About this time last year – on a whim, a wing and a prayer – I sent a couple of images into the US based ‘National Press Photographers Association’ – “Best of Photojournalism” awards … and promptly forgot about it. As you do …
No ‘you’re a winner’ (or even ‘placegetter’) email arrived so you just get on with life …
Then … just last week I got a Facebook message from photojournalist colleague Ted Mcdonnell who had arrived back from a gig in Timor Leste and gone through his pile of mail where he found his new copy of the NPPA mag “News Photographer”. There gracing the inside cover (see below) he found my portrait of beautiful burns survivor Carol Mayer and the news (to me) that it had WON the “Portrait” category for ‘A single photograph that captures a unique aspect of a local figure’s character and personality. This should not be a public figure who is regularly covered in the news, but rather a local heroine, hero, or community member’.
Carol certainly falls easily into that category … ! (and the nicest part is she gets as excited as I do with the successes her portrait has achieved – Nikon Walkley, Kellicutt International US, International Photography Awards (IPA), Head On Portrait Prize, International Color Awards, International Loupe Awards, Queensland Multi Media Awards etc … )
Pretty stunned about the news .. despite the fact it was announced a few months ago … but, if I’m honest, a bit miffed that I wasn’t told at the announcements. I emailed NPPA and a reply from Thomas Kenniff reckons I should have got an email as all Winners did.
The moral is ? Try and remember to check awards and competition results … just in case!
Below is the inside cover page of the NPPA magazine “News Photographer” with the result – a click on that will take you to the NPPA site.
Carol Mayer image © Brian Cassey
