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Presorted StandardU.S.Postage PaidYoungstown, OHPermit No.640
Ohio News
Photographer1538 Cullinan Ave.Masury, OH 44438
Change Service Requested
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Members of the Ridgedale girls softball team celebrate their win in the regional championship game. The photo by Bill Sinden of TheMarion Star placed first in sports in June.
The 45th annual NPPA Flying ShortCourse visits Pittsburgh Friday, October15th and Saturday, October 16th. ThePittsburgh stop will be held at the EmbassySuite Hotel in Coraopolis, Pa.
The event kicks off Friday with “GreatTips for Photoshop, How to Make YourDigital Photography Shine” taught by theColumbus Dispatch's Graphics Managerand computer guru Karl Kuntz. The ses-sions begin at both 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. andrun for two hours. Each session covers thesame material so you only need to attendone.
The main program Friday is a must forall struggling journalists - “How to surviveat your newspaper as a photojournalist: Thegrass isn't much greener anywhere else.”
The program starts at 7 p.m. Threespeakers will separately discuss how tokeep motivated even under less than idealworking conditions.
Steve Mellon is a staff photographer atthe Pittsburgh Post-Gazette who started hiscareer as a sports writer at a small paper inIndiana. Mellon eventually moved into pho-tojournalism and subsequently was IndianaPhotographer of the Year.
Bob DeMay of the The Akron BeaconJournal started shooting sports at the NilesDaily Times, and then spent 13 years toilingat The Vindicator in Youngstown Ohio.
He'll convince you making good pic-tures matters, as he has countless editorswith his patented question - “Do you wantA picture or THEE picture.”
Tim Rasmussen Director ofPhotography of The Free Lance-Star in
Fredricksburg, Virginia will discuss ways tomotivate yourself at a small to mediumsized papers. All programs on Friday arefree to Short Course participants.
Saturday the FSC faculty take centerstage to energize your pursuit of excellencein photojournalism.
Meet Jane Evelyn Atwood, who hasdevoted most of her professional life docu-menting prison life; be inspired by Reza, aself taught Iranian native who is one of themost honored journalists in the world; beamazed at the shooting and editing abilityof Jason Rhodes, the television photogra-pher of the year; meditate over the philoso-phy of Kim Komenich who will be a wit-ness as to why documentary photographymatters; be challenged by the NationalGeographic magazine's director of photog-raphy Kent Kobersteen; meet Chien ChiChang, the Magazine Photographer of theYear, who's talented eye and personal tenac-ity will challenge everyone; listen as MaryBeth Meehan of the Providence Journaltells the audience how to carve a niche outat your newspaper, becoming more effec-tive as a journalist and photographer; andsee the editing expertise of Brad Houston,the television editor of the year fromKUSA-TV in Denver.
Reservations at the Embassy Suites canbe made at (412) 269-9070. Attendees canregister at the door for the event. The costfor NPPA members is $50, non-members$60, students $30. Bob Donaldson of thePittsburgh Post-Gazette is the registrationchairman for the event. He can be contactedat (412) 263-1988.
Page 2 Ohio News Photographer September/October 1999
Pittsburgh to host NPPA Flying Short Course ONPAOhio News Photographers Association Inc.
Board ChairmanPhoneE-mail
PresidentPhoneE-mail
Still Vice PresidentPhoneE-mail
TV Vice PresidentPhoneE-mail
SecretaryPhoneE-mail
TreasurerPhoneE-mail
Still Clip ContestPhoneE-mail
TV Clip ContestPhoneE-mail
Annual StillAnnual StillContestContestPhoneE-mail
Annual TV ContestPhone
Bob DeMay(800) 777-9477
Ed Suba, Jr. (800) 777-9477
Lisa Dutton(419) 724-6143
Vince Shivers(330) 744-8821
David I. Andersen(216) 999-4156
Kimberly Barth(800) [email protected]
Chris Parker(614) 841-1781
David Colabine(513) 763-5443
Matt Detrich(800) 777-9477
not yet
Josh White(614) 263-4444
Ohio News PhotographerThe official publication of the Ohio News
Photographers Association Inc.
Ohio Onlinehttp://www.ohio.net/~onpa/
Address letters and correspondence to the editor at:1538 Cullinan Ave.
Masury, Ohio 44438
EditorPhoneE-mail
Bob DeMay(330) 448-6274
WebmasterPhoneE-mail
Mark Duncan(216) 771-2172
Walls’ traveling exhibit to visit churches Former Akron Beacon Journal photog-
rapher Ted Walls has a traveling photo showthat will be on display at several areachurches around Ohio this fall.
The 24 print exhibit deals with Walls’travels to Russia and Russian life, but main-ly focuses on an orphanage in Belica,Russia that he and other volunteers havebeen involved in.
The exhibit is sponsored by the EastOhio Conference of Methodist Churches
and is free. Donations are welcome and allproceeds will go to the orphanage. For moreinformation about the show or bringing theshow to your area call Ted Walls (330)699-9968 or [email protected].
Tentative schedule for the exhibit:October 6 - 10 Chagrin Falls Methodist
Church, October 10 - 22 Rootstown UnitedMethodist Church, October 24 - 29Cambridge United Methodist Church,November 13 - 18 New Philadelphia.
If you’re moving
We’d like to tag along
Please notify Treasurer Kim Barth
of your new address.
