ONPA 2026 Monthly Clip Contest Results
March - 1st place General News
Kabreyah Stewart (left) Elise Robinson (center) and Erin Russell react to getting surprised with scholarships from the Thompson Working Families program along with 200 first-year students at Bowen-Thompson Student Union in Bowling Green.(Rebecca Benson / The Blade)
Results & Rules
March 2026 clip contest results
Spot News
1st - Rebecca Benson, The Blade, "Fatal Fire"
2nd - Bryant Billing, Dayton Daily News, "Fuyao Fire"
3rd - Addison Annis, The Blade, "Fallen Tree"
Judge's comments: The smallest category nevertheless had an excellent shot in the first place winner.
General News
1st - Rebecca Benson, The Blade, "Scholarships"
2nd - Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, "Meals"
3rd - Addison Annis, The Blade, "Iftar"
Judge's comments: We love the first-place moment – sheer joy as students react to receiving scholarships. Second and third place are solid moments as well.
Feature
1st - Rebecca Benson, The Blade, "Connect Four"
2nd - Addison Annis, The Blade, "Spelling Bee"
3rd - Rebecca Benson, The Blade, "Games"
Judge's comments: Feature was another weak category with no found features, but rather scheduled events. Again, not surprising considering how our industry is changing. But the winners were all nice moments.
Sports Action
1st - Sam Greene, The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Dive"
2nd - Sam Greene, The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Rebound"
3rd - Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal, "Splits"
HM - Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal, "Dunk"
Judge's comments: A lot of nice moments in this category. First place shows great a great moment and is technically excellent. We love all the bodies in the second place photo and the sweat flying in the third place photo is cool.
Sports Feature
1st - Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal, "Stanford Win"
2nd - Sam Greene, The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Win"
3rd - Bryant Billing, Dayton Daily News, "Russia Celebration"
HM - Sam Greene, The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Kids"
Judge's comments: No surprise this is the biggest category. Ohio has a great tradition of sports photography. We loved the reaction of the teammates in the Stanford Win photo. That picture really sums up how wrestling is more than an individual sport.
Portrait
1st - Kurt Steiss, The Blade, "House Demolition"
2nd - Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, "Fireman"
3rd - Andrew Dolph, Akron Beacon Journal, "Semifinal Sweat"
HM - Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, "Teachers"
Judge's comments: This was the weakest category. But that seems to be the case today with fewer daily photographers shooting true portraits. To be honest, we like the sweaty ref best, but the photographer didn’t bother to get his name for the cutline. Our guess is that it was simply a grab shot from a game for gallery filler. The house demolition photo is very nice, though maybe it is better suited to the General News category?
Essay
1st - Andrew Dolph, Akron Beacon Journal, "State Wrestling"
2nd - Bryant Billing, Dayton Daily News, "Div I State Final"
3rd - Bryant Billing, Dayton Daily News, "Div VI State Final"
HM - Bryant Billing, Dayton Daily News, "Candy"
Judge's comments: This was a weak category that amounted to a bunch of daily assignments cobbled into an essay. That said, there were some great individual images throughout. But each of the winners could’ve been edited better. The sports entries had way too many redundant images. Good solid tournament work, however.
Illustration
1st - Jeff Lange, Akron Beacon Journal, "Steak Lebron"
2nd - Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, "Lox Bagels"
3rd - Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, "Bagels"
HM - Kurt Steiss, The Blade, "Jiggs Dinner"
Judge's comments: It’s nice to see some newspapers still shooting food at a high level. First place made the judges very hungry. We liked the presentation and lighting on this one. The rest of the winners were solid entries.
Judged by Andy Morrison and John Greilick from The Detroit News
February 2026 clip contest results
Spot News
1st - Andrew Dolph, Akron Beacon Journal, "Parkside Fire"
Judge's comments:The condominium fire set a dramatic scene against the night sky, with light snow and the glow of the flames mixing with drifting smoke and the balanced blue tones from the firetrucks; a powerful, first-place spot-news image that might have been even stronger with a slightly tighter frame.
General News
1st - Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, "Sax"
2nd - Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, "Ash Wednesday"
3rd - Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, "Glass Blower"
Judge's comments: First place - A strong image with excellent lighting, clean framing, and well-captured motion. The timing is precise, and the subject’s movement reads clearly, giving the photograph both energy and clarity. Second place - A well-executed photograph with controlled light and a solid sense of motion. The composition is stable and intentional, producing a visually coherent and expressive image. Third place - A nicely framed photograph with consistent lighting and a clear subject. The composition is balanced, and the overall execution results in a dependable, well-crafted image.
