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MARCH 2002 -- An array of top photojournalistic work takes centerstage at the National Press Photographers Association's Web site this month.
For the first time, the NPPA's Best of Photojournalism Contest has put up more than 26,000 entries online at www.nppa.org where members and non-members can view the photographers' works submitted for the first annual contest.
Agence France-Presse's director of photography for North America Maria Mann, who is the contest chairman, says it's a learning process for everyone to see work from professional photographers to newer young photographers. "It's the sunshine policy on photography," she quips. "There's no secrecy about this. We'll be accountable."
Joe Elbert, assistant managing editor of The Washington Post, says: "Many photographers work in a vacuum and never know what's submitted for competition, they see only the winners. Now, photographers can look at the category they entered and the competition. We believe viewing the entries has as much value as seeing the winners."
It is the first ever web entry contest organized this way, and NPPA, together with software engineers MerlinOne, The Washington Post, The Poynter Institute and AFP, put up the online exhibition in just two weeks. Judging will take place at The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida, in the week of March 17. NPPA members may observe the judging free of charge but must make a reservation. RSVP to Carolyn Foy, contest coordinator, at (919) 383-7246.
This new contest by the NPPA recognizes the best of photography, editing and photography on the Web. Last year, NPPA and the University of Missouri parted ways over the Pictures of the Year competition, which the two have jointly run for 44 years.
New categories include Cliff Edom's "New America Award," which celebrates great photography of rural or under-covered communities in America, and Attack on America, which honors a single image made on or since September 11. Cliff Edom, who died in 1991, founded the Missouri Photographic Workshop in 1949 and was behind the book Small Town America, which featured the best images from the workshop.
Photography judges are Michele Stephenson, photo editor of Time, Brian Storm from MSNBC.com, Robert Hanashiro from USA Today, Cheryl Hatch from Associated Press, and Horacio Villalobos, director of photography at Diario Popular in Argentina.
There is also a Best of Photojournalism on the Web category that includes best use of Web, best multimedia packages and best event package devoted to the terror attacks and the aftermath, judged by another group. That category will be judged by J. Carl Ganter, managing editor for MediaVia, a documentary firm based in Michigan; Andrew DeVigal of DeVigal Design; and Internet producer Maria Bunai.
-- Photo District News, March 2002
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