September/October 1999 Ohio News Photographer Page 3
On the cover
Inside
Subtle light, joyous expressions and strong com-position were the judges words to describe afeature by Alysia Peyton of The ColumbusDispatch that placed first in July. Completeresults and standings begin on page nine.
ONPA Election of officers- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4Wally Wolf the Spirit of ONPA - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5Guest column by David Cantor- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6-7TV and still monthly clip contest winners -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 - 11
Bundled with this issue of thenewsletter is a ONPA membership direc-tory. It’s the first such issue in four years.The directory includes current contactinformation for all our members and theiremployers.
Please treat the information con-tained herein as you would any unlistedtelephone number. The directory is pub-lished as a service to our members.
Member information was taken fromthe treasurer’s records as of September10th. If information concerning you oryour employer is in error please contacttreasurer Kimberly Barth at the AkronBeacon Journal.
In other news convention chairmanDavid Andersen reports that a contracthas been signed with the ClevelandHilton South for the 2000 convention. Thehotel is located at I-77 and RocksideRoad. Dates for the convention are April7th - 9th. More news about the event willbe in the next newsletter.
Josh White, the chairman of theannual Television Newstape Contest hasleft his position at WCMH-TV inColumbus and has moved to Littleton,Colorado where he is working at KCNC-TV in Denver. Those interested in theposition of contest chairman should con-tact any officer. The appointment will bemade at the next board meeting.
Leonard Turner has left his positionat WDTN-TV in Dayton and moved toBaltimore, Maryland.
Likewise Bronson Hill has leftWKEF-TV in Dayton and moved toJacksonville where he is working atWJXX-TV Jim McCormick has sincejoined the staff at WKEF-TV.
At ThisWeek Newspapers inColumbus Ohio University graduate JoeMaiorano is now working as a staff pho-tographer.
At The News Journal in MansfieldOhio University student Eric Kluth whohad been working as an intern this sum-mer will stay on for another term this fall.
Long-time Mansfield area freelancerDavid Weaver has moved to RockyMount, North Carolina.
After 13 years Bob DeMay called itquits at The Vindicator to join the staff atthe Akron Beacon Journal. Trying tomake him feel at home they naturallysent DeMay to Youngstown for his firstassignment.
Also joining The Beacon Journal asan intern is Ohio University graduateAndrea Dixon.
Jeff Camarati of The MorningJournal in Lorain has taken a photogra-phy position at Duke University inDurham, NC.
James Zemko has moved from TheStar Beacon in Ashtabula to TheMassillon Independent, which will alsostart publishing a Sunday edition begin-ning in October
Anthony Weber joins Bill Cannonat The Troy Daily News. Weber had beenworking at the Piqua Daily Call.
Odds ‘n ends Walter J. “Wally” Wolf dies at 87CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — Walter J.
“Wally” Wolf , passed away August 21 at theage of 87.
Wally was a long time and very activemember of the Ohio News PhotographersAssociation and was presented it’s highesthonor, the Robert S. Carson Memorial Award, in1970.
It was written at the time that Wolf wasspeechless. Something that’s not unusual forhim though. Quiet, unassuming Wally had littleto say about anything, least of all himself andhis own accomplishments. His achievements,photographically, are many even though you’dnever learn it from him.
Born in Chicago, Wolf made his home inCuyahoga Falls. He was the Chief Photographerfor Goodyear Aerospace retiring in 1974 after28 years of service.
Wolf assisted with numerous ONPA proj-ects over the years and faithfully attended theorganization’s annual conventions including themost recent gathering in Dayton this past spring.
For many years Wolf was the official pho-tographer at conventions and made numerouscontributions to the newsletter.
Wolf was also a member of the NationalPress Photographers Association and theProfessional Photographers Association.
He is survived by his wife of 57 yearsVirginia and three daughters, Virginia Cyril ofScottsdale, Az., Carole Pheneger of Stow, Oh.,and Lexi Ellrich of Kent. He had seven grand-
Walter J. “Wally” Wolf is welcomed home afterbeing presented the Ohio News PhotographersAssociation’s highest honor, the Robert S.Carson Memorial Award at the winter conventionin 1970. The long time member of ONPA passedaway August 21 at the age of 87.
Ed Suba: Welcome, you’ve got mailHe hasn’t licked his last stamp yet but
ONPA President Ed Suba now has an e-mailaddress. The staff at the Akron BeaconJournal are now all online.
To send e-mail to Suba or anyone else atthe paper, simply use the staff members firstinitial followed by their last name @thebea-conjournal.com
It is unknown if Suba has yet to use thisnew bit of technology that no one thought hewould embrace by the end of the century.
It’s not like he shuns modern con-viences. He shoots with a digital camera andanyone who has ever visited his “SubaVision” home theatre knows that he is on thecutting edge of sight and sound as it relates tomovies.
The running joke among his friends overthe years though has been his lack of interestin purchasing a home computer. We canreport that he has been seen with a MacWarehouse catalog and is deciding what colorhis new I-Mac should be.
While we couldn’t help getting in onelast jab on the issue the main purpose here isto solicit other staffs to supply their station orpublications formula for e-mail.
Send your company’s e-mail addressformat to [email protected]. We willpublish the format in the newsletter so otherscan contact you easily. It will also be helpfulshould we need to contact you concerninginformation for the newsletter or other ONPAmatters.
