Best of Photojournalism 2008: TV News Photography: Winners

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Clips from the Video News Photography and Editing winners in the Best of Photojournalism 2008 are viewable at Poynter Online.

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TV Deadline Photography Finalists

“Davie Place Fire”: Bradford Ingram, WGHP/High Point, NC
“Deadly Intersection”: Jason Hanson, KSTP-TV/Saint Paul, MN
“Easter Rescue”: Michael Johnston, Cox Broadcasting - Washington News Bureau/Washington, DC
“No Thanks I'm Good”: Jeff Christian, KMSP-TV
“Slow Down, Be Patient”: Dan Bolsem, KCCI/Des Moines, IA
“Totem Teardown”: Scott Jensen, KTUU-TV/Anchorage, AK
“We are Virginia Tech”: Chad Zellmer, WYFF-TV/Greenville, SC
“Wiccan Ways”: Leighton Grant, WLOS/Asheville, NC

Winners

1st: “Easter Rescue”; Michael Johnston, Cox Broadcasting - Washington News Bureau/Washington, DC
2nd: “No Thanks I'm Good”; Jeff Christian, KMSP-TV
3rd: “Wiccan Ways”; Leighton Grant, WLOS/Asheville, NC
HM: “Totem Teardown”; Scott Jensen, KTUU-TV/Anchorage, AK

Judges’ comments

Timothy Griffis

The judging of this category came down to a vote of 3 to 2 when determining first place. The winner gathered and executed an exceptionally well-crafted natural story that had a logical beginning, middle and end. The judges also felt the second place captured a great moment and then built a great story around that moment.

Because the majority of the photojournalists in the country work under these types of deadlines everyday, we had a wide range of stories in this category.

Robert Gould

Duck rescue wins, but it wasn’t unanimous. I felt that the story “No Thanks, I’m Good” was better executed and better fit the category. It showed tremendous effort and urgency under deadline pressure. I think it took quite a lot to get that story done in 4 hours, especially knowing he/she had to work as a team with the reporter to get it done. The photographer captured great video and weaved the sound well.

The photographer who shot the duck rescue story captured all the moments and he structured the story well…Beginning, middle, and great ending shot. He got two money shots with the ducks coming out of the sewer grate and then reuniting them with the mother duck.

This was a nat sound piece that was well done, but in my opinion didn’t beat out the other story.

The "Wiccan Way" placed 3rd and the photog captured some wonderful moments in this. Great editing, pacing, nats and storytelling helped this one make it a judge’s favorite, but not enough to win.

"Totem Teardown" took an HM. A school cutting down a totem pole…They held a ceremony with local Native Americans…well executed and well produced under a 4 hour deadline. Some nice moments!

Jeff Roberts

What a debate for this one. Having 34 entries for deadline photography made my day. A great group of stories, and I’m more than a little surprised and very pleased that a lot of them were nat sound pieces in this group. I fought for the winner "Easter Rescue" even though it was the animal rescue story that I feel is maybe a little too "oh ...... that’s just that NPPA contest S*@!" and I would be perpetuating that thinking. But I truly felt that it had the moments, beginning middle and the end, and was clear concise story telling that made a what could have been a little voice over into a winning package. Second place was "No thanks, I’m Good" a nice spot news piece with lots of action and a great pace which made it a tough choice.

Preston Rudie

I must confess my top choice in this category was “No Thanks, I’m Good.” I think the story’s pacing made me feel the urgency and I also liked how the story did not just start with authorities trying to pull people out of the water instead the photographer and reporter worked together to build a nice open.

As for “Easter Rescue,” this is a story all photojournalists should watch. It is a natural sound piece that has a logical beginning, middle and an end. Plus, the photojournalist captures all the right moments, lets the story breath where it should and ends with a winning closing shot. Great job!

Nellie Stinson

Deadline Photography to me is what we all deal with on a day to day basis. So why did I think that a duck rescue was the best?!? Because it had everything; this nat package had the sound needed to tell the complete story, it had the money shots of the rescue and the reunion of mom and the ducklings. Yes…we’ve all seen a duck rescue story and yes we’ve all probably shot that type of story, but did we all tell a complete story, get the needed sound, and capture the moments? Maybe; maybe not.

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