May 2002
Spot News
Judges' Comments: Numerous excellent photos of situations of public grief. Diffcult to place the winners, similar in style, but each one unique. The winners and the strong emotional elements made them easy choices above some good accident and fire shots that lacked the emotion. Michael DeMocker of the New Orleans Times-Picayune also had another photo of a grieving relative in a photo that we wanted to give an honorable mention.
1st Place

Shooting Victim's Sister
Bahram Mark Sobhani
San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio, TX
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: None.
2nd Place

Weeping Neighbor
Michael DeMocker
The Times-Picayune
New Orleans, LA
Caption:
A girl sitting on the porch inside the crime scene tape holds her head as New Orleans Police investigate the murder of a neighbor. Venetia Smith, 16, died at Charity Hospital after being stabbed in the chest in the 3100 block of Marais Street in the Bywater. Two girls, ages 12 and 14, were arrested for the murder which stemmed from an ongoing neighborhood feud. Around 2:30 p.m., a group of seven to ten boys and girls chased and beat the victim with sticks before the 12-year-old allegedly stabbed her in the chest with a kitchen knife.
Judges' Comments: None
3rd Place

Post Funeral Shooting Reaction
Michael DeMocker
The Times-Picayune
New Orleans, LA
Caption:
A woman yells "That's my friend, oh my God, that's my friend!" as mortally wounded Davia Atkins, sister of Civil Clerk of Courts Dale Atkins, is put on a stretcher outside 3625 St. Bernard Avenue in the St. Bernard Housing Project after she was hit by stray bullets during a wake being held on the porch.
Judges' Comments: None
General News
Judges' Comments: Several photos of tears at various memorials, prayer sessions, Memorial Day, etc. all were very good. Honorable mention to Dorm Dettlaff's photo of kids praying on a lion statue.
1st Place

Mayor's Prayer
Bryan S. Berteaux
The Times Picayune
New Orleans, LA
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: Clear and crisp and close into the action without appearing to be interferring with the event.
2nd Place

Pollution Buyout
Damon Winter
Dallas Morning News
Dallas, TX
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: Difficult to judge against the single images. We like several of the images and had to decide how much the weaker photos hurt the stronger ones. Still a great effort.
3rd Place

Memorial Tears
LaKeith Kennedy
San Angelo Standard Times
San Angelo, TX
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: None
Sports
Judges' Comments: We had a much tougher time judging the Sports entries, lots of good action. Honorable mention to Travis Spradling for his baseball base running collision.
1st Place

Basketball Hand Stand
Louis DeLuca
Dallas Morning News
Dallas, TX
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: This one was in, then out, then in back in, etc. It's a great shot and there was discussion on the sharpness, but no arguing about it being a great moment.
2nd Place

Baseball Pile On
Mark Saltz
The Advocate
Baton Rouge, LA
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: Much debate on this photo. One judge wouldn't place it, and we all didn't like the crop. We didn't penalize the photographer for that, but it's tough to ignore. It is one of the wildest "Jubo Pile On's" we have seen. Great moment.
3rd Place

Skipping Over Grounds Crew
Louis DeLuca
Dallas Morning News
Dallas, TX
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: Just to complete the debate, there was no consensus on third place. Unique shot. The rakes look like a skipping rope, unique moment. Good heads up to catch the action between innings.
Feature Single
Judges' Comments: Honorable mention to Sanford Myers for a very artistic photograph of two park benches and two large trees framing a distant person, all in a morning fog. We liked the photo, but it just placed 4th in a tough field.
1st Place

Horseshoe Pitch
Chuck Cook
The Times-Picayune
New Orleans, LA
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: We all loved the first place photo. The ultimate classic shot of a senior horseshoe pitcher, perfectly framed inside the shoe in the air.
2nd Place

Graphic Highway
Stacia Spragg
Albuquerque Tribune
Albuquerque, NM
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: Great colors and angle.
3rd Place

Happy Grad Mom
David B. Grunfield
The Times-Picayune
New Orleans, LA
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: The sheer joy in the face of the mother made this a winner.
Feature Multiple
Judges' Comments: We were very impressed with the number and quality of entries.
1st Place

Burn Victim's Recovery
Rodolfo Gonzalez
Austin American-Statesman
Austin, TX
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: The 16 page entry on a young burn victim and her father never became repetative. So many of the images were winners all on their own but together, they were very, very good. A lot of time, effort, care and creativity went into the project and it is something that the photographer and everyone involved with should be very proud of. Unforgetable.
2nd Place

10 Great Drives
Matther Minard
Abilene Reporter-News
Abilene, TX
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: It was hard to judge the other entries against the winner but surprizingly, this entry was right up there with it. Totally different end of the subject matter spectrum. The slices of life of the rural country and small towns were excellently photographed. Refreshing compositions, and great quality. A very good piece with many framable photos.
3rd Place

Economy/Academics Study
Nellie Doneva
Abilene Reporter-News
Abilene, TX
Caption:
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Judges' Comments: Some great work of a difficult subject to get great photos from. Hard subject but good results.
Judged By: (Chair) Dave Chidley, Staff Photographer The London Free Press, London Ontario, Canada (Judges) Ken Wightman, Mike Henson, Goeff Robins - London Free Press (Region 2)
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