Page 4 Ohio News Photographer September/October 1999
Election set for ONPA board with one contested raceBallots will soon be in the mail for the election of officers to
serve two year terms to begin at the 2000 convention. Nominationsfor the positions were closed September 1st.
The lone contested race in the election is for the position of tel-evision vice president. Incumbent Vince Shivers is being opposed byTony Giordullo III.
Unopposed on the ballot is board chairman, Bob DeMay of TheBeacon Journal who is running for a second term in office. Seeking athird term as president is Ed Suba, Jr. also with The Beacon Journal.
Still vice president, Lisa Dutton of The Blade seeks her first termafter accepting the appointment last year. Secretary, David I.Andersen of The Plain Dealer has served in that position since being
appointed in 1996. Kimberly Barth of The Beacon Journal is runningfor a fourth term as treasurer.
Ballots must be returned by December 1st. Those not receivinga ballot by November 1st should contact secretary David Andersen.
DuttonDeMay SubaAndersen Barth
I was born and raised in Cincinnati, a 1985 Graduate of DeerPark High School. I attended Ashland College in Ashland, Ohioand graduated in 1989 with a B.A. in Radio/TV Program,Production and Performance. I was the R/TV departmentOutstanding Graduate in 1989.
On June 6, 1989 I began my stay in Dayton, Ohio as theSports Photographer/Producer at WKEF-TV 22. In November of1992 I went to work for WHIO-TV 7. In August of 1996 I went toWDTN-TV 2 and have been there ever since.
I have been active in ONPA by attending the yearly ONPAconventions and participating in the yearly Television TapeContest. This past year I got to serve on the convention commit-tee for the 1999 ONPA Convention. It was great to work with otherphotographers(still and tv) to put together a convention that we inDayton could be proud of, but also fellow photographers could beproud of that they came and not only socialized, but took some-thing back with them that will make them a better photographer.
I also am encouraged to see a quarterly tape contest for ourstate and hope that as the year goes on more people will enterand take advantage of this competition. I see the contest not onlyas a chance to win an award and see how my work fares againstother photographers, but as a chance to improve myself . That'swhat this is all about, improving ourselves to do the best job wecan.
Photographers have the best job there is, being out wherethe action is and recording for others to see. And I want to helpcontinue that, as we head into a new century and technologychanges by leaps and bounds, I want the Ohio NewsPhotographers Association to continue to be there for it's mem-bers any way possible. Be it by socializing, networking or learn-ing, I would like to help lead the ONPA and it's members into the21st century. When election time comes around, please give methat chance.
As a photogra-pher for WFMJ-TVfor the last tenyears, I've learneda great deal ofrespect for the pro-fession. Eight ofthose years I'vebeen a member ofONPA, which hasprovided me theopportunity toexcel in the field ofphotojournalism. Ialso had thechance to workwith ONPA andNPPA with theimplementation ofthe flying shortcourse and theOhio buckeye sem-inars.
After becom-ing the TV vicepresident of ONPA,my challenge wasto motivate, edu-cate, communicate and express the need for respect. There aremany things that have to be done in order to ensure that ONPAcontinues its work and tradition. And with your help and supportin this future endeavor, our mission is set. Following is a briefoutline of the my objectives, goals and the roads we'll take toachieve them.
My main objective as television vice president, is to ensurethis organization’s continued dedication to improving broadcastjournalism and relations throughout each career interaction.
Education being a key ingredient I will continue to stress theimportance of the programs now offered at the annual conventionand the Ohio Buckeye Conference. I would also like to work tosee more informative articles for television members in thenewsletter perhaps in the form of a quarterly photographers pro-file.
To promote, educate and learn from those outside the ONPAfamily. Weather it be the interaction with other photojournalistfrom across the country at the annual convention or learning theconcerns of those who are not members of ONPA. As the OhioBuckeye Seminar has shown we can work with one another andlearn from one another.
In an effort to give our profession more respect from thoseoutside would like to promote buddy workshops, where work-shops for non-photographers could bring our work into focus forthose that don’t have a clue and help them understand the basisof our work.
Candidates for television vice president Anthony Giordullo III Vince Shivers
The Spirit
of ONPA
There was very likely never a more staunchsupporter of OPPA/ONPA than Wally Wolf. But whowould have known that?
George Smallsreed, Bob Coon and yours truly(have) always made waves. Mouths running fullspeed, voices booming, there was never any ques-tion about what we thought; but Wally? He seldomsaid anything...but thought a lot.
Wally talked up the Ohio Press PhotographersAssociation, then after the name change the OhioNews Photographers Association, to people inindustry, young photographers he met from smallpapers and others, but softly--almost silently--whileshopping at Metzgers, working on an Aerospaceassignment, or wherever it seemed appropriate.Never a hard sell, but often successful.
On the way to and from this past spring conven-tion in Vandalia, Wally talked a lot of the “old” con-ventions; how much he missed them and how goodit was to see a change toward that direction again.
In the ‘60’s, Bob Coon picked p Wally, thenmade a stop at my house in Canton and the three ofus went together to conventions and board meet-ings. Coon always drove. Wally sat in the rear. I rodeshotgun.
