Entries were judged at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University, by Seth Gitner, Ken Harper, Tom Kennedy, Sung Park, Bruce Strong and David Sutherland. In addition to these judges, Todd Cross, David Grewe, Andrew Burton, Brian Creel, Zach Ornitz, Brad Horn, Mitchell Franz, Michelle Gable, Mary Jones and AJ Chavar were student captains, who each had a team of 1 to 5 students working as a single unit in the voting process. Comments were compiled by Janna Dotschkal.
1st: The Virginian Pilot, September 28, 2009
“Powerless”
Team.
Judges’ comments: The lead image is very symbolic and moving. The type is well designed and easy to read. This page is a sophisticated way of dealing with a complex topic.
2nd: The Naples Daily News, September 23, 2009
“Damas: Yes I Did”
Eric Strachan, Lexey Swall, Marty Albertus.
Judges’ comments: The lead image is well composed and has many layers. It is a riskier choice of photograph and with the design of the page it is fresh looking. It is a very nice design choice.3rd: Los Angeles Times, September 1, 2009
“Southern California Wildfires: Mt. Wilson”
Team.
Judges’ comments: This page shows a variety of photographs that convey both information and emotion. It gives the reader a full picture of all aspects of the fire. The lead photograph is good but it is ambiguous as to whether or not the firefighter is supposed to have his eyes closed because of smoke or if it was just an afterthought.
1st: Los Angeles Times, July 31, 2009
“More Afghans turning to drugs”
Steve Stroud, Rick Loomis and Kelli Sullivan.
Judges’ comments: The photo editing is strong and the lead photo was wisely chosen because of the strong composition. There is a problem with the photographs and the fold. The secondary images provides a different perspective and more variety. It makes the page more interactive.2nd: Los Angeles Times, August 15, 2009
“Our wings still clipped”
Steve Stroud, Carolyn Cole and Kelli Sullivan.
Judges’ comments: It is a creative way of combining pictures with portraits. The lead photo gives us a really good sense of place. It is a wonderful portrait of a family. The layout lets the photos speak for themselves.3rd: The St. Petersburg Times, July 9, 2009
“Take the Gulf plunge”
Bruce Moyer, Melissa Lyttle and Jennifer DeCamp.
Judges’ comments: We like the concept of this piece. It is well thought out and the layout is in tune with the aesthetics of the photographs. It holds together well, but the text is weaker than the photographs. Some of the judges thought that the individual photographs were overwhelmed by the overall design. This is unfortunate because each image is strong in its composition and color.
1st: The Virginian-Pilot, August 2, 2009
“Honduras Standoff”
Martin Smith-Rodden with photos by The Associated Press and Getty Images.
Judges’ comments: The page is well designed. The eye is clearly drawn in an intentional direction. It is easy to access. Each image is strong and helps to tell the story. A good variety of shots was used.2nd: The Virginian-Pilot, July 26, 2009
“Toatal Eclipse”
Martin Smith-Rodden with photos by The Associated Press, Getty Images and Reuters.
Judges’ comments: The lead image on this page is very strong and fun. Each image makes the viewer more curious about the topic. The overall impression of this page is that it’s interesting and unusual.3rd: The Virginian-Pilot, May 31, 2009
“Leaving Iraq’s Cities”
Martin Smith-Rodden with photos by The Associated Press and Getty Images.
Judges’ comments: The lead image on this page is very powerful, and holds the page together. The supporting images are good but significantly weaker than the lead image.
1st: The Virginian Pilot, September 20, 2009
“Do you believe in miracles?”
Martin Smith Rodden, Buddy Moore, Jared Soares. Stephen M. Katz and Jason Hirschfeld.
Judges’ comments: The lead image is dynamic and a difficult shot to get. This page has a great headline that corresponds well to the emotion in the lead image.
2nd: The Virginian Pilot, August 17, 2009
“14-1”
Buddy Moore and Charlie Neibergall (A.P.)
Judges’ comments: The lead image is very strong with Tiger Woods in the background. Golf shots like this one are very hard to get. The flexible use of the sports masthead and the subtle contrast of the foreground subject and the background subject is excellent. The type is flexible which creates an organic package.3rd: The Palm Beach Post, September 3, 2009
“Towering Above: The Super 11”
Damon Higgins, Chris Burt, Mark Edelson and Jim Coleman.
Judges’ comments: This image is very bold and inviting. It forces you to unfold the page because it is so vibrant.
1st: The Naples Daily News, August 2-4, 2009
“The Resurrection of Amalia Mendoza”
Eric Strachan, Greg Kahn, Kate Palazzi and Erik Kellar.
Judges’ comments: The image on page 5d about Day One makes a distinct impression. The story is dumbfounding and emotional. These pages have a clear story, emotional progression and conclusion. The layout was nice with the circular layout of the photographs on several of the pages. This format could have been continued throughout the spread. It has a cohesive timeline. Well done.2nd: Los Angeles Times, July 12, 2009
“Remembering Michael Jackson”
Team.
Judges’ comments: The design of these pages is very crisp and linear. The use of iconic Jackson photos is memorable and easy to process. The timeline of Jackson photos is helpful and interesting.3rd: The Commercial Appeal, September 27, 2009
“True Crime”
Team.
Judges’ comments: The use of staff photographers to make an essay about crime is what really makes these pages work. The design is not as effective as the other winners but the content and quality of the photographs are noteworthy and impressive.
Comments? Corrections? More information? Next quarter's deadline? Contact BUP contest chair Mark Edelson at medelson@pbpost.com.
