Shoot-out returns to NYC

B&H Photo Video provides prize for top photographer

It’s been two years since photographers were able to participate in a Shoot-out as part of a national College Media Association convention. Two years ago, the headline was, “11 photojournalists document city in crisis.” This year, the 18 students were assigned to create “an image — worthy of a postcard — showing what life is like in the city that never sleeps after two years of the pandemic.”

And this year, they had an Apple Award as an incentive to win and a prize donated by B&H Camera Video —a Sony ZV-1 Digital Camera valued at nearly $900.

Some years, with the judges, a mixture of professional photographers, college photography instructors and media advisers as well as scholastic photography instructors and media advisers, the top entries are close. This year, 43 individuals judged the entries and all but 11 ranked the winning entries as one of their top entries. Nine of the judges said the winning entry was their choice for first place. No other single entry has scored so high in recent years.

A street performer dressed up as Spider-Man poses for a photo with a group of tourists at Times Square, New York City, March 11, 2022. Photo by Josh Kotler.

FIRST PLACE — Josh Kotler, University of Massachusetts Boston (Charles Henriques, adviser)

SECOND PLACE — Rayni Shiring, Slippery Rock University (Brittany Fleming, adviser)

THIRD PLACE — Jacob Spotts, Milwaukee Area Technical College

HONORABLE MENTION — Dom Ferreira, University of Massachusetts Boston (Charles Henriques, adviser)

VIEW GALLERY OF IMAGES

Kate Plows, a visual arts instructor with the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, said the winning image this year had the “best postcard-worthiness for a shot of NYC.”

“The blur adds a wonderful effect of movement,” she said. She added that she would recommend a tighter crop.

Alicia D. Otto, participant in the 2020 NYC Shoot-out and now administrative coordinator for university advancement at Missouri Western State University, said, “This photo is touching on many levels. It captures the innocence of youth (If we disregard that his parents may have had to pay for ‘Spiderman’ to pose with their kid.), but we see the action continuing around them as they stop to pose – that is NYC at its finest! And the kid, in true New York style, seems completely unimpressed with ‘Spiderman!’”

Tara Haelle, an independent science/health journalist, said the image exemplifies excellent framing and use of focus and shutter speed.

She said, “It captures both the frozen moment in time as well as movement.” And she added that it “captures one aspect of what the city is about with the energy of being ‘back to normal’-ish.”

The students who participated attended a one-hour critique of their images conducted by Sonya Singh, assistant director of student publications at California Baptist University, and Bradley Wilson, associate professor at Midwestern State University.

A Times Square performer seizes his big moment, entrusting the strength of a tourist. Prior, other street performers interacted with the crowd gathered around as they built the anticipation for the pinnacle of the performance.

The group then voted on a CLASS FAVORITE — an image by Rayni Shiring of Slippery Rock University (Brittany Fleming, adviser).

Later, 43 judges ranked the 38 images submitted for the content.

JUDGES INCLUDED:

Debbie Coffer, Alison Strelitz, Cary Conover, Mark Grabowski, Debra Klevens, Kate Plows, John Beale, Michelle Evenson, Mark Murray, Brian Hayes, Pierce Srail, Al Drago, Dylan Wilson, Alicia Otto, Jane Blystone, Margaret Sorrows, Greg Cooper, Tara Haelle, Jeff Grimm, Jim McNay, Don Green, Carmen Wendt, Tripp Robbins, Whitney Huang, Meagan Abo, Matt Stamey, Sam Oldenburg, Linda Drake, Terri Real, Lori Oglesbee, Deanne Brown, Stacey Skoric, JG Domke, Carrie Webbenhurst, Todd Maisel, Crystal Gwizdala, Bridget Haggerty, Diane Davis, Mark Webber, Mark Dolejs, Meghan Moore, Eric Thomas, Hillary Warren, Robert Hanashiro