January 2014 clip contest results

Winning images

Spot News
1st - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch , “Fire”
2nd - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, “Water Main Break”
3rd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, “Emmitt House Fire”

Judges comments:The first is simple and well executed and captures some action. The second, of flooding, we liked because of the interaction found within a bigger scene. The third image is a nice, sorta-graphic image that does a good job illustrating an event that has already passed. As a whole, including the winners, we would have liked to see more of an emphasis on composition, cleaner crops and human interest. It's hard to remember in the heat of the moment in spot news, but what sets photojournalists apart is our ability to do these things in a tense environment.

General News
1st - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, “Tractor Pull”
2nd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch , “Health Care”
3rd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, “MLK March”
HM - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, “Detroit Auto Show”
HM - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, “Eviction”

Judges comments: We enjoyed the off-beat nature of the first image. We were glad to see work in this category that strayed from the main event, and we thought the first did that with a clean crop, interesting environment and lack of camera awareness. The second photo we liked the interaction and how the image does a nice job of illustrating an on-going or emerging issue. We were big fans of the artistry in the third image and making something eye catching and graphic out of an expected non-visual assignment. It's something different from an event we've seen shot countless times. Our first honorable mention is a nice graphic representation with good use of color and layers to illustrate the feeling of an event. The second honorable mention we really liked the non-literal illustration of a news story with a bit of humanity and heart with the dog kiss but think it could have been executed more strongly. For all the entries as a whole, we would suggest keeping in mind that a single image, especially from a news event, should contain as many bits and pieces of information and story while emphasizing people and humanity for a strong story-telling image. Think context and moments.

Feature
1st - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, “Warm Up”
2nd - Fred Squillante, The Columbus Dispatch, “Cold”
3rd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, “Snow Day”
HM - Sam Greene, The Columbus Dispatch, “Big Push”

Judges comments: In the winning feature image we really enjoyed the sense of adventure from the color and shapes the characters made in combination with the light from the fire. We like to see the photographer getting low and playing with composition and exposure instead of making a normal exposure from eye level. We appreciated the warmth and quietness of the man reading in the second place image. It's a technically well-executed shot that is relatable to the average viewer. We liked the wildness of the scenery in the third place photo, but wished to see more of a moment with the subject's body language. Also, was it cold out in Ohio this year? We couldn't tell! All joking aside, there were a ton of sledding images, and this was the most standout one because the photographer got down low and tried to do something different instead of shooting from the top or the bottom of the hill with a long lens. We'd like to push for more atypical frames and moments in such a overly-photographed feature subject. We'd also like to point out photos in the 'feature' category don't need to be just from a feature hunt for weather or a hole in the paper. We'd suggest more human interest, humor filled, intimate photos for next time. A photo that shows the viewer something new.

Sports Action
1st - Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, “Blur”
2nd - Kyle Robertson, “Rebound”
3rd - Isaac Hale, Ohio University (The Post), “Wrestling”
HM - Isaac Hale, Ohio University (The Post), “Goalie”

Judges comments: In looking for winners in the Sports Action category, we wanted to see images that capture peak action, thrust the viewer into the game, and hopefully do something different, either in the execution of the image or in the content. The winning image is a good example of trying something different to capture a scene that we've seen before. The photographer managed to use creative blur while still having sharp, crisp focus on their subject, which is hard to achieve. One of the biggest challenges of shooting sports is not falling into the same habit and shooting every game the same way, so good job experimenting. The second-place image is a nice remote-capture, well-lit, sharp focus, and a good moment. The third image is a standard scene but technically excellent. We chose the honorable mention for it's surprising moment, but we'd suggest a different, tighter crop. As a general comment on the entries in this category, remember the key tenets of sports photography. You need a tack-sharp image with a peak action moment. Having a face, expression, powerful gestures, good exposure and a clean crop are also important, but that focus and action is key.

Sports Feature
1st - Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, “Frustration”
2nd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, “Blue Jackets Score”
3rd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, “Orange Bowl Ready”
HM - Daniel Kubus, Ohio University, “Double Overtime Loss”

Judges comments: The first place image is well-shot and readable and a good emotive moment. It's a good reminder not to put your camera down when the action stops, that's when the truly surprising sports features happen. We liked the combination of moments on both sides of the glass in the second-place image. Play with a different crop to eliminate some of the wasted space at the bottom. Third place is also a nice emotive moment that is technically well executed. Nice job finding a focus in a busy scene. The honorable mention is a great moment but falls a little short compositionally. As a general comment on entries in this category, we'd remind the photographers to look outside the game-action and take viewers behind the scenes if possible. There's some nice images to be made that are out of view for fans that we have access to.

