About the Competition
Photojournalists bear witness to history on a daily basis. They stand on the sidewalks and sit in the living rooms of neighborhoods internationally with a shared mission to inform the public. Through well-researched stories and the documentation of life events, audiences rely on these journalists to ethically inform them of what is happening in their communities and to give an understanding to why specific moments in time should matter to us all.
The Best of Photojournalism recognizes the ways in which this type of photography is produced and it proudly honors the journalists who do it. It also recognizes all of the steps it takes to execute compelling still and video imagery in the modern news era.
Competition Divisions
The competition is divided into five primary divisions, each with content-driven categories:
- Still Photojournalism — recognizes work telling stories with either single images or multiple-image photo stories.
- Picture Editing — recognizes editors who shape approach, sequence, and display of work so audiences can access and process what is shown.
- Online Video, Presentation, and Innovation — recognizes individuals and teams excelling in online visual journalism through websites, galleries, multimedia presentations, and other digital delivery methods.
- Video Photojournalism and Editing — recognizes the work of visual journalists working primarily in broadcast environments.
- Documentary — recognizes in-depth, longer-form works that help explain more complex issues in communities.
Across these five divisions, there are more than 75 categories entrants can participate in, spanning from breaking news and sports to long-form storytelling and current cultural events. All final media formats — whether print, digital, or broadcast — are recognized equally.
Judging Process
Judging is handled in two rounds after submissions close. In the first round, more than 100 judges review all categories and score each entry on a scale from one to ten, with each entry examined by experts from a relevant field. Scores are then averaged.
In the final round, separate panels of final judges — industry experts from NPPA membership — convene to discuss and rank the highest-scoring work. They assess technical merits, aesthetics, and potential impact on local or international communities.
At the end of this process, the NPPA announces the Best of Photojournalism — visual journalism that educates and illuminates.
Partnership
The competition is supported through a partnership with the University of Georgia’s College of Journalism.