2011 Texas Better Newspaper Contest - Sports Photos

Division 2
Dailies 7,000 to 99,999
1. The Daily Sentinel, Nacogdoches, photographer Andrew Rogers: “Basketball pass (color)” Great detail on faces - white jersey a bit washed. Photographer Andrew Brosig: “Basketball shot (b/w)” Sharp - nice texture. Best of class. We connect to this photo.
2. Laredo Morning Times, photographer Ulysses Romero. Photo 1 “Football” Crop sets the goal-line scene clear. Right place at right time. Second place based on two together. Photo 2 “Soccer” Frozen action! Nice! Cutline should say who had the ball in this shot. Still, this photo makes me ask, ‘What were they doing?’, and that is good. It makes the reader think.
3. The Galveston County Daily News, photographer Kevin Cox. Photo 1 “Football shower” You saw this coming. Cutline - lot of empty space in second line you could have used for more game info. Photo 2 “Volleyball” Sharp - I can count her teeth! These shots are both something we’ve seen before, but are well done.
4. The Facts, Clute, photographer Holly Parker. Photo 1 “Basketball” So good, I turned the page upside down to see the defender’s eyes! Use of word ‘flies’ in cutline is a cliché. Photo 2 “Track” I can count the eyelets on his shoes. Wish I could see his actual eyes. Basketball photo was first or second best of all we’ve seen, but track photo is just okay, so it’s fourth place overall. Good job!

Division 3
Dailies Less Than 7,000
1. The Brenham Banner-Press, photographer Melissa McCaghren. Comments for both Photo 1 “Football” and Photo 2 “Volleyball spike”: Good, solid action; crisp, well composed.
2. The Herald Banner, Greenville, photographer David Claybourn. Comments for both Photo 1 “High jump” and Photo 2 “Hoops”: Solid, well composed and crisp. Well done!
3. Taylor Daily Press, photographer Scott Casey: “Football” Solid shot, crisp and composed. Photographer Mike Craven: “Track” Solid track shot – would have made bigger impact with bigger use on page.
4. Stephenville Empire-Tribune, photographer Nathan Bural. Photo 1 “Football” Nice moment, well composed. The eyes make all the difference. Photo 2 “Basketball” Solid, crisp shot.

Division 4
Semiweeklies 4,001 or More
1. Hood County News, Granbury, photographer Mary Vinson. Photo 1 “Volleyball” Slightly out of focus but great action. Solid cutline info. Photo 2 “Track” Well composed, solid “moment.” Great cutline info. Well done!
2. The Williamson County Sun, Georgetown, photographer Bryce Harper: “Boys Basketball” Loved this shot and how it was used. Didn’t see a cutline for photo, left me wanting to know who subject is. Photographer Russell Rinn: “Girls Basketball” Great action and emotion.
3. Beeville Bee-Picayune, photographer Bruce Harper. Photo 1 “Football” Solid action here. Would like a couple of names of players in shot besides the subject. Photo 2 “Wrestling” Loved the ‘tweak’ to the angle, gives shot a totally new feel. Needs name of subject’s opponent in cutline.
4. The Fayette County Record, La Grange, photographer Tom Wood. Photo 1 “Soccer kick” Not crazy about the crop, but face on subject is great, reproduction is solid and composition is good. Photo 2 “Basketball” Action here helps shot despite lack of crispness and so-so cutline. Nice.

Division 5
Semiweeklies 4,000 or Less
1. The Terrell Tribune, photographer Dan Johnson. Photo 1 “Football catch (color)” Great moment. Only wish it was bigger. Photo 2 “Football juggle (b/w)” Fantastic pic that puts this entry over the top. Wonderful action, great moment. Nice job!
2. The Bowie News, photographer Ryan Evans. Photo 1 “Football” Solid work; crisp, well-composed action. Photo 2 “Basketball” Nice shot.
3. Kilgore News Herald, photographer Lester Murray: “Tennis” Solid. Photographer Aaron May: “Football circle” May have placed this higher with face of assistant coach talking. Otherwise a nice moment here.
4. Lamesa Press-Reporter, photographer Russel Skiles: “Football” Nice action. Photographer Dwight Heins: “Softball” Solid shot; wish it was used a bit bigger.