Portrait
1st - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch, “Wrestling Twins”
2nd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch , “Mars”
3rd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch , “Security”
HM - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, “Cancer Patient”

Judges comments: The winning portrait is nicely lit, well composed with the ceiling lights adding to the dynamic nature. Good job for the second-place of trying something different for a studio portrait, and executing it well. Third-place is a nicely executed image from a tough assignment. Kudos for lighting him inside and shooting from outside. We like the subject and lighting in the honorable mention, but wish we didn't see some distracting stuff in the back-left. There's always constraints that the viewer (read: us) may not know about, but keep in mind you have full-control to move things around in a portrait if there are distractions. On a whole, strive for intimacy in your portraits. When working on an environmental portrait, try and supplement the natural lighting conditions with your strobes, rather than creating a scene that looks artificial.

Story/Essay
1st - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, “Last Alarm”
2nd - Brooke LaValley, The Columbus Dispatch, “The Fight”
3rd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, “Emmitt House Fire”

Judges comments: The first sequence has a lot of nice elements and is a good selection to build a layout. The second-place entry is a good selection of images that tell the story, from what seems to be a one-and-done shoot. Third place shows a photographer really working a scene. In general, when editing a story or sequence, think about where your focus is and what a viewer is getting out of each image. Stay away from repetitive frames. They may be good to bulk up a web gallery but they shouldn't make your tight sequence. We'd also like to see some more intimate and in-depth story telling, so keep out there.
Judges Names/Publication

Judges: Spenser Heaps and Grant Hindsley from The Daily Herald, Provo, UT

February 2014 clip contest results

Winning images

Spot News
1st - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Car Into House"
2nd - William A. West, , "House Fire"
3rd - Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Prostitution Arrest"

Judge’s comments: This was a very weak category with only six entries.

General News
1st - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Demolition"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Firefighter Gaduation"
3rd - Sam Greene, The Columbus Dispatch, "Reading Partner"

Judge’s comments: There was a lot of discussion between first and second and the demolition picture won out because we thought the photographer worked hard to show something a different way. Great emotion in the firefighter graduation. Third was
Just a nice moment.

Feature
1st - Joshua A. Bickel, ThisWeek Community News, "Young Dancers"
2nd - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "Snow Eater"
3rd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Winter Walk"

Judge’s comments: This was one of the stronger categories. First place was a delightful photo and easily stood out of all the entries. Second and third were nice snow photos> Second place was a tight shot of a rosy cheeked girl and for third we liked the contrast of the child being pulled on a sled with the dog being walked right behind.

Sports Action
1st -Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, "Rebound"
2nd - Sam Greene, The Columbus Dispatch, "Shot On Goal"
3rd - Daniel Kubus, Ohio University , "Loose Ball"

Judge’s comments: This was another good category and the three winners stood out from the field. First place was a great moment with good expressions on the players. The hockey shot was a different moment from the game with the player upended in the goal. Third place was a nicely composed and clean action shot.

Sports Feature
1st - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Celebration"
2nd - Tom Dodge, The Columbus Dispatch, "Chair Volleyball"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Runner-up"

Judge’s comments: This was a fairly weak category, not a lot of "moments" captured. The three winning shots had this going for them. First was the best of the jubilation. Second seemed more of a sports action but was a funny moment shot from a good angle. Third was nicely composed and told a story.

Portrait
1st - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Bar Owner"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Lancelot Thompson"
3rd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Relay Champs"

Judge’s comments: One of the things we noticed was that a lot of the portraits showed too much environment and not enough of the subjects. The three winners made the subject the focus of the photos. All had strong lighting.

Story
1st - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch, "Harley Funeral"
2nd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Racoon Eaters"
3rd - Lorrie Cecil, ThisWeek Community News, "Valentines Dance"

Judge’s comments: First place won hands down. Great selection of photos of this unusual funeral. Second place had a nice variety of story telling photos that captured this quirky dinner. Third had only three photos but they all were beautiful moments from the dance.

Judges: From the Springfield News-Leader, Springfield, MO; Dean Curtis, Nathan Papes and Valerie Mosley

March 2014 clip contest results

Winning images

Spot News
1st - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch, "Derailment"
2nd - Patricia Schaeffer, The (Lisbon) Morning Journal, "Fire on Water Street"
3rd - Patricia Schaeffer, The (Lisbon) Morning Journal, "ATV Accident"
HM - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Wind & Flurries"

General News
1st - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "AEP Project"
2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Rape Sentencing"
3rd - Isaac Hale, Ohio University, "Beer"
HM - Angela Wilhelm, Sandusky Register, "Officer's Funeral"

Feature
1st - Angela Wilhelm, Sandusky Register, "Spelling Bee"
2nd - Sam Greene, The Columbus Dispatch, "Hawk Stalks Squirrel"
3rd place - Lorrie Cecil, ThisWeek Newspapers, "Pole Fitness"
HM - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Umbrella"
HM - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "Snow Squall"

