Top photojournalists recognized at largest competition in Canada

VANCOUVER, Feb. 19, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Great photos tell stories. They transcend language and cultural barriers and speak to basic human nature. A great photo is a snapshot of time that can reveal the world's most profound tales of heartbreak, joy and reality with one single image.

Today, the News Photographers Association of Canada (NPAC) is pleased to recognize the excellence represented in submissions by 135 of Canada's outstanding photojournalists in announcing the finalists in the twelfth annual National Pictures of the Year (NPOY) awards competition.

Over 2,000 photographs along with 22 multimedia productions from across Canada were entered in this year's competition, representing a spectacular body of work.

The nominated photographs can be viewed online at www.npac.ca and as a featured exhibition during the Capture Photography Festival held at the Pendulum Gallery in Vancouver, British Columbia from April 1 – 26, 2019. Opening reception on Thursday, April 11, 2019.

These images will also be exhibited as part of the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival in First Canadian Place in Toronto, Ontario from May 13 – May 31, 2019. Opening reception, Thursday, May 16, 2019.

The winners of each category including 2018 Photojournalist of the Year, 2018 Photograph of the Year, 2018 Student Photographer of the Year, 2018 Student Multimedia of the Year will be announced during the 2018 National Pictures of the Year Gala event to be held April 13, 2019, at the Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver, BC.

"Visuals are integral to storytelling. They humanize issues, put a face to victory, defeat, triumph and failure. Everyday, visual journalists tell these stories with great respect and dignity to those who let us into their lives. I'm thrilled to announce these nominees for Canada's top photojournalism honours." said Cole Burston, NPAC President.

The News Photographers Association of Canada's 2018 National Pictures of the Year Finalists are (in alphabetical order):

PHOTOJOURNALIST OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by The Canadian Press

Mark Blinch
Chris Donovan
Leah Hennel
Carlos Osorio

SPOT NEWS - Sponsored by The Camera Store

Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press - Humboldt Bus Crash
Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press - Plane Street landing
Martin Tremblay/La Presse - G7 Protest

GENERAL NEWS - Sponsored by Cision

Cole Burston/Getty Images - Accident Cleanup
Leah Hennel/Calgary Herald - Humboldt Memorial
Kayle Neis/Saskatoon StarPhoenix - Humboldt Stick Memorial
Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star - Ford Supporters

FEATURE - Sponsored by Winnipeg Free Press

Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail - Ballet Dancers
Andy Clark/Independent - Smokey Sunset on the Pier
Jason Franson/The Canadian Press - Smokey Edmonton
Andrew Ryan/Winnipeg Free Press - Couple at Folkfest

SPORTS ACTION - Sponsored by Nikon Canada

Mark Blinch/NBAE Getty Images - Westbrook under the hoop
Rich Lam/UBC - Rugby
Kevin Light/CBC - Canadian Bobsleigh
Larry Wong/Edmonton Journal - Steer Wrestling

SPORTS FEATURE - Sponsored by Sony Canada

Mark Blinch/The Canadian Press - Frances Tiafoe
Chris Donovan/ESPN's The Undefeated - Flint Jaguars
Chris Donovan/ ESPN's The Undefeated - Flint basketball

SINGLE MULTIMEDIA - Sponsored by Vistek

Mikaela Mackenzie/Winnipeg Free Press – Sisterly Love
Mikaela Mackenzie/Winnipeg Free Press – One dog at a time
Melissa Tait/The Globe and Mail - The Guardian Angels rugby team

TEAM MULTIMEDIA - Sponsored by Thomson Reuters

The Breaking Point
Photographer, Videographer, Editor, Producer: Anne-Marie Jackson / Toronto Star
Writer, Producer: Robert Cribb / Toronto Star

Enough
Director: Brent Foster
Producer: Tammy Foster
Director of Photography: Pawel Dwulit 
Fixers: Evelyn Kahungu & George Kihara
Gaffer/Key Grip: Maciej Kulpa 
Sound Recordist: Ednah Bonareri Momanyi
Editor: Shane Patrick Ford
Music: David Chapdelaine

Fentanyl and the 14th Floor: The life and death of Justin Lidstone
Photographer, Videographer, Editor, Producer: Anne-Marie Jackson / Toronto Star
Writer, Producer: Emily Mathieu / Toronto Star

PICTORIAL - Sponsored by Canon Canada

Cole Burston/Bloomberg - Ambassador Bridge
Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press - Powerlines
Stephanie Foden/Independent - Volcano Fuego
Chris Pike/The Wall Street Journal - Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

PICTURE STORY - FEATURE - Sponsored by Epson Canada

Mark Blinch/The Globe and Mail - 2018 Youth America Grand Prix Regional Semi-Finals
Jason Franson/The Globe and Mail - Branding
Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star - Edna Rose
Martin Tremblay/La Presse - Determined to Rebound

PICTURE STORY - NEWS - Sponsored by Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)

Chris Donovan/MacLean's- Waterless Generation
Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press - Aboriginal youth Basic Training Program
Ben Nelms/Bloomberg - Oil Sands Aerials
Jesse Winter/The Star Vancouver - Wildfires and Flooding

PICTURE STORY – INTERNATIONAL – Sponsored by Leica

Chris Donovan/ESPN's the Undefeated - Flint Jaguars
Chris Donovan/ESPN- Nairobi Ice Lions
Kevin Light/CBC - Pyeongchang

PORTRAIT / PERSONALITY - Sponsored by Beau Photo

Bernard Brault/La Presse - Elton John
Darryl Dyck/The Globe and Mail - Blood Services Volunteer
Jason Franson/The New York Times - Houseboat Portrait
Leah Hennel/Calgary Herald - Nya Gatbel
Mikaela MacKenzie/Winnipeg Free Press - Crystal Rondeau with Muscular Dystrophy

SOCIAL ISSUE - Sponsored by Fujifilm

Pieter de Vos/Independent - Evidence of Habitation
Chris Donovan/The Globe and Mail - Assisted Suicide
Chris Donovan/Maclean's Magazine - Boil Order

Student Photographer of the Year - Sponsored by Loyalist College
Submission deadline: April 1, 2019

Student Multi Media of the Year – Sponsored by Nikon Canada
Submission deadline: April 1, 2019

About NPAC:

NPAC celebrates and champions quality and ethical photography in journalism. Through a variety of efforts, the association challenges its members to better themselves and to continually raise the bar of industry standards.

This national organization includes over 300 professional visual journalists, freelancers, photo editors and photojournalism students from across Canada.

SOURCE News Photographers Association of Canada

Media Contact: Laura Ballance, 604-637-6646 (direct), 604-771-5176 (cell), [email protected]