The Contest Designed by Photojournalists for Photojournalists

Compete with the very best in still and television photojournalism, in picture editing, and Web editing. Now in its eighth year, the Best of Photojournalism (BOP) is the world's leading digital photojournalism contest.

BOP is a project of the National Press Photographers Association.

1st Place, Cliff Edom’s ‘New America Award’

Carl Kiilsgaard/Western Kentucky University

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The White family has lived outside of Whitesburg, Ky., for generations. The sons and daughters of coal miners, the White’s have grown up and dealt with first hand, the problems that exist in eastern Kentucky. With the coal industry the only major source of jobs in the community, the family finds it hard land steady work. The large family includes Richard White who lives with his wife of seven years, Tammie, and their three kids Holley, age seven; Bobby, age five; and Sam, age one. Richard and his wife are joined by their nephew Derrick Collins who often lives with the family. Many of the adults in the family struggle with drug addiction. Prescription pills, due to the high injury rate in coal mines, are widely available in the community and easily purchased for the couples abuse. Despite social and economic set-backs the family provides the best they can for each other. (All names changed upon subjects request)

Richard White pulls his horse, Blaze, from behind the families trailer and out into the front yard. Having grown up around horses, Richard was determined as a young man to one day own a horse and when he finally saved up enough money he bought Blaze as a present for his wife Tammie.

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