Sports Action
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Loose Ball"
2nd - Angela Wilhelm, Sandusky Register, "Caught in the Shot"
3rd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Arnold Classic"
HM - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "State Wrestling"

Sports Feature
1st - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "State Wrestling"
2nd - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "State Champs"
3rd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Blue Jackets Introduction"
HM - Sam Greene, The Columbus Dispatch, "Header Collision"

Portrait
1st - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Artistically Gifted"
2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Baseball Memorabilia"
3rd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "40 Years in Show Business"
HM - Lorrie Cecil, ThisWeek Newspapers, ""
HM - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Intern"

Story/Essay
1st - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Icy Dive"
2nd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Posing Advice"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Big Ten Tournament Loss"

Illustration
1st - Phil Masturzo, Akron Beacon Journal, "Comfort Food"
2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Enchilada Stack"

Judges: From the Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Director of photography Mike Lang and staff photographers Dan Wagner,  Rachel O’Hara and Thomas Bender.

April 2014 clip contest results

Winning images

Feature
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Poisoned Dogs"
2nd - Sam Greene, The Columbus Dispatch, "Puddles"
3rd - Ryan M.L. Young, ThisWeek Community News, "Talent Show"

Judge’s comments: 1st - Nice picture that probably would have fit in general news, too. Nice moment and great caption. 2nd - This just has a nice feel to it. The color and texture really works. We debated the possibility of the photographer waiting a second longer to get the kid bending over a bit more and cropping the top stuff out, but… 3rd - Tough lighting situation, but the photographer took a chance and it paid off pretty well. Some judges wanted it tighter. Some liked it as it was. We all agreed it was a good moment.

General News
1st - Sam Greene, The Columbus Dispatch, "Parking Space"
2nd - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch, "Half-way House"
3rd - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "Harmony Project"

Judge’s comments: 1st - un picture whose color and composition made it stand out. Good seeing. 2nd - Well-composed. Nice color and light. Pretty decent moment. 3rd - A warm and fuzzy image. Lots of faces fill the frame well.

Portrait
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Dog Poisoning"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Athletic Commissioner Steps Down"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Barber Shop"

Judge’s comments: 1st - This portrait is powerful. The caption was a bonus, too. Nice subtle color makes the dog's collar pop. Shallow focus also makes sense. Really nice. 2nd - The subject is completely relaxed and it shows through. Well composed with a nice use of color. 3rd - We all loved this situation and subject. The more we studied it, the more we thought it might have been lit a little better/evenly to give it a little more dimension and less harsh shadows.

Sports Feature
1st - Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, "Goosed"
2nd - Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, "Youth Football Clinic"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Overtime Win"
HM - Sam Greene, The Columbus Dispatch, "Crew Soccer"
HM - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Taking the Ice"

Judge’s comments: 1st - Sweet. You cannot argue with a goose. Funny stuff and not something we come across every day.2nd - Another great moment. Nice catch by the photographer. 3rd - Nice moment from a big game. Photographer had a good plan for the end of the game and pulled it off. HM - This image is composed well and the shallow depth-of-field really makes the player pop. The color and light is also sweet. HM - Nice pictorial. Composition, color and light are all interesting.

Spot News
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Semi Crash"
2nd - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Springfield Shooting"
3rd - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Springfield Shooting"

Judge’s comments: 1st - his image might've been cropped a tad tighter, but other than that, its a pretty crazy situation to catch. 2nd - Nice, clean image with decent light and color. We weren't exactly sure who the people were in the picture, but are guessing they are related to the guy who got shot. Lacks context. Why did the guy get shot by the way? Suspense is killing us. 3rd - A tense moment captured, but the crop is a little strange. Maybe its a vertical? We really wanted to know a little more about the situation in the caption, but were left wanting.

Sports
1st - Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, "Pole Vault"
2nd - Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Relay Runner"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "NHL Playoffs"
HM - Sam Greene, The Columbus Dispatch, "Corner Kick"

Judge’s comments: 1st - Great perspective. Nice composition and moment. This picture has probably been tried at this school before, but if so, we've never seen it and it immediately jumped to the top. 2nd - The humor is what we were drawn to in this picture. The caption told us what really happened instead of what we thought was happening and it actually made it even better. Nice seeing here. 3rd - Another shot we've never seen. Taking a shot on your butt probably happens, but we've never seen it and this image is composed extremely well. The only thing missing is the puck. HM - Really great soccer shot, but we felt like it was maybe a bit too loose. Most of us wanted to lose the guy on the left and come up from the bottom to offer more impact.