Feature
1st - Addison Annis, The Blade, "Bingo"
2nd - Kurt Steiss, The Blade, "Ramadan"
3rd - Kurt Steiss, The Blade, "Valentines"
Judge's comments: First place - A strong, engaging image. The excitement on the children’s faces is unmistakable, and the moment feels genuine and lively. It captures the energy of the event perfectly. Second place - A joyful scene with kids enjoying sparklers. Their expressions show how much fun they’re having. A tighter composition focused more closely on the children’s faces would strengthen the emotional impact, as the current framing is a bit too wide. Third place - A clean, well-executed photo. The subject is clear, the moment reads instantly, and it works well as a solid newspaper image
Sports Action
1st - Bryant Billing, Dayton Daily News, "WSU Block"
2nd - Rebecca Benson, The Blade, "Face"
3rd - Rebecca Benson, The Blade, "Ouch"
Judge's comments: First place - Peak action captured at exactly the right moment. The timing is impeccable—the block is frozen at full extension, giving the image a strong sense of impact. The motion is clean, the athlete’s form is sharp, and the lighting works in your favor, highlighting the players and keeping the scene crisp. It’s a decisive, high-energy frame that stands out immediately. Second place - A powerful, split-second moment. The player’s hand making contact with the defender’s face is dramatic and unexpected, and you caught it with excellent timing. The expression, the tension, and the physicality of the play all come through clearly. It’s the kind of frame that tells the story of the game in one instant. Third place - Solid action paired with strong emotion. The movement is there, but what elevates the image is the wrestler’s expression—intensity, strain, and focus all visible in a single look. That emotional layer gives the photo more weight and helps it rise above a standard action shot.
Sports Feature
1st - Addison Annis, The Blade, "Missed Free Throw"
2nd - Bryant Billing, Dayton Daily News, "Brookville Celebration"
3rd - Kurt Steiss, The Blade, "Regional Hockey Celebration"
Judge's comments: First place - A tight, emotionally charged frame capturing fans erupting in celebration at the final buzzer. Their expressions—pure joy, disbelief, and pride—fill the composition with authentic energy. The close-up perspective pulls the viewer directly into the moment, highlighting the intensity of the victory and the community behind the team. A clean, decisive sports feature image with powerful storytelling impact. Second place - A dynamic, well-timed image showcasing players in full celebration after securing the win. The motion is crisp and expressive—players lifting their arms, skates cutting across the ice, and teammates converging in a burst of excitement. The photograph balances action and emotion, delivering a compelling narrative of triumph and team unity. Third place - A strong, technically solid photo capturing the decisive moment of victory on the ice. The composition highlights both the athlete’s reaction and the atmosphere surrounding the play, creating a complete story within a single frame. The image conveys the intensity of competition and the satisfaction of a hard-earned win, making it a standout sports feature entry.
Portrait
1st - Jeremy Wadsworth, The Blade, "Homers Cycles"
2nd - Kurt Steiss, The Blade, "Snake"
3rd - Bryant Billing, Dayton Daily News, "High Electric Bills"
Story/Essay
1st - Andrew Dolph, Akron Beacon Journal, "Spring Hill Apartments"
Judge's comments: Story needs more emotion, but solid start to a strong impactful story
Judged by Daniel Melograna, Georgia Gwinnett College
January 2026 clip contest results
Spot News
1st - Jeremy Wadsworth / The Blade, "Fire"
2nd - Sam Greene / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Vance"
3rd - Sam Greene / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Snow"
Judge's comments: First place does a good job of showing the scale of the fire, the scene looks larger than life.
General News
1st - Bryant Billing / Dayton Daily News, "Dayton STEM"
2nd - Jeremy Wadsworth / The Blade, "Splash"
3rd - Sam Greene / The Enquirer, "Mayor"
HM - Andrew Dolph / Akron Beacon Journal, "Ballet"
HM - Kurt Steiss / The Blade, "Auto Show"
Judge's comments: First place, good layering and great job capturing that moment.
Feature
1st - Jeremy Wadsworth / The Blade, "Sledders"
2nd - Sam Greene / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Dogs"
3rd - Jeremy Wadsworth / The Blade, "Eagle"
HM - Sam Greene / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Trees"
HM - Kurt Steiss / The Blade, "Snow Storm"
Judge's comments: First place captures great emotion and I really like the framing. Second place, great framing and a good moment. Third place, beautiful use of light. Honorable mentions, beautiful weather photos. Lots of strong entries in this category this month.
Sports Action
1st - Sam Greene / The Cincinnati Enquirer, "Slap"
2nd - Rebecca Benson / The Blade, "Puck"
3rd - Rebecca Benson / The Blade, "Hit"
HM - Jeremy Wadsworth / The Blade, "Wrestling"
HM - Jeff Lange / Akron Beacon Journal, "Wagon Wheel"
Judge's comments: First place, great moment and really good job capturing the expression on Burrow’s face.
Sports Feature
1st - Jeff Lange / Akron Beacon Journal, "PTC Wrestling"
2nd - Addison Annis / The Blade, "Celebrate"
3rd - Andrew Dolph / Akron Beacon Journal, "Winner"
HM - Rebecca Benson / The Blade, "Celebration"
Judge's comments: First place, really good job capturing the feeling of victory and defeat within the same frame.