For 100 miles, maybe 200, you heard nothingfrom Wally. You’d wonder if he’d fallen out or gone tosleep. A quick glance backward revealed Wally wideawake taking it all in. Of course, with Coon and I jab-bering he likely couldn’t have gotten a word in edge-wise, anyway. But later, in the hotel room, Wallywould say, “When you guys were talking about... ...Ithought...” Gems of wisdom would drift forth fromcooler, less volatile vocal cords.
Wally never failed to vote on an issue involvingthe organization and if he supported something he’dlet it be known but then let it lie; not harp about it assome of us did.
In the ‘50’s and ‘60’s we had both winter andsummer conventions. Winter meetings were mostlybusiness and seminars. Summer conventions werefor families, at places such as Marietta at the YachtClub with a sternwheeler taking us cruising on theriver or a trip to one of Ohio’s amusement parks.Wives got to know each other and kids playedtogether an we learned about each others problemson the job and off. Real people. Wally often lament-ed the demise of those summer meetings andhoped we’d revive them again.
Wally never ran for office but in his quiet “sug-gestion” when we were aside from the group, heprobably influenced more decisions than he everknew, during the time Bob Coon and I were boardmembers. At one point, we had board meetings sev-eral times a year. Wally took in every word but saidlittle. When an entirely new board cancelled summermeetings and had no board meetings in two years,Wally feared his beloved ONPA would fade away.He became a little more vocal.
Wally was born in Chicago but came to Ohio asa civilian at Vandalia in the “40’s. I was glad he gotto the Vandalia convention last spring but we wedrove around a lot and he found most of it unrecog-nizable. Still, he enjoyed seeing what it had become.
Wally was never a show-off but in the days
when we had genuine industrial photographers fromlarge Ohio corporations entering the photo contest,Wally took many top awards. As part of theGoodyear Aerospace team he had opportunitiesmany of us could only dream of, but he didn’t rely onsubject uniqueness; he still concentrated on lighting,camera angle, composition...those things that makea photograph.
Quiet, unassuming, unemotional Wally was anearly recipient of the Robert S. Carson MemorialAward, the highest honor ONPA can bestow uponanyone. I remember thinking I saw a tear in his eyeand had to look twice to be sure.
A dozen or more years ago Wally developedmacular degeneration which left him essentiallyblind. He could see shapes but with no detail. Hecouldn’t read. Wife Veronica (Ronnie) read ONPAand NPPA newsletters to him. In a car though, herecognized landmarks and signs well enough toguide a driver to where he wanted to go.
He couldn’t see to focus a camera but Wallynever gave up. He wasn’t a quitter. He bought anautofocus point-and-shoot and made photos wher-ever he went, then sent prints to people in them. Ireceived one after this year’s convention of meinside the Air Force Museum.
When Wally retired a quarter century ago, BobCoon worried because Wally was so quiet; neverwent anywhere, never talked to strangers. Coonsaid, “I’m afraid Wally will sit in a rocking chair andin a few months, be dead.”
Wally changed. He began having breakfast orlunch at McDonalds or Burger King or Hardees,alternating and meeting many retirees there. Hebegan going on one-day bus tours. Bob Coon’sbeen dead more than 20 years. Wally survived himby two decades.
On the way home from Vandalia, Wally told mehe thought this would be his last ONPA meeting. Isaid, “Oh. Wally, you’ve got to be looking forward tothe 50th anniversary in 2001. I’m excited. You werethere at the beginning and we had a great time at the25th.” He said he’d like to be there but he just doubt-ed he would. A premonition? I don’t know. I didn’ttake it that way at the time. I just thought he meantwith his eye trouble and beginning to have a little dif-ficulty walking, he figured it would be a struggle.
Since Bob Coon died , whenever I had occasionto go to Akron, I always knew the day would endwell. I’d call Wally, finish my business and pick himup or meet him at a restaurant and we’d reminisceuntil they closed the place. Although visits hadbecome less frequent as my commercial businessdwindled, The Beacon quit buying and trips toMetzgers ended, I occasionally “created” trips justbecause a few hours with Wally were precious.
I may find myself trying to avoid trips to Akron.I’m probably a dreamer but I like to think wher-
ever Wally is now he has his youth, perfect eyesight,and the respect of everyone there...because he wasbrought there to teach them all the things about pho-tography they need to know but could learn onlyfrom Walter Wolf.
September/October 1999 Ohio News Photographer Page 5
byRichard C.“Bix” Bixler
and the pulitzer goes to.....How many people, besides the obvious managers, thought the Pulitzer
prize for Feature photography awarded to the Associated Press for its cov-erage of the presidential scandal was a miscue? If, as recent surveys haveindicated, the public was disappointed by media conduct and coverage dur-ing the president’s debacle, how is it that a panel of judges can award sucha prestigious prize for a group of photographs that do little to advance thehistoric values of documentary photography?
Shouldn’t the feature category recognize the type of insightful and cre-ative work that is beyond the day-to-day constraints of developing news sto-ries. In years past, one could be moved by the winning photographs solelyon their visual merits. No one believes traditionalism should limit recognition,but a departure from established acknowledgements shouldn’t be squan-dered on anything less than unique work that helps viewers learn about sit-uations that are not encountered or reported in their workaday lives.
A look back at the winning Pulitzer feature photography awards over thelast ten years shows instances of change in the criteria for winning photo-graphs that mitigate the growth of visual communication. Mixed in with workthat demonstrates both initiative and creativity is work that might not chal-lenge news photographers to grow and explore.