Story
1st - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Stanley Cup"
2nd - Jessica Phelps, The (Newark) Advocate, "Foster Family"
3rd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Blue Jackets vs Penguins"

Judge’s comments: 1st There were three hockey essays in the mix and this one won out because of its variety of perspectives, great moments and good editing. There wasn't a weak image in the bunch. 2nd - The photographer spent a lot of time with this family and it shows. There are some wonderful images in this story. The editing is what dropped this to the number two spot. Way too loose. There are many redundancies. If this was cut down to 10 or 12 images, it would be really solid. Nice job. 3rd - Nice idea and the photographer obviously worked hard. However, many of the images just didn't hold up to a consistent level of quality and the editing felt like it was all over the place. Something to learn from and kick its butt next time.

Judges: From the Courier & Press (Evansville, IN) AME/Visuals Kevin Swank and photographers Denny Simmons and Erin McCracken

May 2014 clip contest results

Winning images

Spot News
1st - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Frantic Neighbor"
2nd - Fred Squillante, The Columbus Dispatch, "House Explosion"
3rd - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Rescue"

Judges’ comments: All three photos show a good sense of scene and understanding of the news at hand. First place has a nice use of layering, as well as a great moment that shows how a burning home can affect their direct neighbors. Caption was written well. Second place is a very chaotic scene, but graphically it works. We go straight to the firefighter at left, and then explore around. Could have been strengthened with a crop from left. In third place, a tight crop works well on the moment shown, especially considering the conditions. Expected image, but has a good sense of place and showing the water level on the vehicle was smart to make us aware of the severity of flooding.

General News
1st - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Bully Suicide"
2nd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Healthcare"
3rd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Hat Day"
HM - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch, "Mock Emergency"

Judges’ comments: A strong set of images in this category, especially those that placed. The first and second place photos both show use moment-driven emotional subjects to pull you in while capturing a scene and environment to tell a more full story. Each picture is strong, but the access to getting into a funeral home viewing can be tough. Well done to each photographer. Third place isn’t your traditional general news photo, which is why it rose above. We want to reward this photographer for planning, looking for a unique picture rather than just the event, but what leads up to it. The matching colors and the nature of the body language says a lot about the event without ever needing to see the subject in full. The honorable mention is good, but we feel could have been bettered with a larger depth of field or better composition with planning.

Feature
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Civil War Encampment"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Band Mascot"
3rd - Logan Riely, The Columbus Dispatch, "Kiss"
HM - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Bashful"

Judges’ comments: Another strong category. Each feature photo that we’ve placed shows a strong sense of community photojournalism and being in the right place at the right time. First place is a great example of seeing what can happen and waiting for the moment. The photographer got low and framed this picture well with a nice moment. Second place is quite humorous. A loud, funny frame with the mascot, though we think the tilted frame may deter from an easier read on the picture. Third place is a good example of looking for a singular moment within a chaotic scene. We’ve seen a number of shots from festivals that don’t look beyond the front of the stage, and this is an example of going the extra step to find a meaningful picture. We would like to encourage tracking down the couple quickly after taking the picture to get names and context. The honorable mention is a cute kid moment in good light and solid composition.

Sports Action
1st - Sam Greene, The Columbus Dispatch, "Delivery"
2nd - Isaac Hale, The (Toledo) Blade, "Pick Off"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Bunt"

Judges’ comments: These three winner rose to the top quickly above the pack. First place was the most unique sports action picture, which was well timed to capture a great multi-exposure series of a pitch. We applaud this photographer’s effort and it paid off with separation of the subject perfectly in this sequence. Second place gets the nod for the expression on the runner and the key play at first, aided by a well-written caption. Third place was also well executed, but without the batter’s eye from just under the helmet, would not have placed. A nice, tight sports image.

Sports Feature
1st - Joshua A. Bickel, ThisWeek Community News, "District Dejection"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Prom Proposal"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Beulah Park"
HM - Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Jackson Celebration"

Judges’ comments: The first two pictures were quickly brought to the top of the stack. First place was very clear. The photographer’s clean frame with clear emotional reaction to a game loss was balanced well and compositionally pleasing. Fantastic picture. We would encourage having both players identified in the caption. Second place is a classic moment, showing the photographer’s awareness for more than just a game-day story. This is community photojournalism. This is what we want to see so much more of nationwide. Beautifully shot, with great layers that really bring the whole picture together (as well as these two to prom). Third place is clean and used light and shadows to its advantage. Honorable mention is a classic celebration picture with a lot of faces, showing a nice emotional embrace. A crop up from the bottom may clean this up a bit and hold us to the players’ expressions longer.

Portrait
1st - Isaac Hale, The (Toledo) Blade, "Billy Power"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Lookout"
3rd - Daniel Kubus, Ohio University, "Reenactor"

Judges’ comments: By far the weakest category of all the entries. First place was clear. It is lit well and has a clear and definite subject. The symmetry of the plates behind the man, and the color palate benefits the overall feel of the picture. Second place is a sweet slice of life documentary portrait. We could have seen this placing in feature as well. Exposure is great, and the moment is something we could see happening hundreds of years ago. Third place seems to be the new standard lately for portraiture with a full body vertical. It works well here with the subject in his full gear and clean background.

