of The New York Times.
In the Magazine News Picture Story category, first place went to Chris Anderson of VII Agency for U.S. News & World Report for his coverage of rebel forces advancing on the Haitian capital to oust President Bertrand Aristide. Second place went to James Nachtwey of VII Agency, and third place to freelancer Frederic Lafargue. Honorable Mentions were awarded to freelancer Roger Lemoyne; Simon Robers of *nbpictures; and Marcus Bleasdale of IPG.
In the Domestic News Picture Story category, first place went to Mary Calvert of The Washington Times for her essay “Losing The Fight,” coverage of America’s struggle to deal with millions of illegal aliens crossing into the United States annually. Second place went to Patrick Schneider of The Charlotte Observer, and third place to Nuri Vallbona of The Miami Herald. Honorable Mentions were awarded to David McNew of Getty Images; Greg Lovett of The Palm Beach Post; Kelly Presnell of The Arizona Daily Star; and Karen Focht of The Commercial Appeal.
In the Sports Picture Story category, first place went to freelancer Chris Anderson for a behind-the-scenes look at the intense training and private moments of bicyclist Lance Armstrong's life. Second place went to Damon Winter of the Los Angeles Times, and third place to freelancer Jakob Carlsen. An Honorable Mention was awarded to Craig Golding of The Sydney Morning Herald.
In the Olympics 2004 Picture Story category, first place went to Patrick Schneider of The Charlotte Observer for his coverage of the Summer Games in Athens, Greece. Second place went to Bob Martin of Sports Illustrated, and third place to Jack Gruber of USA Today.
In the Feature Picture Story category, first place went to Deanne Fitzmaurice of The San Francisco Chronicle for her essay “Lion Heart,” the story of a 9-year-old Iraqi boy, Saleh Khalaf, who picked up a bomb that then exploded. His father convinced U.S. Air Force surgeons to perform surgery to keep the boy alive, starting an international mercy mission that journeyed to a children’s hospital in Oakland, CA. Second place went to Jim Gehrz of The Minneapolis Star Tribune, and third place to Lisa Krantz of the San Antonio Express-News. Honorable Mentions were awarded to Garol Guzy of The Washington Post; freelancer Jakob Carlsen; and Kenneth O’Halloran of the Irish Independent.
In the Nature and Environment Picture Story category, first place went to Renee C. Byer of The Sacramento Bee for a picture story on the uncertainty of biotechnology. Second place went to freelancer Bob Sacha, and third place to Kent Treptow of The Daily Pilot.
Friday will be the last day of judging and winners will be announced for the remaining categories, including Newspaper Photographer of the Year and Magazine Photographer of the Year.
Friday evening will mark the end of two weeks of NPPA Best Of Photojournalism 2005 contest judging at The Poynter Center for Media Studies in St. Petersburg. Last week, the Television Photography and Editing categories were judged, preceding this week’s Still Photography contest. Poynter hosts the judging as part of their ongoing sponsorship of the NPPA's Best Of Photojournalism contests.
Winners in the categories announced so far are posted online on the NPPA Web site. First, Second, and Third Places images, along with any Honorable Mentions or Special Recognitions, can be seen online on the NPPA Best Of Photojournalism Still Photography contest Web page.
Stay tuned through the week as daily stories are posted on the NPPA Web site with results from the Photography and Web Site judging.
Read Wednesday's story as four categories of picture stories, each with thousands of images, were judged.
Read Tuesday's story as the categories of Olympics 2004, Feature, Magazine News, General News, Campaign Picture Story, Magazine Nature and Environment Picture Story, and Magazine Portrait and Personality were judged.
Read Monday's story as the first round of winners were announced in Pictorial, Portrait and Personality, The Arts, Nature and Environment, Computer Image Illustration, and Conceptual Illustration.
Read Sunday's story from the first full day of judging, and learn more about the panel of judges.
