Columbus, OH – Meg Vogel from The Cincinnati Enquirer and Jessica Phelps from the Newark Advocate have been chosen Ohio News Photographers of the Year for 2019 by the Ohio News Photographers Association.
This is the sixth straight year that Phelps has won the small market POY title. Phelps also won Best of Show for her feature story entry, “A Farm Story.”
Vogel is also a repeat winner in the large market category and won previously for her work in 2016. She was also chosen at the Multimedia Photographer of the Year.
Finishing second in large market division was Lisa DeJong from The Plain Dealer and finishing second in the small market division was Bill Lackey from the Springfield News-Sun.
Best of Show – Jessica Phelps/Newark Advocate – Arthur and Bryce Hollenback have learned responsibility from a young age while also gaining the independence that comes with growing up on a farm.
Fifty-one visual journalists from across the state submitted over 750 entries in the 69th annual news photography contest.
Staff of the Year awards went to The CIncinnati Enquirer in the large market division and the Newark Advocate for small market newspapers.
Gaelen Morse from Ohio University won the Chuck Scott Student Photographer of the Year award. Madeleine Hordinski from Ohio University placed second.
Madeleine Hordinski and Alexandria Skowronski, both from Ohio University, were recipients of the Larry Fullerton Photojournalism Scholarship. Hordinski placed first and will receive $3,100. Skowronski was the runner-up and will receive $2,100. The Larry Fullerton Photojournalism Scholarship was established at The Dayton Foundation through contributions from Larry Fullerton’s family and friends to assist students pursuing careers in photojournalism. Larry Fullerton was a long-time member of ONPA and both a photojournalist and assistant managing editor of the Hamilton Journal-News.
The James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award was awarded to Erin Burk from Ohio University for her entry “Serenity Grove,” a story about a women’s addiction residential recovery center based in Athens.
Judging with social distancing in mind via Zoom.
Following the current government orders for social distancing judges were safe in their homes conducting the contest via Zoom while members watched via livestream on YouTube. The judges were joined by ONPA president Joshua Bickel, contest co-chair Adam Cairns, who acted as moderator, and Bob DeMay, who updated the ONPA website with results during the course of judging.
Judging the still photography competition were: Marcia Prouse, the visuals and storytelling coach at The Tennessean in Nashville, Ryan Garza, a photojournalist at the Detroit Free Press and Max Gersh, a photojournalist at the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Online and multimedia entries were judged by Megan Farmer, a visual journalist at KUOW, an NPR-affillate station in Seattle, and Sarah Hoffman, a science and environment video producer at KCTS 9, Seattle’s PBS affiliate.
Kyle Robertson from The Columbus Dispatch was named Clip Contest Photographer of the Year from points accumulated in the Association’s Monthly Clip Contest. This is Robertson’s fifth consecutive clip title and sixth overall. Robertson also won the Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year for the third consecutive year.
2019 ONPA Annual Contest Winners
George A. Smallsreed, Jr. Photographer of the Year (Small Market)
1st – Jessica Phelps/Newark Advocate
2nd – Bill Lackey/Springfield News-Sun
3rd – Erin Caldwell/Sandusky
George A. Smallsreed, Jr. Photographer of the Year (Large Market)
1st – Meg Vogel/The Cincinnati Enquirer
2nd – Lisa DeJong/The Plain Dealer
3rd – Joshua A. Bickel/The Columbus Dispatch
Award of Excellence – Albert Cesare/The Cincinnati Enquirer
Chuck Scott Student Photographer of the Year Award
1st – Gaelen Morse/Ohio University
2nd – Madeleine Hordinski/Ohio University
Larry Fullerton Photojournalism Scholarship
1st – Madeleine Hordinski/Ohio University
2nd – Alexandria Skowronski/Ohio University
James R. Gordon Ohio Understanding Award
1st – Erin Burk, Ohio University, “Serenity Grove”
Best of Show
Jessica Phelps/Newark Advocate, “A Farm Story”
Monthly Clip Contest Photographer of the Year
1st – Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch
2nd – Jeremy Wadsworth/The Blade
3rd – Rebecca Benson/The Blade
Staff of the Year (Large Market)
1st – The Cincinnati Enquirer
2nd – The Columbus Dispatch
3rd – The Blade
Staff of the Year (Small Market)
1st – Newark Advocate
2nd – ThisWeek Community News
Feature
1st – Jeremy Wadsworth/The Blade, “Bounce House”
2nd – Meg Vogel/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Adoption Day”
3rd – Jessica Phelps/Newark Advocate, “Barn Basketball”
Award of Excellence – Fred Squillante/The Columbus Dispatch, “Hungry Soldier”
Award of Excellence – Joshua A. Bickel/The Columbus Dispatch, “The Corrigan House”
Award of Excellence – Rebecca Benson/The Blade, “Water Slide”
Feature Picture Story
1st – Jessica Phelps/Newark Advocate, “A Farm Story”
2nd – Gaelen Morse/Ohio University, “Farming is Life”