The 1998 award went to Clarence Williams of The Los Angeles Timesfor a profound group of images about the life of children whose parents hadsubstance abuse and addiction problems. Viewing them was an uncomfort-able experience, almost voyeuristic because of both the intimacy and inten-sity of a subject not often seen. In essence, isn’t this representative of thework for which the Pulitzer prize for Feature photography should be award-ed?
Yet in 1997 we were presented with another controversial award to theAP’s Alexander Zemlianichenko for his image of Boris Yeltsin dancing to arock band. (The Board of the Pulitzers moved the image from the Spot Newscategory to Features. ) Obviously, this was not the only take from this event,which in contrast to the 1998 awardee relegates any recognition for singularinitiative to the back burner. A cute presidential campaign moment that thejudges felt superceded the other finalists‚ work which included a chronicle ofan illegal alien’s passage from Mexico to the United States and a terminal-ly ill woman’s provisions for her certain demise.
Why does it seem that some of the current leadership in photojournal-ism is committed to trivializing the real contributions that dedicated work canmake for helping people better understand and possibly develop some com-passion for the world in which we live? Did anyone learn anything from thehalcyon days of the 60’s and 70’s, when the acceptance of photography asa vibrant combination of art and communication gave the world new ways tolook at itself?
What of the huge documentary strides of the Photo League in NYC inthe 1930’s where socially concerned photography, born of the tradition ofLewis Hine and Jacob Riis, gave rise to the Harlem Document among otherworks. Photographers were invited into lives and made pictures that enabledpeople to learn about worlds they might be not be able to experience first-hand?
If we look at the Feature Pulitzer photo winners from 1996 back to 1994,the listing photo ship gets righted a bit. In 1996 Stephanie Welsh wasrewarded for a vivid group of pictures about female circumcision in Kenya.Again the viewer was left both unsettled by the intimacy of the disturbingimages and awed by the photographer‚s intense interaction in a foreign com-munity.
The 1995 award to the AP for its coverage of the genocide in Rwandadistinguishes the wire service’s true capabilities; bringing images of earthshattering inhumanity from remote places into the papers of viewers aroundthe world to educate and hopefully prompt some action for relief of thosewho are suffering. In 1994, the late Kevin Carter was given the award for an
image that has become an icon for the tragedy of displacement: a tinySudanese girl, weakened from hunger who collapsed yards away from a vul-ture. The image brought immediate attention to a festering civil war that hasbeen largely ignored in the Western media for the last 20 years.
In 1993 the feature award went again to the Associated Press for itscoverage of the 1992 presidential campaign. Unlike this year’s award, herephotographers had more opportunity for diverse images, rather than themike stand shots that predominated the scandal coverage. Once again,though, we see a news story defined by scheduled photo opportunitiesbeing judged in the feature category. That is not to say that a Feature prizewinning photograph cannot be produced at a scheduled event. One needonly look at the stunning portrait of Coretta Scott King and her daughterBernice taken by Moneta Sleet Jr. at the 1968 funeral of Dr. Martin LutherKing. The question is whether or not standards have been changed toaccommodate news value perceptions over creative photographic expres-sions.
The 1992 Feature Pulitzer went to John Kaplan of Block Newspapersfor his look at the differences in the lives of seven 21 year old people inAmerica. Since I am currently in the employ of this company, I will recusemyself from any comments. That moves us back to the 1991 recognition ofWilliam Snyder of the Dallas Morning News for his searing images of thesubhuman living conditions of Romanian orphans. Once again, the awardsmoved back on track recognizing creative and journalistic depictions thatdefine evocative photojournalism.
In 1990 the Pulitzer committee awarded the prize to the Detroit FreePress’ David C. Turnley for his moving photographs illustrating politicalchange in Eastern Europe and China. Here the Feature category success-fully united images from different regions of the world under one headingand rewarded a photographer for producing historic photographs that com-bined visual strength with relentless initiative. Finally in 1989 another DetroitFree Press staffer, Manny Crisostomo received the Feature award for pho-tographs that gave viewers an eye-opening look at students in a Detroit highschool.
This informal survey shows us that three times in ten years, for what-ever reason, scheduled political coverage has been recognized with a prizethat many feel should go to the kind of exploratory and revealing photogra-phy to which fewer and fewer media outlets want to subscribe or support.Now don’t go and call Oliver Stone about your screen play outlining a newmedia conspiracy just yet.
“The domination of ego and of Subject seems to be growing; I oftenthink what a thin shallow play the world must appear to those bloated ego-tistic militaristic predatory bastards that run things.” You probably think thatthis is a quote from a photographer describing the recent shift in the para-digm of news photography. Since it was written by Ansel Adams, we realizethat it predates our current concerns. Because it is from a letter he wrote toAlfred Stieglitz in March of 1946 about staff changes in the photographydepartment at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, we can surmise thatleadership in photography has historically forged ahead on avenues of itsown design, with little regard for the opinion of, nor the consequences to thepractitioners.
At the end of May, Max Frankel commented on the Pulitzer prizes forjournalism in his New York Times Magazine column titled, “The PulitzerParadox.” Mr. Frankel’s contention that those “who administer the awardshave managed to usefully stretch the rules and standards from time to time”relates to concerns about how and why the Feature photography categoryseems prone to fits of whimsy.