Story/Essay
1st - Logan Riely, The Columbus Dispatch, "Residency"
2nd - Joshua A. Bickel, ThisWeek Community News, "Buelah Park"
3rd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Memorial Tournament"

Judges’ comments: First place was quite graphic (one judge looked at all the images once, but couldn’t look twice). We recommend a disclaimer for those faint of blood. That said, it is very well shot. One or two photos toward the end could be taken out for a tighter edit. Access is truly incredible, and the photos have a good flow through visual variety. It was the only true “story” we saw. Second place was the best Beulah Park horse racing essay of the bunch. This had the strongest variety in images. Each was toned well with some really solid moments. We’d suggest bringing the last picture somewhere earlier in the edit and ending with the ticket stubs for a stronger essay. Third place was the best daily essay we saw. It’s what we might expect in a gallery online with a good variety in images between the action and features of the event. And the tee over the eye photo was definitely unique.

Judges: From The Flint (MI) Journal, Jake May, Multimedia Specialist and photo interns Laura McDermott and Erin Kirkland

June 2014 clip contest results

Winning images

Spot News
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Search"
2nd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Flooding Biker"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Shooting"

Judge's comments: Seemed like a pretty weak category, but our favorite won because of the unexpected element of the swan in the story. The bicyclist in the water was a lucky find though the frame could have been cleaner. The third was a nice moment.

General News
1st - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Flag Burning"
2nd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Air Show"
3rd - Patricia Schaeffer, The (Lisbon) Morning Journal, "Stuck in the Mud"
HM - Jenna Watson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Pride Parade"

Judge's comments: Flag burning was a very visual moment with the emotion and the flames. Air show is beautiful with clean lines and composition. Cruise is a cute moment.

Feature
1st - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Calling it a Day"
2nd - Jenna Watson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Nude Cyclist"
3rd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Buried"
HM - Lorrie Cecil, ThisWeek Newspapers, "Nose Tickles"

Judge's comments: We were torn between the nice moment in the lizard image and the sandman's clean composition. (Wish we could have given a tie!) The storm is a great image, really nice color, composition and ominous feeling. The nude bicyclist was well framed to spare the viewer any exposure.

Sports Action
1st - Joshua A. Bickel, ThisWeek Community News, "Line Drive"
2nd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, “Lacrosse”
3rd - Fred Squillante, The Columbus Dispatch, “”Championship”

Judge's comments: Nice moment on the dive, a rare feature/action combo you don't often see in sports. Lacrosse has some nice expressions as the three boys collide.

Sports Feature
1st - Joshua A. Bickel, ThisWeek Community News, "Rally Caps"
2nd - Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Jackson Celebration"
3rd - Lorrie Cecil, ThisWeek Community News, "State Tennis"
HM - Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Hoover Rallies"

Judge's comments:Loved the hats photo, awesome find.

Portrait
1st - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Snapping Turtle"
2nd - Fred Squillante, The Columbus Dispatch, "Holocaust Survivor"
3rd - Tom Dodge, The Columbus Dispatch, "Insect Collection"

Judge's comments: Snapping turtle is well lit, composed and a unique image in it's subject and composition. The memories was heartbreaking, especially with the caption.

Story/Essay
1st - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Cre'Ana Bell"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Crush Debut"
3rd - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "Controlled Burn"

Judge's comments: Cre'Ana Bell seemed like the only solid actual story in this category. We also enjoyed the expressions of the crushed debut photos. The fire package was a nice variety of images from one event.

Illustration
1st - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Cookbooks"
2nd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Summer Drinks"

Judges: from The (Ogden, UT) Standard-Examiner: Kathleen Duncan, Benjamin Zack and Briana Scroggins

July 2014 clip contest results

Winning images

Spot News
1st - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Tree Down"
2nd - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Fire"
3rd - Patricia Schaeffer, The (Lisbon) Morning Journal, "Field Test"
HM - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Copter Crash"

Judges omments: First place was a clear winner with its strong composition. Second place rose towards the top just due to the spectacle of the melted siding. Kudos to third place and the HM winners for gaining relatively close access to the event portrayed.

General News
1st - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Crossroads"
2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Fathers Matter Day"
3rd - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch, "Bored Kids"
HM - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "Education"

Judges comments: Very strong category with lots of judging conflict and disagreement. Truth be told, depending on our moods and the day, any of these photographs could be first place. Although the event portrayed in the first place photograph is "soft" news, the picture gives the story it goes with importance. It captures a connection between the people and the mural, and the striking use of color and composition command readers' attention. Second place photo had a strong sense of place and moment. Third place was humorous and unexpected and the photographer should be commended for capturing it in today's totally-controlled and stiff political environment. HM seemed like a nice genuine moment from a reporter/photographer interview situation.