3rd – Albert Cesare, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Finding Home”
Award of Excellence – Joshua A. Bickel/The Columbus Dispatch, “Nurse Beka”
Award of Excellence – Matthew Hatcher/Freelance, “Ukraine’s Forgotten War”
General News
1st – Bill Lackey/Springfield News-Sun, “Fudge Funeral”
2nd – Rebecca Benson/The Blade, “Clifford Murphy Funeral “
3rd – Jessica Phelps/Newark Advocate, “After the Flood”
Award of Excellence – Jeff Lange/Akron Beacon Journal, “Begging for Mercy”
Award of Excellence – Kyle Robertson/The Columbus Dispatch, “Sullivant”
Award of Excellence – Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Todd Portune Tribute”
Issue Illustration
1st – Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek Community News, “Opioid Crisis”
News Picture Story
1st – Kurt Steiss/The Blade, “Dayton Shooting”
2nd – Lisa DeJong/The Plain Dealer, “Borderwall”
3rd – Meg Vogel/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Brookville”
Award of Excellence- Albert Cesare/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Mass Shooting Dayton”
Pictorial
1st – Andy Morrison/The Blade, “Shalom Cemetery”
2nd – Amy E. Voigt/The Blade, “Kitty in the Window”
3rd – Albert Cesare/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Fog”
Award of Excellence – Andy Morrison/The Blade, “Lake Erie Algae”
Award of Excellence – Jeremy Wadsworth/The Blade, “Bridges”
Portrait Personality
1st – Meg Vogel/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Ballet Moves”
2nd – Kyle Robertson/The Columbus Dispatch, “Grad”
3rd – Fred Squillante/Columbus Dispatch, “I Look Beautiful Bald”
Award of Excellence – Lisa DeJong/The Plain Dealer, “Come Home”
Award of Excellence – Matthew Hatcher/Freelance, “Kikita”
Award of Excellence – Andy Morrison/The Blade, “Sheriff Held”
Award of Excellence – Meg Vogel/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “LeRon”
Product Illustration
1st – Kyle Robertson/The Columbus Dispatch, “Pork”
2nd – Meagan Deanne/Ohio University, “Sweet Corn”
3rd – Albert Cesare/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Over Easy”
Award of Excellence – Albert Cesare/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “The Works”
Award of Excellence – Meg Vogel/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Ripple Wine Bar”
Ron Kuntz Sports Photographer of the Year
1st – Kyle Roberston/The Columbus Dispatch
2nd – Joshua A. Bickel/The Columbus Dispatch
3rd – Adam Cairns/The Columbus Dispatch
Award of Excellence – Kurt Steiss/The Blade
Sports Action
1st – Gaelen Morse/Ohio University, “Powerlift”
2nd – Erik Schelkun/Elsestar Images, “Shot On Goal”
3rd – Andy Morrison/The Blade, “Rude”
Award of Excellence – Alex Conrath/ThisWeek Community News, “Jumping in the Pile”
Award of Excellence – Kurt Steiss/The Blade, “Eye Light”
Sports Feature
1st – Meg Vogel/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Keeping Composure”
2nd – Kurt Steiss/The Blade, “Teddy Bear Toss”
3rd – Andy Morrison/The Blade, “Bull Rider”
Award of Excellence – Sam Greene/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Amir vs. The Pirates”
Award of Excellence – Kyle Robertson/The Columbus Dispatch, “Praying”
Award of Excellence – Brooke LaValley, “Kenyon Cheerleaders”
Award of Excellence – Meagan Deanne/Ohio University, “Water Toss”
Sports Picture Story
1st – Jeff Lange/Akron Beacon Journal, “Athlete With Autism”
2nd – Joshua A. Bickel/The Columbus Dispatch, “Garrett’s Big Lift”
3rd – Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Marty Brennaman’s Last Day”
Award of Excellence – Kyle Robertson/The Columbus Dispatch, “Pelotonia”
Award of Excellence – Adam Cairns/The Columbus Dispatch, “March Madness”
Spot News
1st – Matthew Hatcher/Freelance, “Tornado”
2nd – Lori King/The Blade, “Rollover”
3rd – Erin Caldwell/Sandusky Register, “Another Drowning”
Award of Excellence – Andy Morrison/The Blade, “Over the Rainbow”
Award of Excellence – Albert Cesare/The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Dayton Tornado”
Award of Excellence – Matthew Hatcher/Freelance, “Ruins of Trotwood”
Team Picture Story
1st – The Columbus Dispatch, “Memorial Tournament”
2nd – The Columbus Dispatch, “Tiger Woods”
Multimedia Photographer of the Year
1st – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer
2nd – Courtney Hergesheimer, The Columbus Dispatch
Audio Slideshow
1st – Brooke LaValley, “Whole and Holy”
Feature Video
1st – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Equal Parts Magical and Empowering”
2nd – Courtney Hergesheimer, The Columbus Dispatch, “Prison Tap”
3rd – Brooke LaValley, “Market Street Hardware”
News Video
1st – Sam Greene, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Dispatcher Recalls Fifth Third Shooting”
Sports Video
1st – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Xavier’s Unlikely Point Guard: Sister Rose Ann Fleming”
Documentary Video
1st – Meg Vogel, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Ten Years After Fort Hood”
2nd – Liz Dufour, The Cincinnati Enquirer, “Women Come Forward About Sex Trafficking”
3rd – Courtney Hergesheimer, The Columbus Dispatch, “Fracking in Belmont County”