While he bemoans the fact that newspapers seldom share the contentof awarded stories, we in news photography see and use the award winningphotographs, often before they are recognized, depending on the newsservices to which our papers subscribe. All the more reason that we shouldhave Pulitzer jurors who subscribe to ideals that reward the best of what
photojournalism has to offer viewers, instead of recognizing what looks likethe usual rote news photography production in Washington. Perhaps, toomuch is made of these prizes.
Among the revelations in his book, “Scooped”, former New York DailyNews police reporter David J. Krajicek provides a synopsis of the history of“yellow” or what we now call “tabloid” reporting. It clearly shows how the manwhose legacy established these awards contributed to much of the tone thatmitigates the visibility of honest and well-meaning reporting for the easier-to-sell sensational side of life.
Can it be that Joseph Pulitzer’s true colors have occasionally shown inthe feature photography category? Sounds heretical, but, again, shouldn’tthis award acknowledge visual dynamism beyond the normal level of titilla-tion that defines the news coverage of the day?
The presidential scandal of 1998 was a non-visual story and if you don’tbelieve that, then ask the senate, where the only visual entrée for the finalscene of this political tragicomic farce was a remote-operated video camera.Nothing a picture editor likes more than eating the dominant Page Onephoto space with a video still that wasn’t generated by a visual journalistactually working on the scene, free to record all that goes on before his orher camera.
Maybe, the senators had better visual news judgement than the Pulitzerjurors for Feature photography at Columbia University. They felt, and per-haps rightly so, that the adnauseam plastering of theirs and witnesses‚ facesin the media, this time from the floor of the senate, wouldn’t add much to thevisual reporting of the story. Maybe we should ask some of the memberswho are not seeking reelection if they would sit on future Pulitzer juries.
In trying to arrive at a definition for what he called “Valid photography”Walker Evans composed the following: “It is not the image of [the] Secretary[of State] descending from a plane. It is not cute cats, nor touchdowns, nornudes; motherhood; arrangements of manufacturer‚s products. Under nocircumstances is it anything ever anywhere near a beach. In short, it is nota lie - a cliché - somebody else’s idea. It is prime vision combined with qual-ity of feeling, no less.”
Now Mr. Evans is his usual demanding self in this quote, but the gist ofhis message is one that we hope would reach the eyes, ears and minds offuture Pulitzer photography jurors, if we are to see continued progress in theimpact of news photography.
Charles Sheeler, the painter and photographer, excerpted from anundated letter to Beaumont Newhall stated, “We are all born with the sameequipment, eyes, and if some don’t care to use them it is their loss.”
Unless, of course, they are jurors for the Pulitzer prize in Feature pho-tography.
Then it could be our loss.
These books, from which quotes and ideas were cited, may be of interest:
“Aaron Siskind Pleasures and Terrors” by Carl Chiarenza. New York Graphic Society.Little, Brown and Company, 1982. (Out-of-print)
“Ansel Adams Letters and Images 1916-1984” Edited by Mary Street Alinder andAndrea Gray Stillman. New York Graphic Society. Little, Brown and Company, 1988.
“Focus. Memoirs of a life in photography” by Beaumont Newhall. Bullfinch Press. Little,Brown and Company, 1993.
“Scooped! Media Miss Real Story on Crime While Chasing Sex, Sleaze, and Celebrities” by David J. Krajicek. Columbia University Press, 1998. Walker Evans” by James R. Mellows. Basic Books, 1999.
David CantorTHE BLADE
“And this is the great miracle of art. It’s revelation rather than illustration. It’s a document not of the physical world but of the spiritual world.”
-- Aaron Siskind
AABBOOUUTT TTHHEE AAUUTTHHOORR
David Cantor
David Cantor works on the picturedesk at The Blade in Toledo, Ohioa position he has held since mov-ing there from New York twoyears ago.
In addition to his writings on theissues confronting modern photo-journalism he continues to shoothis own photography. At themoment he is concentrating oncompiling a series of images onAAA Baseball.
His essay on the Pulitzer Prize isa condensed version which wasinitially published on the web sitefoto8. Published bimonthly foto8bills itself as the online magazineof international photojournalism.The site can be found at:http://www.foto8.com
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Page 8 Ohio News Photographer September/October 1999
Second quarter television clip contest resultsSpot news1st: May Day - Chris Reece - WJW-TV Cleveland, 2nd: Gone in aFlash - Eric Anderson- WNWO-TV Toledo, 3rd: SpringfieldWarehouse Fire - Tony Giordullo - WDTN-TV Dayton.
General News1st: It’s a Guy Thing - Jeff Barnhill - WKRC-TV Cincinnati, 2nd:Change the Name - Matt Shedelhelm - WBNS Columbus, 3rd:Tryouts - Vince Shivers - WFMJ-TV Youngstown, HM: DisasterStrike - Chris Reece - WJW-TV Cleveland.
Feature1st: Jerrods Hero - Tim Moushey - WBNS-TV Columbus, 2nd:Steps of Faith - Chris Hursh - WKRC-TV Cincinnati, 3rd: Tee forTwo - Ali Ghanbari - WJW-TV Cleveland, HM: The Need for Speed- Bill Price - WNWO-TV Toledo.
Sports1st: Images From the Heart - Ali Ghanbari - WJW-TV Cleveland,2nd: Contending for the Olympics - Bill Price - WNWO Toledo.