Feature
1st - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Sun Dance"
2nd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Roochute"
3rd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch , "Clear Skies"
HM - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Tractor Pull"

Judges comments: A very weak category for the number of entries. The top three pictures made good use of light, color and composition. The first HM had a great moment. Second HM was a great find of something we've not seen. We really wanted to award it higher but the picture suffered from a normal lens and lots in focus. We wanted to be drawn to the diagonal of the mower and man, not the neighborhood behind him.

Sports Action
1st - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Soccer"
2nd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Deep Ball"
3rd - Lorrie Cecil, ThisWeek Newspapers, "DockDogs"

Judges comments: Surprising how few entries there were, but we understand July can be a slow sports month. The first place winner had gorgeous light. The second place winner had good reactions from the crowd behind the player, but needed some clean-up work with cropping around the edges. The picture also needs a lot of space to read well. Third place reminds us all to pull out all the lenses at every assignment and try for something different from the pack.

Sports Feature
1st - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Goal"
2nd - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "No Hitter"
3rd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Shark Attack"

Judges comments: First and second place winners had strong moments of jubilation. The third place winner could have been elevated with a moderate crop from the top of the frame - the crowd adds very little.

Portrait
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Somali Clash"
2nd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Fishing"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Short North Posse"

Judges comments: First place is a gorgeous photograph that fits the story exceptionally well. The lighting and composition really brings everything together. Second place is a great found feature that reminds us not everything in this category needs to be posed. Third place had a strong story attached to it and it was well executed.

Story/Essay
1st - Fred Squillante, The Columbus Dispatch, "Summer Meal Program"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Bishop's Funeral"
3rd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Lifeline"

Judges comments: First place had the most sense of "story" to it, exploring what the subject does to help others. There were some very nice pictures throughout. The ending photograph is totally unnecessary, though, and detracts from the package. Photographer of the second place story did a very nice job with event coverage, though a few of the pictures were repetitive. We struggled on deciding a third place winner, but settled on the community meal which we felt overall succeeded the most in showing us what the story was about. Many of the photographs were slightly too distant, literally and emotionally.

Judges - From the Wisconsin State Journal: Steve Apps, Amber Arnold and Michael P. King

August 2014 clip contest results

Winning images

Spot News
1st - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Drowning"
2nd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Truck Tipped"
3rd - Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Fire Aftermath"

Judges comments: Very small category to judge and come up with top 3 but first place was automatic…great emotional reaction to a tragedy. Second place gave us a pulled back look at an unusual accident and that elevated it above third which was a decent moment but it felt so removed. We would have liked to have a little more emotion in third but nice composition.

General News
1st - Jenna Watson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Sale of Champions"
2nd - Jenna Watson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Pelotonia"
3rd - Isaac Hale, The (Toledo) Blade, "Toledo Water Distribution"

Judges comments: Winners really stood out. Too many pictures lacking context and emotion but first place was an easy choice. Nice emotion and body language accompanied with good composition. Second told a nice story and just a lovely moment and had very good caption information. Third place had a nice but small facial reaction to the situation but we had to guess what was happening as it never spelled out what was happening. Good captions are crucial.

Feature
1st - Isaac Hale, Ohio University, "Student Picnic"
2nd - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Wrestling Fan"
3rd - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "Band"

Judges comments: First place was just a great slice-of-life moment that made us all stop and smile! Well done! Second place was just a real funny moment! We wanted a cleaner shot and it could have been done as the picture info said it was shot at f/11?? She would have popped a lot more if shot at f/2.8. Third was more of a pictorial but still well composed and a peak moment!

Sports Action
1st - Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, "Frenzy"
2nd - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch, "Almost"
3rd - Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, "Motorcross"

Judges comments: Nice looking category! First place was just that with super composition and a great face mixed among a busy triathlon. Second was ALMOST there! Great peak moment with great fan reaction! Third was just a little different and a nice clean look as something that could have been shot in the standard straight on way!

Sports Feature
1st - Joshua A. Bickel, ThisWeek Community News, "Derby Night"
2nd - Jenna Watson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Peeking"
3rd - Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, "Bronze Medal Winner"
HM - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch, "Rainbow"

Judges comments: First place was one of our favorites from the whole contest. Just a great photo filled with composition and an awesome mood – Loved it! Second, like the first, was just a different sports feature and the different was of seeing elevated a few of these photos to winners! Great job seeing away from the field of play! Third was just a great reaction to the action and it had everything it should! And lastly, HM was another beautiful scene with just the right elements!