Division 6
Large Weeklies
1. Park Cities People, Dallas, photographer Chris McGathey. Photo 1 “Volleyball” My favorite single pic of the bunch. Well composed, great moment, nice cutline. Photo 2 “Football” Solid shot here, nice kicker. Could be used bigger!
2. Port Aransas South Jetty, photographer Dan Parker: “Basketball practice” Wonderful shot. Crisp, well composed with good cutline and great color. Love it! Photographer Karen Collins: “Basketball shot” Solid action shot. Red eye hurts this shot a bit, but great action overcomes.
3. Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post, photographer Cathy Collier. Photo 1 “Volleyball” Great moment, complete cutline info. Well done. Photo 2 “Football” Solid action.
4. The Silsbee Bee, photographer Gerry Dickert: “Basketball” Great moment! Wish this was used bigger! Photo cut needs defenders’ names, but otherwise a real winner. Nice. Photographer Brent Guidry: “Football” Fantastic shot; needs to be used bigger! Much bigger!

Division 7
Medium-Large Weeklies
1. Hill Country Community Journal, Kerrville, photographer Stuart Cunyus. Photo 1 “Football” Great moment – captured the hit! Photo 2 “Softball” Nice perspective in this shot. Crisp, clean. Nice!
2. The Bandera Bulletin, photographer James Taylor. Photo 1 “Rodeo” Great action and fun. Watch typos in cutlines! Photo 2 “Volleyball” Great shot! Wonderful crowd expressions and a very unusual take on a standard assignment.
3. Progress Times, Mission, photographer Doug Young. Comments for both Photo 1 “Basketball” and Photo 2 “Football”: Good crisp clean shots with good action. Cropped well. Only wish these were used a big bigger (if possible).
4. The Nueces County Record Star, Robstown, photographer Pete Garcia: “Baseball” Nice, crisp and clean photo. Action is framed well. Photographer Anthony Ruiz: “Basketball” Nice, unexpected shot. The moment is better than the shot. May have been even better to see his emotions just after this pic.

Division 8
Medium Weeklies
1. Pilot Point Post-Signal, photographer Mark Lewis: “Football” Nice capture of key action in game. Way to be on the spot at the right time! Photographer Veronica Hamlett: “Wakeboarding” Nice, crisp shot of a non-traditional sport.
2. Iowa Park Leader, photographer Kevin Hamilton. Comments for both Photo 1 “Football” and Photo 2 “Volleyball”: Good crisp shots with essential action. Used big. That’s a very good thing with these pics.
3. Refugio County Press, photographer Neil Tucker. Comments for both Photo 1 “Football dive“ and Photo 2 “Football run”: Solid shots, strong action with good cutlines.
4. Glen Rose Reporter, photographer Nathan Bural. Photo 1 “Football cheer” Nice capture of key moment in game. Photo 2 “Football frustration” Cutline needs way more information, but a nice photo, something different.

Division 9
Small-Medium Weeklies
1. The Princeton Herald, photographer Victor Tapia. Photo 1 “Basketball” Clean, crisp photo. Good cutline information, well used on page. Photo 2 “Baseball” Another crisp, clean shot. Nice angles.
2. The Waller County News Citizen, Hempstead, photographer Ted Fuller. Photo 1 “Football horizontal” Nice action! Well composed and cropped. Well done. Photo 2 “Football vertical” Quirky shot. A little similar to first shot and could be used much bigger, but nice pic!
3. The Hometown Press, Winnie, photographer Scott Reese Willey. Comments for both Photo 1 “Volleyball” and Photo 2 “Track”: Solid, clean pics! Both of these work well on the page.
4. The Eldorado Success, photographer Kathy Mankin: “Basketball” Nice moment right when player is fouled – not an easy shot. Background is a little distracting. Photographer J.L. Mankin: “Softball” Nice capture of ‘pre-action’ action. Eyes are key.

Division 10
Small Weeklies
1. The Big Lake Wildcat, photographer J.L. Mankin. Photo 1 “Basketball” Nice big vertical that’s clean and crisp. Photo 2 “Football” Nice moment captured here. Well composed and cropped.
2. Pflugerville Pflag, photographer Dawn Poole. Photo 1 “Wrestling” Neat picture! Cropped well and used well on the page. Photo 2 “Football” Nice capture of odd moment.
3. The Bay Area Citizen, photographer Kar Hlava. Comments for both Photo 1 “Football chase” and Photo 2 “Football tackle”: Solid action; clean and crisp, well used on the page. I’d like to see something other than two nearly identical shots though.
4. Joshua Star, photographer L.J. Rafael. Photo 1 “Softball” Focus is soft but nice capture of action. Photo 2 “Soccer” Nice moment. Crisp, clean and works well on page.