Chris Reece, WJW-TV Cleveland Ali Ghanbari, WJW-TV ClevelandEric Anderson, WNWO-TV ToledoChris Hursh, WKRC-TV CincinnatiJeff Barnhill, WKRC-TV CincinnatiTony Giordullo, WDTN-TV DaytonPaul Kwpaich, WTOL-TV ToledoTim Moushey, WBNS-TV ColumbusBill Price, WNWO-TV ToledoSteve France, WTOL-TV ToledoDoug Hermann, Ohio News NetworkMatt Shedelhelm, WBNS-TV ColumbusKevin Koprowski, WTOL-TV ToledoVince Shivers, WFMJ-TV YoungstownJosh White, WCMH-TV ColumbusEric Hoffman, WTOL-TV ToledoCourtney Davis, WNWO-TV Toledo
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910
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362321181412
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2
JUNE WINNERS
Spot News1st - Paul Vernon, Bellfontaine Examiner, 2nd - Tony Furbee, SidneyDaily News, 3rd - Tim Bath, The Kokomo (IN) Tribune.
General News1st - Marshall Gorby, Springfield News-Sun, 2nd - Tracy Albano, The(Munter, IN) Times, 3rd - Albano
Sports1st - Clinton Lewis,The (Bowling Green, KY) Daily News, 2nd - NikkiBoertman, Midland (MI) Daily News, 3rd - James Mahan, SpringfieldNews Sun.
Feature single1st - Paul Vernon, Bellefontaine Examiner, 2nd - Marshall Gorby,Springfield News Sun, 3rd - Leisa Thompson, Ann Arbor News.
Feature multiple1st - Chris Howell, Bloomington (IN) Times-Herald, 2nd - Lindsay TheSemple, The Vindicator, 3rd - Tim Bath, Kokomo (IN) Tribune.
Illustration1st - Saed Hindash, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2nd - Donna Terek, The DetroitNews, 3rd - J. Kyle Keener, The Detroit Free Press.
JULY WINNERS
Spot News1st -Matt Detrich, The Indianapolis Star/News, 2nd - David Kollar, The(Columbus, IN) Republic, 3rd - Glenn Hartong, The Cincinnati Enquirer.
General News1st -Cathy Clarke, The Owensboro (KY) Messenger-Inquirer, 2nd -Ernest Coleman, The Cincinnati Enquirer, 3rd - Jeff Rider, The SouthBend (IN) Tribune.
Sports1st - Alan Lessig, The Detroit News, 2nd - Darron Silva, The (Terre Haute,IN) Tribune Star, 3rd - J. Kyle Keener, The Detroit Free Press.
Feature single1st - Leisa Thompson, The Ann Arbor News, 2nd - Paul Sancya,Associated Press Detroit, 3rd - Andrew Morrison, The SanduskyRegister.
Feature multiple1st - Mike Fender, The Indianapolis Star/News, 2nd - J. Kyle Keener, TheDetroit Free Press, 3rd - Bruce Ely, The Evansville Courier.
NPPA Region 4 clip contest results
Region 4 clip standings123458
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192224
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J. Kyle Keener, Detroit Free PressBruce Ely, Evansville CourierJames Mahan, Springfield News-SunJim Rider, South Bend TribuneEric Albrecht, Columbus DispatchMatthew Hovis, The GazetteFred Squillante, Columbus DispatchKaren Schiely, The Beacon JournalPaul Vernon, Bellefontaine ExaminerMarshall Gorby, Springfield News SunNeal Lauron, Columbus DispatchAllan Detrich, Block News AllianceDoral Chenoweth III, Columbus DispatchErnest Coleman, Cincinnati Enquirer
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7264
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Andrew Morrison, The Sandusky RegisterSteve Herppich, Cincinnati EnquirerKen Love, The Beacon JournalSaed Hindash, Cincinnati EnquirerTom Puskar, Ashland Times-GazetteJamie Schwaberow, Columbus DispatchLindsay Semple, The VindicatorBob DeMay, The VindicatorMandi Wright, The GazetteDavid Allan Sturman, The Marion StarLisa Powell, Dayton Daily NewsChris Russell, The Columbus DispatchGlenn Hartong, Cincinnti Enquirer
September/October 1999 Ohio News Photographer Page 9
Clip RulesPhotos must be entered in the month published. A photo can be
entered only after its initial publication and can be entered only once. Sort clips by category - News, Sports, Feature, Feature Picture
Story. Clip each category together. Note that there is no category forgeneral news or illustrations. Entries in these categories shouldentered in News or Feature.
Remove your name and affiliation from the front of the clip. Affix alabel with your name, publication, address, category and date of publi-cation on the back. Include a separate sheet of paper with your name,address and total number of clips entered.
Layouts are judged as a single entry but single pictures from a lay-out can be entered also. You must submit another clip of the singleimage from the layout in this case.
Wire service photographers and stringers may enter prints but theymust be signed on the back by a supervisor noting they had been trans-mitted.