Portrait
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Homelessness"
2nd - Daniel Kubus, Ohio University, "Bushy Run Battle"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Vodka"

Judges comments: First was just a striking portrait with an amazing story and strong caption. We really felt the essence of these subjects with easy composition and great light. Second had a nice environmental feel and we loved the expression that matched the character being played. Third was well lit and just solid composition. We felt the top light and the edge of the stepladder on left could have cleaned it up with a small crop.

Story
1st - Jessica Phelps, Newark Advocate, "Just For Today"
2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Opening Game"

Judges comments: First place was a great story. It had time and devotion. It had depth and personality and a true story focus. The photographer had amazing access and trust from the subjects and the rest speaks for itself! Second place was a reach as a story. It did have a beginning, middle and end but too many action photos. If it’s the opening day how about some tailgating shots outside the stadium. Need some more moments from the fans. Game stories are always hard to place in this category unless it’s a feature on a certain player.

Judges - Matt Detrich from the Indianapolis Star, Gary Cosby Jr. from the Decatur Daily and Keith Smiley from Picture Kentucky

September 2014 clip contest results

Winning images

Spot News
1st - Angela Wilhelm, Sandusky Register, "Fatal Fire"
2nd - Tom Dodge, The Columbus Dispatch, "Three Alarm Blaze"

Judges comments: Weakest category, but #1 was best spot moment. Fire #2 should be cropped tighter.

General News
1st - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "ALS"
2nd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Speeder"
3rd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Whispers"
HM - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Procession"

Judges comments: Great moment for 1st place. Love space and contrast of “speed” – patrolman’s crisp hat is nice subtlety here. Nice composition in whispers, fairly amusing. Procession was nice, but crop/tilt just seemed off. Potential to be stronger.

Feature
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Sept 11 Memorial"
2nd - Isaac Hale, Ohio University, "Bubbles"
3rd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Chef Artistry"
HM - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Cooling Off”

Judges comments: Nice moments in here as a whole, tough to choose. #1 best moment above the rest, even square-cropped has a lot of mood to it. Good faces, moment of bubble popping in bubble, nice and tight crop. Helping hands a good moment pre-game. Nice contrast to cooling off, sharp all-around.

Sports Action
1st - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Twisted"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Out of Bounds"
3rd - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "Interference"
HM - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Touchdown"

Judges comments: Love the face and impact/hand in helmet of #1. Nice peak action, sharp and clean to #2, Good passbreak-up to flag and BONUS with the flag of course! HM a great, peak in-stride TD pass.

Sports Feature
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Home Opener"
2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Game Winner"
3rd - Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Score Celebration"
HM - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Body Slam"

Judges comments: Lots of good stuff in here. #1 is just gorgeous and striking with fog. #2 a nice jube from above, great jube and reax in #3. And the HM gets props for keeping an eye in between action for this great moment.

Portrait
1st - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch , "PotatoStock"
2nd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Crime"
3rd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Adoption"

Judges comments: Wonderful thinking outside box for #1. #2 Crime well executed technically and compositionally. Love faces and personality with warm composition for #3

Story
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Little Brown Jug"
2nd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Swim Club Closing"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Home Opener"

Judges comments: Little Brown Jug is ripe with moments, variety that show technical and compositional acumen. Maybe edit a touch tighter, but well done – wonderful detail. Like the mood to the pool closing story, and nice weave of a storyline to an average home gameday for Home Opener.

Illustration
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Ground Cherries"
2nd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Fresh Figs"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Special Section"

Judges comments: Wonderful effect to groundcherry. Striking, makes you wonder. Very clean to #2 football, nice strobe work. Like the warm colors and composition to figs.

Judges: from the Arizona Daily Star, Mike Christy and Kelly Presnell

October 2014 ONPA clip contest results

Winning images

Spot News
1st - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Tire Fire"
2nd - Patricia Schaeffer, The (Lisbon) Morning Journal, "Mansion Fire"
3rd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Grille Fire"

General News
1st - Scott Heckel, The (Canton) Repository, "Sharon Budd"
2nd - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "Governor"
3rd - Jenna Watson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Marathon Start"
HM - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "Queen"

Feature
1st - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Ax Murderer"
2nd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Treats"
3rd - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Leaves"
HM Jenna Watson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Puddle"

Sports Action
1st - Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, "Celebrate"
2nd - Angela Wilhelm, Sandusky Register, "Abbott Advances"
3rd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Hockey Fall"
HM Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "One Handed"

Sports Feature
1st - Jenna Watson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Football Win"
2nd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Marathon Start"
3rd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Touchdown"
HM - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch, "Flip"
HM - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Goal"

Judges comments: Goal was good composition but the moment didn't seem like it was quite at it's peak. Loved the emotion in football win and the light in marathon start.

