Top Photojournalists Recognized at Largest Photo Journalism Competition in Canada

VANCOUVER, Feb. 16, 2017 /CNW/ - In today's embattled media landscape, a thriving photojournalism community is more important than ever.

The need for photojournalists to maintain high standards and impeccable ethics in their work is vital to a well-informed public. The aim of providing both accurate and honest work is the primary mandate of the News Photographers Association of Canada.

That calibre of work is evident in the more than 2,000 photographs and 22 multi-media productions submitted from across Canada to the News Photographers Association of Canada (NPAC) 10th annual National Pictures of the Year (NPOY) awards competition. An NPAC panel of independent judges recently reviewed all the submissions from more than 100 Canadian photojournalists in 13 categories that included news, sports and social issues.

"We're pleased to announce the finalists in what we see as a spectacular body of work that was done this past year," says Ben Nelms, NPAC Vice President. "There's no doubt that great photos tell stories. A great photo is a snapshot in time that can reveal a profound tale of heartbreak, joy and reality with a single image."

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 from March 20 to April 14, 2017. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, March 23 at 6 p.m.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

The images will also be exhibited as part of the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival in First Canada Place in Toronto, Ont. from May 1-12. The opening reception in Toronto will be held on Thursday, May 4 at 6 p.m. Again, everyone is welcome to attend.

The winners of each category, the 2016 Student Photographer of the Year, the 2016 Student Multi Media of the Year, the 2016 Photojournalist of the Year and the 2016 Photograph of the Year will be announced during the 2016 National Pictures of the Year Gala event to be held on Saturday, May 6 at the Thompson Landry Gallery in Toronto. Tickets for the gala are available at NPAC.ca

The NPOY judging was live-streamed and can be viewed on NPAC's YouTube channel.

"We believe live-streaming and recording the judging process allowed for greater transparency as well as to give photographers the opportunity to learn from watching their work being judged," said Nelms.

The News Photographers Association of Canada's 2016 National Pictures of the Year Finalists are (in alphabetical order):

PHOTOJOURNALIST OF THE YEAR - Sponsored by The Canadian Press
25 Entries

Mark Blinch / Independent
Leah Hennel / Calgary Herald
John Lehmann / The Globe and Mail
Melissa Renwick / Toronto Star

SPOT NEWS - Sponsored by The Camera Store
43 Entries

Amber Bracken / Independent for The Globe and Mail - Pipeline Protest
Cole Burston / Independent for AFP -  Evacuee Centre at Fort McMurray Fire
Cole Burston / Independent for AFP - Rescue workers at Fort McMurray Fire
Rafal Gerszak / Independent for The Globe and Mail - Opioid Crisis

GENERAL NEWS - Sponsored by CNW Group
99 Entries

Mark Blinch / Independent for Reuters - Ghomeshi Protestor
Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press - Search for Kevin Dilk
Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press - Bonfire at La Roche grave site

FEATURE - Sponsored by Winnipeg Free Press
148 Entries

Lars Hagberg/ Independent for The Canadian Press - Super Heroes outside hospital window
Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press - Eagle feasts on salmon
Edouard Plante-Frechette / La Presse - Iraqi Soldier in prayer

SPORTS ACTION - Sponsored by Nikon Canada
106 Entries

Mathieu Belanger / Getty Images - Boxing Match
Jon Blacker / MLB Photos - Donaldson Slides Home
Leah Hennel / Calgary Herald - Rodeo Bronc Stomp

SPORTS FEATURE - Sponsored by Sony Canada
127 Entries

Darren Calabrese / Independent - CrossFit athlete Lindsay Hilton
Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press - UFC Fighter Garreth McLellan
Jean Levac / The Ottawa Citizen - Bolt and de Grasse at Rio Olympics

SINGLE MULTIMEDIA - Sponsored by Vistek
6 Entries

Abandoned at Birth
David Zelikovitz / Chatelaine

Boxer Ryan "The Real Deal" Ford
Ryan Jackson / Independent for the Edmonton Journal

The Other Residential School Runaways
Nick Iwanyshyn / Maclean's

TEAM MULTIMEDIA - Sponsored by Thomson Reuters
16 Entries

The Last Mambabatok
Director/Cinematographer/Editor: Brent Foster / Foster Visuals
Cinematography: Pawel Dwulit / Independent
Cinematography: Preston Kanak / Independent
Producer: Tammy Foster / Foster Visuals
Title Sequences: Alon Isocianu

Mission of Mercy: Toronto surgeons treat burn victims on remote Bangladesh island
Videographer: Melissa Renwick / Toronto Star
Editor: Kelsey Wilson / Toronto Star
Reporter: Marina Jimenez / Toronto Star

The Real Faces of ISIS
Videographer: Peter Bregg / Maclean's
Reporter: Sally Armstrong / Maclean's
Producer: Liz Sullivan / Maclean's
Editor: Liam Maloney / Maclean's

Trumpland: Luzerne County
Filmed by Jake Naughton / The Globe and Mail
Edited by Melissa Tait / The Globe and Mail
Reporting by Joanna Slater / The Globe and Mail
Produced by Rachel Wine / The Globe and Mail
Map by Trish McAlister / The Globe and Mail

PICTORIAL - Sponsored by Canon Canada
114 Entries

Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press - Tidal Pools
Colin Horabin / Independent - Eagles in Flight
Guillaume Nolet / Independent - Duck Hunters

PICTURE STORY - FEATURE - Sponsored by Leica
43 Entries

Darren Calabrese / Independent - CrossFit athlete Lindsay Hilton
Giovanni Capriotti / Independent - Muddy York Rugby Football Club
Leah Hennel / Calgary Herald - The Lazy U Ranch
John Lehmann / The Globe and Mail - Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Melissa Renwick / Toronto Star - Former Employees of General Electric

PICTURE STORY - NEWS - Sponsored by Leica
20 Entries

Amber Bracken / Independent for the Globe & Mail - Pipeline Protest
Cole Burston / Independent for AFP - Fort McMurray Fire
Jason Franson / The Canadian Press - Fort McMurray Fire
Edouard Plante-Frechette / La Presse - Mosul, Iraqi

PORTRAIT / PERSONALITY - Sponsored by Beau Photo
187 Entries

Tyler Anderson / Independent - Latch Akesuk
Peter Bregg / Maclean's Magazine - Zanib
Fred Lum / The Globe and Mail - Deepa Mehta
Zachary Prong / Independent - Khan Mohammed

SOCIAL ISSUE - Sponsored by Fujifilm
69 Entries

Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press - Cannabis Smoker
Leah Hennel / Independent - Assisted Dying
Melissa Renwick / Toronto Star - GE former employee Roger Fowler
Martin Tremblay / La Presse - Haitian Cholera Outbreak

Student Photographer of the Year - Sponsored by Southern Alberta Institute of
Technology (SAIT)
Submission deadline: April 1, 2017

Student Multi Media of the Year – Sponsored by Nikon Canada
Submission deadline: April 1, 2017

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.

NPAC is a national organization that includes more than 300 professional press photographers, independent photographers, photo editors and photojournalism students from across Canada.

All images and videos can be viewed by visiting the News Photographers Association of Canada's website at www.npac.ca.

SOURCE News Photographers Association of Canada

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