Each entrant is limited to a total of nine clips per month. The clipcontest is open to all ONPA members in good standing who live or workin Ohio during the month entered. The ONPA clip contest is not affiliat-ed with the NPPA Region 4 clip contest. Mail clips by the 7th of themonth following publication to:
Chris Parker ThisWeek Newspapers
670 Lakeview Plaza Blvd. Suite F Columbus, Ohio 43085-1781
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142122114108104
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ONPA clip standings David Richard, The Lorain Morning Journal Ken Love, The Beacon Journal Tim Revell, The Columbus Dispatch Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch Chris Russell, The Columbus DispatchMatt Detrich, The Beacon JournalSaed Hindash, The Cincinnati EnquirerSteven Herppich, Cincinnati EnquirerJulie Vennitti, The RepositoryTom Dodge, The Columbus Dispatch Doral Chenoweth III, Columbus DispatchMichael Blair, The News-Herald Allan Detrich, Block News AllianceSteve Schenck, The Lisbon Morning JournalFred Squillante, The Columbus DispatchJames Mahan, The Springfield News-SunMichael Balash, The RepositoryBill Sinden, The Marion StarMarshall Gorby, Springfield News-SunGary Green, The Tribune Chronicle Bob DeMay, The VindicatorLindsay Semple, The VindicatorLorrie Cecil, This Week Newspapers Matt Hovis, The GazetteAlysia Peyton, The Columbus DispatchNeal Lauron, The Columbus DispatchGlenn Hartong, The Cincinnati EnquirerCraig Ruttle, The Cincinnati EnquirerMandi Wright, The GazetteGreg Lynch,Craig Orosz, The Lima NewsDavid Rea, This Week NewspapersWill Shilling, The Tribune ChronicleMelanie Sochan, The Tribune Chronicle Karen Schiely, The Beacon JournalDavid Polcyn, The News Journal Ernest Coleman, The Cincinnati EnquirerE.L. Hubbard, Hamilton Journal NewsBrynne Shaw, The Plain DealerAnn Tormet, Suburban News PublicationsMame Burns, Dayton Daily News Bill Reinke, Dayton Daily NewsJeffrey Camarati, The Morning JournalScott Heckel, The RepositoryMark Bealer, The Middletown JournalPatti Schaeffer, The Lisbon Morning JournalChip Gamertsfelder, Suburban NewspapersRoss Weitzner, The Morning JournalMaribeth Joeright, The News-HeraldMary Circelli, The Columbus Dispatch
Clip WinnersJUNE WINNERS
NEWS1st - Michael Balash, The Repository, 2nd - Michael Balash, The Repository, 3rd- Bill Sinden, The Marion Star.SPORTS1st - Bill Sinden, The Marion Star, 2nd - Ken Love, The Beacon Journal, 3rd -Mame Burns, Dayton Daily News.
FEATURE SINGLE1st - Marshall Gorby, Springfield News-Sun, 2nd - Tom Dodge, The ColumbusDispatch, 3rd - Ken Love, The Beacon Journal. HM - Chris Russell, TheColumbus Dispatch.
FEATURE STORY1st - Tim Revell, The Columbus Dispatch, 2nd - Gary Green, The TribuneChronicle, 3rd - Lindsay Semple, The Vindicator.
JUDGESMichael Spooneybarger, photo editor, and staff photographers from ThePensacola News Journal in Pensecola, Florida.
JULY WINNERS
NEWS1st - Glenn Hartong, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2nd - Julie Vennitti, The Repository,3rd - Ernest Coleman, Cincinnati Enquirer. HM - Julie Vennitti, The RepositorySPORTS1st - Saed Hindash, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2nd - Greg Lynch, The Journal News,3rd - David Richard, The Morning Journal.
FEATURE SINGLE1st - Alysia Peyton, Columbus Dispatch, 2nd - Will Shilling, The TribuneChronicle, 3rd - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch. HM - Mary Circelli,Columbus Dispatch, Tom Dodge, Columbus Dispatch, Alysia Peyton, ColumbusDispatch
FEATURE STORY1st - Tim Revell, The Columbus Dispatch, 2nd - Julie Vennitti, The Repository,3rd - Julie Vennitti, The Repository. JUDGESSid Hastings, photo editor, and staff photographers Marina Samovsky andSusan Vera of Copley Newspapers Sun Publications from Gurnee, Illinois.
Visit
http://www.ohio.net/~onpa/
OONNPPAAOOnnlliinnee
Page10 Ohio News Photographer September/October 1999
k Military police from the OhioNational Guard try to keep
order in Totogalpa, Nicaragua,as townsfolk push against the
gate of a school in hopes ofbeing treated by a medical con-
tingent from Patrick Air Forcebase in Florida. Tim Revell ofThe Columbus Dispatch went
with a reporter to chronicle thestory of 2,000 members of the
Ohio National Guard helping torebuild the area devastated byMitch. The story placed first in
feature picture story in June.
i Revell also placed first in pic-ture story in July for a story
about a family’s struggle in car-ing for their daughter who has
been in a comma for sixmonths after being struck by a
car.
September/October 1999 Ohio News Photographer Page 11
h Students hold handsduring a memorial serv-ice for a science teacherand tennis coach whodied after suffering twobrain aneurysms. It wasthe fourth tragic loss injust over two months atLake High School. Thephoto by MichaelBalash of TheRepository placed firstin news in June.
j Marshall Gorby ofThe Springfield News -Sun was on his wayhome from work whenhe came upon a manand a young boy on askateboard. Of his sub-jects Gorby said, “I thinkthe man was moreexcited about being inthe newspaper than thelittle boy.” The photoplaced first in feature in