Portrait
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Planetarium Director"
2nd - Tom Dodge, The Columbus Dispatch, "Painter"
3rd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Artist"
HM - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch , "Airborne"

Story/Essay
1st - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Bishop”
2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Opening Day"

Judges comments: Wished there were more photo stories. The opening night could have used much tighter editing, we don't need that many similar action photos in a story. The Bishop story was nice, could have benefited from different angles and distances, many of the photos were similar in distance/composition. Favorite was the ipad photo, showed us something new.

Judges: From the Standard-Examiner (Ogden, UT) Kat Duncan and Briana Scroggins

November 2014 clip contest results

Winning images

Spot News
1st - Tom Dodge, The Columbus Dispatch, "Clouds"
2nd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Snow Returns"
3rd - Angela Wilhelm, Sandusky Register, "Car in Ravine"

General News
1st - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Veterans Flag"
2nd - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Veterans Day"
3rd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Veteran Honored"> Comments:

Feature
1st  - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Windy Day"
2nd - Shane Flanigan, Zanesville Times Recorder, "Deer Skinnig”
3rd - Shane Flanigan, Zanesville Times Recorder, "Diversity"

Sports Action
1st - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Touchdown"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "First Down Leap"
3rd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Headlock"

Sports Feature
1st - Joshua A. Bickel, ThisWeek Community Newspapers, "Point Celebration"
2nd - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch, "Leap"
3rd - Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, "Peekaboo"

Portrait
1st -  Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch, "Freestyle Swimmer"
2nd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Braids"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Family Portrait"

Story/Essay
1st -  Jessica Phelps, Newark Advocate, "The Nutcracker"
2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "OSU Michigan"
3rd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Thanksgicing Day Dinner"

Judges: From The Register Guard in Eugene, OR. Chief photographer Chris Pietsch, and staff photographers Andy Nelson and Brian Davies

December 2014 ONPA clip contest results

Winning images

Spot News
1st - Patricia Schaeffer, The (Lisbon) Morning Journal, "Willis Farm Fire"
2nd - Patricia Schaeffer, The (Lisbon) Morning Journal, "Lights and Fire"
3rd - Joshua A. Bickel, ThisWeek Community News, "Wigwam Fire"

General News
1st - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatc , "Police Vigil"
2nd - Barbara J. Perenic, The Columbus Dispatc , "Campaign"
3rd - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Hero Funeral"
HM - Tom Dodge, The Columbus Dispatch,, "Ballistics"

Feature
1st - Patricia Schaeffer, The (Lorain) Morning Journal, "Hugs and Kisses"
2nd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch,, "Hanukkah"
3rd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch,, "Scared of Santa"
HM - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch,, "Retaining Wall"
HM - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Santa Stylist"

Sports Action
1st - Erik Schelkun, Elsestar Images, "Collision"
2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Fight"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Blue Jackets Save"

Sports Feature
1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch, "Pregame Meditation"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Hard Loss"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Blue Jackets Goal"

Portrait
1st - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Santas"
2nd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Solace"
3rd - Tom Dodge, The Columbus Dispatch, "Everyone Leaves"

Story/Essay
1st - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Big 10 Champs"
2nd - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch, "Touchdown"

Judges: From the Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, SD: Elisha Page and Joe Ahlquist

2014 Final Point Standings

1st - Eamon Queeney, The Columbus Dispatch - 1224
2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch - 1144
3rd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade - 1062
4th - Adam Cairns, The Columbus Dispatch - 954
5th - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch - 834
6th - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch - 664
7th - Barbara Perenic, The Columbus Dispatch - 564
8th - Erik Shelkun, Elsestar Images - 554
9th - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun - 514
10th - Joshua Bickel, ThisWeek Community News - 394
11th - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch - 354
12th - Isaac Hale, Ohio University - 344
13th - Patti Schaeffer, The (Lisbon) Morning Journal - 334
14th - Sam Greene, The Columbus Dispatch - 302
15th - Jenna Watson, The Columbus Dispatch - 284
16th - Tom Dodge, The columbus Dispatch - 264
17th - Scott Heckel, The Repository - 254
18th - Angela Wilhelm, Sandusky Register - 244
19th - Fred Squillante, The Columbus Dispatch - 234
20th - Lorrie Cecil, ThisWeek Community News - 164
           Jessica Phelps,The (Newark) Advocate - 164
22nd - Daniel Kubus, Ohio University - 134
23rd - Logan Riley, The Columbus Dispatch - 86
24th - Shane Flanigan, Zanesville Times Recorder - 76
25th - Phil Masturzo, Akron Beacon Journal - 74
25th - Brooke LaValley, The Columbus Dispatch - 64
           William West - 64
27th - Ryan Young,ThisWeek Community Newspapers - 54