15 Points, a trophy and $123.00 Cash

JUDGE'S COMMENTS:

Simple, detailed photo. Nice trio of baskets.

Great symmetry with nice light, clean composition and great color.

Wonderfully composed image. Simple and clean.

I felt this was the best of all the images. It was different from any of the numerous bouquet shots I have seen.

SECOND PLACE - Michael Leslie / Pennsylvania

10 Points, a trophy and $82.00 Cash

JUDGE'S COMMENTS:

This is a very graphic shot and works well in this category.

A peek at childhood at a wedding. Makes you wonder what’s going on. Fun moment.

Fun detail of the hands of two flowergirls playing around. Nice job of seeing by the photographer.

FIFTH PLACE (tie) - Christopher Record / North Carolina

JUDGE'S COMMENTS:

Feminine, nice angle of buttons. Flowing with nice light.

Well-lit, evocative image of the bride’s back.

SEVENTH PLACE (tie) - Heather Mabry / Texas

JUDGE'S COMMENTS:

Many of the bouquet detail shots look strange because the heads of people are chopped off for no apparent reason other than to focus in on the flowers. Because the photographer left her body out of focus it seemed natural and well composed. There was good saturation and the colors worked well together.

SEVENTH PLACE (tie) - Olivier Lalin / New York

JUDGE'S COMMENTS:

The writings on the bride’s hands make for an interesting and unusual detail.

NINTH PLACE - Suzanne Mapes / California

JUDGE'S COMMENTS:

An unusual detail that really tells part of the story, a memory worth preserving.

TENTH PLACE - Deb Cram / Maine

Photo © 2004 by Deb Cram

JUDGES FOR THIS WPJA CONTEST:

1. Bruce Moyer - Picture Editor - The Hartford Courant (CT). In 2004, for the third year in a row, Moyer was named Newspaper Picture Editor of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA). Numerous other NPPA awards.

2. Suzette Moyer - Director of Graphics and Design at the Hartford Courant newspaper. Director of Region 1 for the Society for News Design. She has been a designer for more than 16 years, working at publications in Florida, Washington and North Carolina. She has won numerous awards from the Society of News Design, Print magazine and the National Press Photographers Association.

3. Ami Vitale Ami is based in India and her photographs and stories from events in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India and Asia have appeared in publications including Time, Newsweek, Smithsonian Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, The Telegraph Sunday Magazine, Le Figaro Magazine and USA Today among others. She has won numerous awards for work including:
World Press Photos 2003, Third place General News Story
NPPA Best of Photojournalism 2003:Magazine photographer of the year
NPPA Best of Photojournalism 2003:Third place International News Story
Photographer of the Year International: Third place Magazine Division / General Reporting.

4. Sean D. Elliot - Chief Photographer/Photo Assignment Editor - The Day (CT). Currently is the National Secretary for the National Press Photographers Association - NPPA. Past director of Region One for the NPPA. Sean was 1994 Rookie of the Year from the New England Press Association and was NEPA's 2000 Photographer of the Year.