Winners of National Pictures of the Year Announced

NEWS PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA SELECTS TOP PHOTOJOURNALISTS OF 2014

VANCOUVER, May 9, 2015 /CNW/ - Photographers use their cameras as tools of exploration, documentation and ultimately, as instruments of change. The 1,887 images submitted for consideration by Canada's premier photojournalist competition, the National Pictures of the Year (NPOY) awards, is a testament to the ideal that photography matters—now more than ever.

After careful consideration by a panel of experts, the News Photographers Association of Canada (NPAC) is pleased to announce the winners of its annual NPOY awards during the National Pictures of the Year Gala event in Vancouver, British Columbia on May 9, 2015.

These awards recognize the excellence represented in submissions by Canada's outstanding photojournalists whose compelling images collectively represented a spectacular body of work.

The News Photographers Association of Canada's 2014 National Pictures of the Year Winners Are:

FEATURE
153 Entries
Sponsored by The Winnipeg Free Press

1.Peter Power / Independent - Innu Swing
2.Marta Iwanek / Toronto Star - Boys Playing
3.Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press - Chris Hadfield Airplane
HM.Andy Clark / Independent - Rainblossom Project
HM.Andrew Vaughan / The Canadian Press - Trudeau Punch

Spot News
36 Entries
Sponsored by The Camera Store

1.Wayne Cuddington / Ottawa Citizen - Fallen Soldier
2.Jenna Hauck / Chilliwack Progress - MVA
3.John Lehmann / The Globe and Mail - Pipeline Protest
HM.Cole Burston / The Globe and Mail - Running Cop
HM.Jennifer Gauthier / Metro - Oppenheimer Park

General News
122 Entries
Sponsored by CNW Group

1.Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press - Kathy Cirillo at funeral
2.Mark Blinch / Reuters - RCMP Pallbearers
3.Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press - Cirillo Tribute on Overpass
HM.Mark Blinch / Reuters - Mayor Ford Arrival
HM.Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press - Dr. Qamar Funeral

Sports Action
100 Entries
Sponsored by Nikon

1.Mark Blinch / Reuters - Sweden Goal
2.Larry Wong / Edmonton Journal - Lacrosse Leap
3.Mathieu Belanger / Reuters - Syncronized Swimmer
HM.Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press - Tennis Leap
HM.Jean Levac / Ottawa Citizen - Toews Wrap Around

Sports Feature
99 Entries
Sponsored by Reuters

1.Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images - Hockey Tutus
2.Wayne Cuddington / Ottawa Citizen - Team Photo
3.Derek Ruttan / London Free Press / QMI Agency - Hockey Popeye
HM.Bernard Brault / LaPresse - Goalie and Bat
HM.Ed Kaiser / Edmonton Journal - Snowboard Cross Jubilation

Pictorial
137 Entries
Sponsored by Canon

1.Daniel Hayduk / AFP - Construction Worker
2.Darren Calabrese / National Post - Steam Grate
3.Joe Bryksa / Winnipeg Free Press - Winter Tree
HM.Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press - Fog and Boat
HM.Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press - West Block Tower

Portrait / Personality
172 Entries
Sponsored by Beau Photo

1.Michelle Siu / Independent - Bernadette Bainbridge
2.Wendell Phillips / Independent - Debbie, 49
3.Michelle Siu / Independent - Farmer Charles Bradley
HM.Michelle Siu / Independent - Smoking Boy
HM.Michelle Siu / Independent - Teenage Parents

Social Issue
72 Entries
Sponsored by ONA

1.Tim Smith / Brandon Sun - Cheryl Mauthe PreOp
2.Kevin Van Paassen / The Globe and Mail - Kim Teske
3.Michelle Siu / Independent - Teen Mom
HM.Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press - Coffin Hug
HM.Chris Young / The Canadian Press - Homeless Palliative Care

Picture Story
47 Entries
Sponsored by Leica

1.Michelle Siu / Independent - Farmer Charles Bradley, 94
2.Tim Smith / Brandon Sun - Cancer Patient Cheryl Mauthe
3.Tyler Anderson / National Post - Trapper William Tozer
HM.Michelle Siu / Independent - Guatemalan Teen Moms
HM.Kevin Van Paassen / The Globe and Mail - Kim Teske's Choice

Single Multimedia
23 Entries
Sponsored by Sony

1.104-Year-Old Swimmer - Melissa Tait / Winnipeg Free Press
2.Most Of Us - Guillaume Nolet / Independent
3.Hearts of Feather - Annie Sakkab / Independent
HM.Chiara - Marta Iwanek / Toronto Star
HM.To Be A Boy - Annie Sakkab / Independent

Team Multimedia
23 Entries
Sponsored by Vistek

1.The San Diego Highway Man - Brent Foster, Tammy Foster, Gerald Mabee / Foster Visuals
2.The Black Nightmare - Ryan Jackson,Sam Brooks, Otiena Ellwand, Cailyn Klingbeil, Topher Sequin / Edmonton Journal
3.Digging for Dinosaurs - Todd Korol, Melissa Renwick / Toronto Star
HM.The Beacon of Hope - Carla Antonio, Amanda Cheung, Dillan Cools, Maggie Naylor, Thomas Surian / Loyalist College Photojournalism 2nd Year
HM.Laughter from Pain - Jimmy Jeong, Tiffany Brown Olson / USA Today

2014 Eastern Clips Contest Winner
Sponsored by Loyalist College

Mark Blinch / Reuters

2014 Western Clips Contest Winner
Sponsored by Epson Canada

Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press

Student Photographer of the Year
Sponsored by SAIT

Annie Sakkab / Loyalist College

Photojournalist of the Year
Sponsored by The Canadian Press

Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press

Photograph of the Year
Sponsored by The Globe and Mail

Michelle Siu / Independent - Personality / Portrait : Bernadette Bainbridge

SOURCE News Photographers Association of Canada (NPAC)

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