Lisa DeJong from The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer and Bill Lackey from the Springfield News Sun have been chosen Ohio News Photographers of the Year for 2011 by the Ohio News Photographers Association. DeJong won in the large market categoryfor the third time in four years and Lackey won the small market category for the second time in three years.

Finishing second in large market competition was Eric Albrecht from The Columbus Dispatch and winning an Award of Excellence was Michael E. Keating of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Keating won Best of Show in the contest for his entry, "Clyde Day" which was the first place winner in the feature picture story catagory.

The Columbus Dispatch won the Staff of the Year competition in the large market division ending The Plain Dealer's 11-year run of winning the honors. The Plain Dealer placed second and the Cincinnati Enquirer placed third. The Springfield News-Sun won in the small market division. 

The James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award was awarded to Maddie McGarvey, a student from Ohio University, which told the story of the growing trend of grandparents raising grandchildren.

Joel Hawksley from Ohio University won the Student Photographer of the Year award. Meg Roussos from Ohio University won the Larry Fullerton Photojournalism Scholarship. Steven Turville, also from Ohio University, placed second in the category.

Kyle Robertson from The Columbus Dispatch was the first place winner in the new catagory of Sports Portfolio.

Fifty-five visual journalists from across the state submitted 832 entries in the 61st annual news photography contest judged at The Columbus Dispatch.

2011 ONPA  Annual Contest Winners
click on the category name, if an active link, to view winning pictures

George A. Smallsreed Photographer of the Year
News Photographer of Year/Small Market

1st - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun

George A. Smallsreed Photographer of the Year
News Photographer of the Year/Large Market

1st - Lisa DeJong. The (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
2nd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch
3rd - Michael E. Keating, Cincinnati Enquirer

Student Photographer of the Year
1st - Joel Hawksley, Ohio University
2nd - Maddie McGarvey, Ohio University

Larry Fullerton Photojournalism Scholarship
1st - Meg Roussos, Ohio University
2nd - Steven Turville, Ohio University

James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award
First place, Maddie McGarvey, Ohio University, "A Generation Lost"
Second place, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Tales From The Heart"

Best of Show
Michael E. Keating, Cincinnati Enquirer, "Clyde Day"

Picture Usage (Small Market)
1st - ThisWeek Newspapers

Picture Usage (Large Market)
1st - The Plain Dealer
2nd - The Columbus Dispatch

Photography Staff of Year(Small Market)
1st - Springfield News-Sun

Photography Staff of Year (Large Market)
1st - The Columbus Dispatch
2nd - The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer
3rd - Cincinnati Enquirer

Feature Single
1st - Lisa DeJong, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Cancer Prom"
2nd - Andy Morrison, The (Toledo) Blade, "Coming Out"
3rd - Brooke LaValley, The Columbus Dispatch, "Balloon Festival"
Award of Excellence - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Wet Patch"

Feature Picture Story
1st - Michael E. Keating., Cincinnati Enquirer, "Clyde Day"
2nd - Lisa DeJong, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Judgement Day"
3rd - Courtney Hergesheimer, The Columbus Dispatch, "Surviving Sepsis"
Award of Excellence - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "A Chosen Child"

General News
1st - Dave Zapotosky, The Blade, "Walk of Shame"
2nd - Carrie Cochran, Cincinnati Enquirer, "Proud Mom"
3rd - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Flag"
Award of Excellence - Brooke LaValley, The Columbus Dispatch, "Student Protestors"

Illustration
1st - Andrea Levy, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "The Colors of the Season"
2nd - Andrea Levy, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Top Workplaces"
3rd - Andrea Levy, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "This Is Not a Fence"

News Picture Story
1st - Amy Sancetta, Associated Press, "Shanksville Memorial"
2nd - Joel Hawksley, Ohio University, "The Rainbow Family"

Pictorial
1st - Eric Albrecht, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Whiteout"
2nd - Carrie Cochran, Cincinnati Enquirer, "A Majestic Morning"
3rd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Blackhawk"
Award of Excellence - Jonathan Quilter, Columbus Dispatch, "Fountain of Youth"

Portrait Personality
1st - Brooke LaValley, The Columbus Dispatch, "Final Bow"
2nd - Lynn Ischay, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Dan Get a Heart"
3rd - Ernest Coleman , Freelance, "Homework Time"
Award of Excellence - Lisa DeJong, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Remember"
Award of Excellence - Lynn Ischay, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "The Perfect Job"
Award of Excellence -Lynn Ischay, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Tears For My Uncle"

Product Illustration
1st - Peggy Turbett, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Rippling White Rob Roy"

Sports Action
1st - Joel Hawksley, Ohio University Athletic Department, "Tripped Up"
2nd - Marvin Fong, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Flipped"
3rd - Tessa Berg, The Columbus Dispatch, "Marathon"
Award of Excellence - Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer, "Catch"
Award of Excellence - Paul Tople, Akron Beacon Journal, "Close"

Sports Feature
1st - Fred Squillante, The Columbus Dispatch, "Dog Sidekick"
2nd - Carrie Cochran, Cincinnati Enquirer, "NASCAR Poker"
3rd - Joel Hawksley, Ohio University Athletic Department, "Loss"
Award of Excellence - Jeremy Wadsworth, The (Toledo) Blade, "Defeat"
Award of Excellence - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "Goal"

