04.30.2009 11:59 pm
National Press Photographers Association monthly clip contest inspires a little friendly competition.
I’d like to congratulate Benjamin Krain from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for winning the National Press Photographers Association’s 2008 regional 7 monthly clip contest. Several photographers at the Post-Dispatch, myself included, tried hard to beat him but he made some great images this year and earned the title.
Photographers sometimes get knocked for being too obsessed with contests, and I think at times that is a fair critique. But photographers as a group tend to be competitive and if a monthly clip competition pushes them a little harder on assignment to make a better picture then I say great. The readers, our ultimate clients, benefit from a better photo and the photographer gets a better image for the contest and or their portfolio.
I have to admit fellow St. Louis Post-Dispatch photographers Laurie Skrivan, J.B. Forbes, Emily Rasinski and I were all talking a little trash to each other about the contest as the year drew to a close. O.K. maybe I talked more than a little trash, I tend to do that. Anyway, we all wanted to win, and Forbes was the reigning region 7 champion from 2007. Krain lead for most of the year, but three of us were close enough at the end that we all held a slim hope that some how we’d squeek into first place with a great month. But it was not to be and worse then Krain beating all of us is Skrivan slid past me and into second in the standings.
So at this point I would also like to, gulp(swallow pride here), congratulate Skrivan who finished 90 points ahead of me. Skrivan and I had lots of fun teasing each other about last year’s contest and we’ve already started on this year’s contest. But Skrivan so long as we’re talking about this year’s contest I’d like to point out that I’m already 60 points ahead of you this year. Of course Forbes already has double my points so maybe I’ll be swallowing my pride again next year and congratulating him on regaining his title.
Here are the 2008 contest results.
NPPA Region 7 regional monthly clip contest Final results
702—Benjamin Krain/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
542–Laurie Skrivan/Saint Louis Post-Dispatch
452–David Carson/St. Louis Post Dispatch
414–J Forbes/Saint Louis Post -Dispatch
362–Larry Singer/The El Dorado News-Times
356–Stephen Holman/Tulsa World
322–Sarah Phipps/The Oklahoman
284–Susan Pfannmuller/Self Employed
272–Emily Rasinski/St. Louis Post-Dispatch
258–Mike Simons/Tulsa World
542–Laurie Skrivan/Saint Louis Post-Dispatch
452–David Carson/St. Louis Post Dispatch
414–J Forbes/Saint Louis Post -Dispatch
362–Larry Singer/The El Dorado News-Times
356–Stephen Holman/Tulsa World
322–Sarah Phipps/The Oklahoman
284–Susan Pfannmuller/Self Employed
272–Emily Rasinski/St. Louis Post-Dispatch
258–Mike Simons/Tulsa World
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