This Top 10 includes August results, but not July.

1. Matt Detrich, Indianapolis Star, 740
2. Denny Simmons, Courier & Press, 498
3. Justin Rumbach, Courier & Press, 356
4. Tim Bath, Kokomo Tribune, 264
5. Frank Oliver, Journal & Courier, 249
6. Bob Gwaltney, Courier & Press, 248
7. Joe Garza, Tribune Star, 216
8. Robert Scheer, Indianapolis Star, 204
9. Christopher Smith, The Times, 186
10. Joe Vitti, Indianapolis Star, 177

2nd Place Multiple
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Publication: South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Judge(s): Taimy Alvarez, Assistant Director of Photography, Rolando Otero, Deputy Director of Photography, Angel Valentin, Senior Staff Photographer, Judy Reich, Senior Staff Photographer, Joe Amon, Staff Photographer

Cream of the Crop: Matt Detrich, The Indianapolis Star
Picture of Mario Albarran

General News:

1st Place: Matt Detrich, The Indianapolis Star
Detrich did a great job documenting with wonderful composition and layering of storytelling elements throughout the frame the pain of Valdez creatively and different. The image brought us to that place and the emotion involved in the moment.

2nd Place: Matt Detrich, The Indianapolis Star
Again Detrich captured the pain of family in this moving picture.

3rd Place: Charlie Nye, Indianapolis Star
Photographing an open casket with respect and creativity is a very delicate and difficult thing to do as photographer. Nye was able to do that by capturing a moment, in addition the repetition of the flags on the casket and man’s shift.

Spot News:

1st Place: Bob Gwaltney, Evansville Courier & Press
Good hustle to get to this fire fast to capture it before it’s put out. Solid composition.

Features:

1st Place: Jeri Reichanadter, Indianapolis Star
Jeri did a great job anticipating the moment and capturing it in this funny picture this kid plays to the crowd as the camp leader looks for votes. Nice expressions.

2nd Place: Charlie Nye, Indianapolis Star
A very different take to a weather feature that was creative and interesting.

3rd Place: Mike Dickbern, The Republic – Columbus
Very different and creative take on people working

HM: Bob Gwaitney, Evansville Courier & Press
Funny.

Illustration:

1st Place: Mike Dickbernd, The Republic – Columbus
Dickbernd successfully illustrated is a different and creative the story of a city’s identity without being boring and literal. Loved the branding angle taken.

2nd Place: Greg Griffo, Indianapolic Star
Loved the high angle taken on this illustration giving the reader a bird’s eye view of the driver.

Sports:

1st Place: Justin Rumbach
Good peak action. Great catch showing Rumback was paying attention.

2nd Place: Joseph C. Garza
Great job looking beyond the obvious.

3rd Place: Christopher Smith
Great job capturing the raw emotion of the moment in wonderful light.

HM: Joseph C. Garza
Could have used some cropping to eliminate background clutter.

Multiple:

** In this entry all the judges felt that all the entries needed tighter edits with the exception of just a few. It’s not the quanity that counts, but the quality. Some of the stories had nice moments, but were most among the ok shots or due to size/play in the piece.

1st Place: Matt Detrich, The Indianapolis Star
Stood out from all the other entries because of its moments and style. Good edit.

2nd Place: Denny Simmons, Courier & Press
At first judges were not excited with this picture story because of all the pictures. To many pictures edited for this piece. But, as the judges looked closer there were some nice moments captured lost in the mix of images.

3rd Place: Denny Simmons, Courier & Press
Good job getting the reader into the world of dirt track racing. Judges loved the picture of the NASCAR Pit Stop. But, judges asked where are the drivers. The story needs a few pictures of the drivers in the pits and their “crew”, if they have any. The driver shots would have completed this piece nicely.

This Top 10 includes August results, but not June or July.

1. Matt Detrich, Indianapolis Star, 599
2. Denny Simmons, Courier & Press, 426
3. Justin Rumbach, Courier & Press, 306
4. Tim Bath, Kokomo Tribune, 264
5. Frank Oliver, Journal & Courier, 247
6. Robert Scheer, Indianapolis Star, 204
7. Bob Gwaltney, Courier & Press, 186
8. Christopher Smith, The Times, 184
9. Joe Vitti, Indianapolis Star, 175
10. Joe Garza, Tribune Star, 164

Cream of the Crop
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JUDGE(S) NAME: Tim Reese, Assistant Director of Photography; Bryan Patrick, Senior Photographer; Carl Costas, Staff Photographer

PUBLICATION: The Sacramento Bee

DATE CLIPS RECEIVED: 10/03/06

DATE CLIPS JUDGES:10/09/06

CREAM OF THE CROP: Farwell to a Hero – Matt Detrich – The Indianapolis Star

GENERAL NEWS:

1st place –Part of the Team – Ellie Bogue – The News-Sentinel
Powerful emotion, good composition – a great story-telling image.

2nd place – Trooper Funeral – Matt Detrich – The Indianapolis Star
Powerful emotion, good composition – also a great storyteller – a tough choice between first and second place.

3rd place – First Day of School – Jim Rider – South Bend Tribune
We had a lot of entries of this type with schools starting everywhere, but this picture rose far above the others because it shows such a tender, candid moment of a youngster all perfectly coiffured for the first day of school and her mother.

SPOT NEWS:

1st place – Cooling off – Bob Gwaltney – Evansville Courier & Press
Good clean composition and a different look at a routine house fire.

2nd place – Officers killed – Matt Detrich – The Indianapolis Star
Very powerful image of the shatter bicycle on the side of the road. No need to see the body bags or anything else to understand the tragedy of the situation.

3rd place – Stabbing – Jason Clark – Evansville Courier & Press
Good reaction to spot news but composition and distance of the photographer from the scene hurt the picture.

FEATURE:

1st place- Wiener race – Bob Gwaltney – Evansville Courier & Press
Great composition, great action, nice moment and all four feet are off the ground. One of those truly fun pictures that will make you smile, if not laugh out loud.

2nd place – Cricket spitting – Matt Detrich – The Indianapolis Star
Definitely a picture that evokes a reaction, which is usually expressed by the comment, “Gross!”

3rd place – Cold Drink – Denny Simmons – Evansville Courier & Press
Nice off-action moment between a couple kids. Not the expected picture.

HM (optional) Soccer play – Robert Scheer – The Indianapolis Star
Nice “found” moment. Good composition.

SPORTS:

1st place – Penn football loss – Matt Detrich – The Indianapolis Star
Great composition and a great storyteller. You know the outcome of the game in an instant.

2nd place – Hit by a Pitch – Denny Simmons – Evansville Courier & Press
Excellent action picture – a difficult image to make.

3rd place – Baseball fight – Frank Oliver – Journal and Courier
Good reaction, a strong image of emotions run amuck.

HM (optional) – Winners and Losers – Frank Oliver – Journal and Courier
Nice composition to get the winners and losers in the same frame.

MULTIPLE:

1st place – Farwell to a Hero – Matt Detrich – The Indianapolis Star
A very powerful series of pictures, respectfully done, which tell a tragic story. A clear winner.

2nd place – A stable way of life – Gary Moore – The Indianapolis Star
A group of quiet, yet well composed, beautiful pictures

3rd place – Cricket spitting contest – Matt Detrich – The Indianapolis Star
An interesting group of pictures of an entirely disgusting activity.