MNPA - Clip Contest - Fourth Quarter Results

Minnesota News Photographers Association

Clip Contest

2003 Fourth Quarter Results
4th quarter clips were judged in Eau Claire, Wis. by photographers from the Leader Telegram (30,000 daily, 40,000 Sunday) and The Spectator, the student paper at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Judges: Steve Kinderman, Dan Reiland, Shane Opatz and Andi Stempniak, all of the Leader-Telegram and Emmalee Rathmann, photo editor at The Spectator.
NEWS - (15 entries)

Christina Paolucci, Rochester Post-Bulletin, "A family world apart"
Derek Neas, Duluth News-Tribune, "Tearful phone call"
Ken Klotzbach, Rochester Post-Bulletin, "Teary good-bye"
Honorable Mention. Elizabeth Nida, Rochester Post-Bulletin, "Fallen firefighters"

Judges Comments: Hardly anything in the way of "spot news" in this category. If it's any consolation, our state clip contest suffers in this same way. Interestingly, most all of your top entries center around a hug. Strength of emotions set first and second apart.
FEATURE - (13 entries)

Derek Neas, Duluth News-Tribune, "Frosty window"
Justin Hayworth, Duluth News-Tribune, "Community club DJ"
Carlos Gonzalez, The Star Tribune, "Couch potatoes"
Honorable Mention. Renee Jones, The Star Tribune, "Early artistic influences"

Judges Comments: Given the importance the feature photo has at many of our newspapers, we were actually expecting a little stronger offering in this category. Judge opted to move the first place winner out of the pictorial category into feature. Nice use of light, good framing and a willingness to"get cold" deserves reward. Second shows excellent composition. Third place also has nice lines and is a true "found moment." Honorable mention has nice symmetry, but might have placed higher with us had it been shot with a different focal length lens or from a different angle.
SPORTS ACTION - (23 entries)

Renee Jones, The Star Tribune, "Volleyball dig attempt"
Carlos Gonzalez, The Star Tribune, "Pass defense"
Carlos Gonzalez, The Star Tribune, "Hudson drive"
Honorable Mention. Justin Hayworth, Duluth News-Tribune, "Goalie sprawl"
Judges Comments: Just like us Cheeseheads, this category offers some of the best work and strongest competition. In the end, we gave first to coverage of one of the "minor" sports because of its peak action and tight composition. Keep up the good work!
SPORTS FEATURE - (14 entries)

Christina Paolucci, Rochester Post-Bulletin, "Youth boxer"
Brian Basham, Detroit Lakes Tribune, "Sun sets on another fall season"
Christina Paolucci, Rochester Post-Bulletin, "Some gotta lose"
Honorable Mention. Elizabeth Nida, Rochester Post-Bulletin, "Tennis emotion"
Judges Comments: More good sports shooting! First is a great moment that reveals a lot about a sport and a family relationship. Second is a nice change of pace from the "thrill of victory, agony of defeat" that normally prevails in this category. Great faces in third place
PORTRAIT & PERSONALITY - (16 entries)

Bridget Brown, The Minnesota Daily, "Heather and Ellah"
Derek Neas, Duluth News-Tribune, "Spooked teacher"
Justin Hayworth, Duluth News-Tribune, "Dryer fires"
Honorable Mention. Derek Neas, Duluth News-Tribune, "Gunsmith"

Judges Comments: Obviously more personality than portrait, first place engaged us with its strong documentary style. Second place made great use of light to capture the mood/content of the accompanying story. Third place was very-well executed and did a nice job of combining multiple light sources. Overall a very nice category.
ILLUSTRATION (2003)

Justin Hayworth, Duluth News-Tribune, "Hockey goalies"
Derek Neas, Duluth News-Trbune, "Vast waist land"
Derek Neas, Duluth News-Tribune, "Holiday bus ride"
Judges Comments: This was the only category where all five judges agreed on a first-place winner. A unanimous vote for a nicely-conceived and executed illustration!
PICTORIAL - (9 entries)

Ken Klotzbach, Rochester Post-Bulletin, "Wind power"
Derek Neas, Duluth News-Tribune, "Biggest shopping day"
Ken Klotzbach, Rochester Post-Bulletin, "Beetlemania"
Judges Comments: Not the strongest of categories, although the judges were pretty
much in consensus on the first-pace winner.
PHOTO PACKAGE - (11 entries)

Renee Jones, Star Tribune"Volleyball state championship"
Christina Paolucci, Rochester Post-Bulletin, "A passion for prayer"
Ken Klotzbach, Rochester Post-Bulletin, "Family balancing"
Honorable Mention. Renee Jones, Star Tribune, "Deployments strain families"
Judges Comments: We're glad to see you have this category in your clip contest. Often we're in a quandry here in Wisconsin when we want to enter more than one image, but have something short of a picture story. Again, your strong sports photography shows in the first place entry which offers three solid photos. Either of the two larger photos are deserving on their own merit of 5 or 6 column play. Second place wasn't far behind with its especially strong top photo.

PHOTO STORY - (4 entries)

Elizabeth Nida, Rochester Post-Bulletin, "A monk's life"
Justin Hayworth, Duluth News-Tribune, "Peace and good will"
Renee Jones, Star Tribune South, "Season of Lights"
Honorable Mention. Brian Basham, Detroit Lakes Tribune, "Evergreen"
Judges Comments: Two well-done stories in first and second place, although the entire category needed better editing and page design. The story on monks had some very good images, but they get lost in the lay-out. Second place was put together better and had three very good images, but not quite as much "good stuff" as first place.