Sports Picture Story
1st - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch, "State Swimming"
2nd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Rob Myers"
3rd - Lori King. The (Toledo) Blade, "WNOT Champs"
Award of Excellence - Chuck Crow, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "The Season That Almost Was"

Spot News (Small Market)
1st - Marshall Gorby, Springfield News-Sun, "Officer Shot"
2nd - Marshall Gorby, Springfield News-Sun, "Officer Wounded"
3rd - Scott Heckel, The Repository, "Agonizing Call"
Award of Excellence - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun, "Emu"

Spot News (Large Market)
1st - Jeff Hinckley, The Columbus Dispatch, "Grief"
2nd - Marvin Fong, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Shooting"
3rd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Crash"
Award of Excellence - Amy Sancetta, AP, "Airport Winter Weather"
Award of Excellence - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch , "Evacuate"

Sports Portfolio
1st - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch
2nd - Barbara Perenic, Springfield News-Sun
3rd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch
Award of Excellence, Joel Hawksley, Ohio University

Team Picture Story
1st - The Columbus Dispatch, "SB-5"
2nd - The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Serial Killer"
3rd - The Columbus Dispatch, "Matthew Hoffman"
Award of Excellence - The Columbus Dispatch, "Jim "Big Jim" Karnes"
Award of Excellence - Springfield News-Sun, "Deputy Killed"

Audio Slideshow
1st - Michael E. Keating, The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Legion Post Still Serving" - View project
2nd - Gus Chan, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Burn Camp Counselors" - View project
3rd - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch, "Fields of Dreams" - View project

Judge's comments - 1st - Out of all the entries, it had the best pacing by using good natural sound to break up the voices. It was also a nice slice of an event. The photography was solid. 2nd - The portraits were nice and the photographer made you feel for the kids. A little more awareness of who was speaking would have connected the viewer better to the subject. We feel the piece would have benefitted by using more natural sound. 3rd - Solid photography elevated this to third place, but as a whole the story was lacking. Would have liked to understand why he was leaving running to farm. Family obligation? Injury? The pacing of the photos were also too fast, would have liked more time to study the images. Don't feel like you have to use every photo you have.

News Video
1st - Doral Chenoweth III, The Columbus Dispatch, "A Trip Earned Long Ago" - View project
2nd - Glenn Hartong, The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Search for Toddler Continues" - View project
3rd - David I. Andersen, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Over 100 Rescued Dogs Need a Home" - View project

Judge's comments - 1st - Best story of the bunch. Good characters and good emotions. The narrator did a good job of bringing the elements together and moving the story along. The piece would have benefitted from more visual variety. Felt like the whole piece was shot with a wide angle. 2nd - Good use of visuals to help tell the story. Shot cleanly with a variety of angles. We try to view the video without relying on the headlines and story description. Can the story standalone? This one did for the most part, but story structure was a little weak. The build up of the river being dangerous was too long and disconnected from the toddler. The craziness of the parents taking a toddler kayaking on the crazy river may have worked better as a one/two punch. 3rd - This could have placed higher if it was shorter. Could the how to get a dog been done with a info slide? We would have like to see the house where the dogs came from. The description was good, but video does best when you show. Also, steadier shots with more variety would have helped with the redundancy of cute dog after cute dog. Good nat sound breaks.

Sports Video
1st - Michael E. Keating, The Cincinnati Enquirerm "Baseball in the Desert" - View project
2nd - Michael E. Keating, The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Johnny Bench Statue' - View project
3rd - David I. Andersen, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, "Kent State Gymnastics" - View project

No comments provided

Feature Video
1st - Courtney Hergesheimer, The Columbus Dispatch, "Surviving Sepsis" - View project
2nd - Brooke LaValley, The Columbus Dispatch, "Dusk to Dawn" - View project
3rd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch, "Between Fear and Hope" -View project

No comments provided

Team Video
1st - Michael E. Keating, The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Hope on the Horizon" - View project
       Participants: Michael E. Keating & Stacy Doose
2nd - Glenn Hartong, The Cincinnati Enquirer, "P&G's Next Frontier" - View project
        Participants: Glenn Hartong & Stacy Doose
3rd - Courtney Hergesheimer, The Columbus Dispatch, "Voices of Occupy Columbus" - View project
       
Participants: Courtney Hergesheimer and Ty Wright

Judge's comments - 1st - A very nice intro with a compelling use of still images.  The photos, audio, and imagery added to the feel of this piece. 2nd - Although extensive in scope, this video had the feel of an infomercial. 3rd - A good variety of faces and voices from the movement helped propel the piece.  Better editing would have benefitted this video with the avoidance of jump cuts.

 

2011 Still Contest Judges
Sue Morrow - Director of the Kalish Workshop
Steve Mellon - Photographer and multimedia producer Pittsburg Post-Gazette
Bill Luster - Retired photographer the Louisville Courier-Journal

Picture usage
From the Hoston Chronicle: Steve Gonzales, director of photography, Jill Karnicki, photo editor and Mayra Beltraan, staff photographer.

Audio Slideshow & News Video
Judged by Kathy Kieliszewski (Deputy Director of Photo and Video), Brian Kaufman, Alex Bahou, Romain Blanquart (visual journalists) from the Detroit Free Press.

Sports & Feature Videos
Judged by Dai Sugano, senior multimedia editor, San Jose Mercury News

Team Videos
Judged by Mike Stocker, photojournalist, (South Florida) Sun Sentinel

 

 2011 still & multimedia contest results

Contest Archives

 

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