Every year, the NPPA honors those who have supported the organization, assisted visual journalism and visual journalists, or have contributed to our profession.
The winners are selected from people nominated by the membership of the organization. To nominate a candidate please visit the nomination form, select an award, and provide the name, email address and phone number of the person nominated, along with a brief description of why that person should be considered.
Please direct any questions or comments to [email protected].
The awards are presented annually at the Northern Short Course.
The deadline for nominations is November 10, 2019.
The 2019 nominations period has closed. Thank you to all that submitted.
Submit your award nominations here.
Joseph A. Sprague Memorial Award
Established in 1949, this is the highest honor in the field of visual journalism. The award recognizes an individual who advances and elevates the visual journalism profession by conduct, initiative, leadership, skill, and devotion to duty.
Joseph Costa
Established in 1954, this award is given to an individual for most outstanding initiative, leadership and service in advancing the goals of NPPA in the tradition of Joseph Costa, a founder of NPPA, its first President and Chairman of the Board.
Alicia Calzada First Amendment Award
In keeping with the NPPA's mission of vigorously promoting freedom of the press in all its forms, this award recognizes an individual who has worked to promote and advance the First Amendment, especially as it relates to news photographers. The award is named after NPPA past president Alicia Wagner Calzada, the founder and longtime chair of NPPA's Advocacy committee, who is now an attorney specializing in media law.
John Long Ethics Award
The Long award honors an individual who has, through his or her efforts, upheld, shaped, and promoted ethical behavior in all forms of visual journalism.
Clifton Edom Award
Established in 1991, this award recognizes an individual in the tradition of Cliff Edom to inspire and motivate members of the visual journalism community to reach new heights.
Morris Berman Citation
Morris Berman was a past president of the NPPA. Prior to his death in 2002, he attended every one of our conventions. This citation is given to an individual for special contributions advancing the interests of visual journalism.
Kenneth P. McLaughlin Award of Merit
This award is given to those rendering continuing outstanding service in the interest of visual journalism, whether or not they are members of the profession.
J. Winton Lemen Award
Awarded for outstanding technical achievement supporting and advancing the best interest of the Visual Journalism community.
Burt Williams Award
The award, in memory of a founder and first national secretary, is given to a news photographer chosen from those nominated, who has completed at least 40 years of service, whether or not they are members of NPPA.
Burt Williams, now deceased, was a photographer for the Cleveland News and Plain Dealer, the Pittsburgh Press and the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph.
John Durniak Mentor Citation
Awarded to an individual who has served as an outstanding mentor, either to a specific individual or to photojournalism in general. Nominations for this award are to come from working photojournalists. The recipient of the award may have, but not need not have, any formal connection to photojournalism.
President's Award
The President's Award is awarded at the discretion of the president for special services to NPPA.
NPPA Special Citation
These special citations are awarded to individuals for making significant contributions that advance the interests of visual journalism.
Robin F. Garland Educator Award
The award is given for outstanding service as a photojournalism educator.
Humanitarian Award
The Humanitarian Award is presented to an individual for playing a key role in the saving of lives or in rescue situations.
Jim Gordon Editor of the Year Award
Given to the editor(s) of an outstanding newspaper, magazine, video, movie, website, book, or other publication or broadcast that supports and promotes strong visual journalism, and best use of photography, and whose individual dedication and efforts have moved visual journalism's standards forward while also advancing the best interests of all photographers.
The citation honors the memory of NPPA's second national treasurer (1948-1950), who set an example of devotion to NPPA ideals. The award is given to the regional associate director (formerly regional secretary-treasurer) judged most outstanding in the performance of his or her duties. The Mellor award was retired by the board in 2016.