Portrait
1st - Andrew Dolph / Akron Beacon Journal, "Drugs in Prisons"
2nd - Addison Annis / The Blade, "Matt Hurd"
3rd - Jeremy Wadsworth / The Blade, "Venessa Leonard"
HM - Addison Annis / The Blade, "Family"
Judge's comments: First place, great layering, evicts a lot of emotion. Great lighting, too. Second place, also great layering. Third place, really good use of light.
Story/Essay
1st - Addison Annis / The Blade, "Minneapolis"
2nd - Jeremy Wadsworth / The Blade, "Naturalization"
3rd - Jeremy Wadsworth / The Blade, "Stilts"
HM - Kurt Steiss / The Blade, "Eagles"
Judge's comments: First place, a lot of great shots. You did a great job capturing the intensity of the situation. Good job capturing not only the protest, but people’s daily lives living through ICE’s occupation of Minneapolis.
Judged by Jonathan Aguilar, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
ONPA Monthly Still Clip Contest Rules
The ONPA monthly clip contest is now entered and judged online. Photos entered into the contest must have been published either in print, or online, on your school or newspaper’s website.
Entry preparation: Make sure all photos are cropped to 10 inches on the longest side at 200 dpi with a .jpg extension. Files should be approximately 1-2 megabytes in size.
File names must start with a two digit category code to designate the category – (01-07), followed by an underscore to give a name of the photo, followed by an underscore, and then the photographer’s three initials. For example: A sports action photo by John J. Smith should read: 04_fumble_jjs.jpg.
A picture story by John J. Smith would be named 07_kids01_jjs.jpg, 07_kids02_jjs.jpg, son and and so forth for stories containing multiple images.
Caption requirements: All photos must contain the original caption in the description or caption field using Photoshop or Photo Mechanic. Your byline should be entered in the author or photographer field. Your publication name or school attended (for student entries) should be entered in the credit field. The publication date is to be placed in the keywords field. Entries without proper content in each of these four fields will be considered incomplete and withdrawn from the contest. Photographers must remove their name and publication from the caption/description field since judges will be able to read this field while judging. That content is to be placed in the author and credit field.
Uploading: To upload files, use the uploader widget on the Clip Contest page on the ONPA website.
Entries will be accepted from the first of the month following publication through midnight on the 15th. After this deadline, the system will be closed until the first of the next month and no further entries will be accepted. Using the online upload tool, multiples can be submitted at one time without zipping by pressing shift or command and clicking on all the files you wish to enter for the month.
Entry Limits: Photographers are limited to nine entries per month. Should a photographer upload more than nine entries, all entries after the first nine will be disregarded. A story counts as one entry. All photos without a proper file name will be disregarded. Once a file is uploaded, it cannot be modified or removed. (Should you have an issue, please reach out to the clip chairs.)
Category Numbers & Definitions:
Spot news: (01) – A single picture of an unscheduled event for which no advanced planning was possible. Examples: res, accidents and natural disasters.
General news: (02) – A single picture of a scheduled political, social or cultural event for which advance planning was possible. An assigned and/or scheduled news event. Examples: Demonstrations, funerals, trials and promotional events.
Feature: (03) – A single human-interest photo.
Sports Action: (04) – A single picture that emphasizes action in competitive events, not practice or informal play.
Sports Feature: (05) – An unposed sports related photo. Sports related portraits should be entered in the portrait category. Examples: Participants or fans reacting to action on the field of play.
Portrait: (06) – A single picture of a person that reveals the essence of the subject’s character. This can be news, sports, or feature in content.
Story: (07) – A photo story, essay or sequence, of any subject matter.
Illustration: (08) – A single created picture, not to be a found situation or portrait. Intended to clarify or dramatize a preconceived idea. This would include illustrations depicting food, fashion, industrial or editorial topics. This category will be judged quarterly but clips must be entered in the month published.
ONPA uses the following structure for awarding points in the Monthly Clip Contest:
50 points for 1st place
40 points for 2nd place
30 points for 3rd place
10 points for HM
2 points just for entering
Questions concerning the contest can be directed to Jeremy Wadsworth or Rebecca Benson.
2026 Clip Contest Point Standings
1st - Jeremy Wadsworth
The Blade - 586
2nd - Rebecca Benson
The Blade - 366
3rd - Addison Annis
The Blade - 346
- Sam Greene
Cincinnati Enquirer - 346
5th - Bryant Billing
Dayton Daily News - 326
6th - Andrew Dolph
Akron Beacon Journal - 276
7th - Kurt Steiss
The Blade - 236
8th - Jeff Lange
Akron Beacon Journal - 206
9th - Erik Schelkun
Elsestar Images - 2
Clip Photographers of the Year
Click on the year to view all results from that year