BOP 2012: Still Photography Rules: Preparing your Images

In urban communities and rural towns, the spirit of diversity is celebrated and witnessed in everyday life. Our goal is to recognize award winning photographic storytelling that focuses on communities, diverse groups, and issues in America that are often under-covered in the media. Acknowledging the genius and effectiveness of Cliff Edom’s vision, approach, and passion for teaching, we ask you to contribute your entries.

Cliff Edom (1907-1991) began his experimentation in photographic education in 1943, his purpose was to provide access to the community life of a small town (and local communities) for photographers so that they could hone and develop photojournalistic skills.

The Edom Foundation for Social Justice Through Photojournalism Education is sponsoring a new category in NPPA’s ‘Best of Photojournalism’ competition.

Since October 2001, hundreds of thousands of American soldiers have been deployed; and for many, learning to come home has been a challenge. Your story should document the experiences of the returning veteran.

Like the Farm Security Administration pictures, these stories educate the public and contribute to recognizing social issues affecting our returning veterans.

This is an open category for published still photography only; entries must include supporting publishing impressions (either as links or PDFs). This is open to individual or team entries. Stories from October 11, 2001 through December 2011 are eligible.

A portfolio of work created for a publication with over 100,000 circulation. All Wire services, Agencies and Magazines are part of this group.

See the Portfolio Rules for further details.

A portfolio of work created for a newspaper with less than 100,000 circulation. Portfolios of work created for Wire services, Agencies and Magazines should be entered in the large-market Photojournalist of the Year category, OPY.

See the Portfolio Rules for further details.

A portfolio of individual sports images, plus an optional Sports Picture Story.

See the Portfolio Rules for further details.

A photograph of a spontaneous news event outside the U.S., Canada, or Mexico with global impact.

Photographs of news stemming from natural events such as storms, floods, or earthquakes should be entered in Natural Disaster.

A series of photographs of an event outside the U.S., Canada, or Mexico that depicts a story line or single theme centered around a spontaneous event.

Photographs of news stemming from natural disasters such as storms, floods, or earthquakes should be entered in Environmental Picture Story.

Recognizing that much of the daily news coverage is planned in advance, we seek to reward outstanding achievement based on creativity and timing at organized events such as general meetings and staged coverage opportunities.

Coverage of breaking news or issue coverage from outside a planned event should be entered in International or Domestic News, as appropriate.

A news photograph from an event in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. The event should be one that is spontaneous, so the photographer must react on instinct and news judgment. This picture may be of a breaking news event.

Photographs of news stemming from natural or environmental disasters should be entered in another category.

Coverage of planned events should be entered in General News.

A series of news pictures recording events in the U.S., Canada or Mexico that depicts a reporting line or single theme where the reporting instincts and skill of the photographer are manifest.

Photographs of news stemming from natural or environmental disasters should be entered in another category.

A single picture that documents a striking event or revealing moment in the course of a political or social movement.

A single image which highlights current social concerns. Images dealing with issues of health, hunger, poverty, disease, the economy, and the human condition are well suited to this category.

A picture story or essay which showcases current social concerns. Stories about health, hunger, poverty, disease, the economy, and the human condition are well suited to this category.

A photograph of a ‘found situation’ that features strong human interest elements, or a fresh view of an everyday scene. A picture that uses humor or focuses on the lighter side of life is well suited for this category.

A non-news picture story or essay on a single theme. Stories that use humor or focus on the lighter side of life are well suited to this category.

A series of pictures created for a publication with over 100,000 circulation. All stories created for Wire services, Agencies and Magazines should be entered in this group.

A non-news picture story or essay on a single theme. Stories that use humor or focus on the lighter side of life are well suited to this category.

A series of pictures created for a newspaper with less than 100,000 circulation. Pictures created for Wire services, Agencies and Magazines should be entered in the large market Enterprise Picture Story category, OES.

A single photograph that captures a unique aspect of a local figure’s character and personality. This should not be a public figure who is regularly covered in the news, but rather a local heroine, hero, or community member.

Portraits of public figures should be entered in the News Portrait category, NPP.

A picture that captures a unique aspect of the character and personality of a public figure, celebrity, or elected official who is regularly featured in media coverage.

This category recognizes the time-honored tradition of portraiture as a vital mode of storytelling. The unifying theme must be held together by a narrative thread, consistent photographic style and/or compelling environment with an obvious connection between the individuals being documented.

A picture that captures the aesthetic and graphic qualities of nature and wildlife with an emphasis on dramatic composition.

A picture story that focuses on the natural world and its components: nature, wildlife, or the environment.

That appreciation does not mean that the story can only cover pristine environments: Environmental Picture Stories can depict a range of natural and human impact on the environment.

Picture stories covering natural disasters should be entered in Natural Disaster Picture Story.

A single image that captures and communicates the devastation wrought by a natural disaster.

Natural Disaster Single recognizes coverage of the human or physical impact of this year's earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and other destructive natural events.

Picture stories covering natural disasters should be entered in Natural Disaster Picture Story.

A picture story that captures and communicates the devastation wrought by a natural disaster.

Natural Disaster Picture Story recognizes coverage of the human or physical impact of this year's earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and other destructive natural events.

In this powerful age of computer imagery and digital mastery, the time has come to reward the creative and dramatic works that grace the pages of publications that blend the best of traditional darkroom skills, human imagination, and computer technique.

A photograph may be used as source material for the conceptual illustration, or the concept may be totally artificially produced.

A peak action picture that captures the spirit of a sports competition—either on the part of an individual or an athletic team.

A sports related Feature picture that depicts the jubilation of victory or the agony of defeat. The event covered should be separate from the game action or outside of the field of play.

Any sports oriented subject portrayed in a multiple-picture photographic story structure. All of the pictures should be related to convey a singular story line, point of view, or reporting theme related to a sports endeavor.

A photograph that evokes the phrase “that’s entertainment” — and captures a dramatic quality, theatrical grace, or poetry of motion.

This category is designed to celebrate a meritorious body of work that has been documented, vetted and published for an audience in the classic journalistic tradition. The story should be compelling and relevant to the viewing and reading audience.

A story published by a publication with over 100,000 circulation. All stories published by Wire services, Agencies and Magazines should be entered in this group.

Pictures created by a newspaper with less than 100,000 circulation should be entered in the small-market Best Published Picture Story category, UPS. Pictures created for non-traditional publishers should be entered in the Non-Traditional Photojournalism Publishing category, NTP.

This category is designed to celebrate a meritorious body of work that has been documented, vetted and published for an audience in the classic journalistic tradition. The story should be compelling and relevant to the viewing and reading audience.

A story published by a newspaper with less than 100,000 circulation. Pictures created for Wire services, Agencies and Magazines should be entered in the large market Best Published Picture Story category, OPS. Pictures created for non-traditional publishers should be entered in the Non-Traditional Photojournalism Publishing category, NTP.

This category is designed to celebrate a meritorious body of work that has been documented, vetted and published for an audience via new methods of delivery. The story should be compelling and relevant to the viewer, and push the boundaries of the craft.

A story published by an organization that is not a traditional news publisher: independent publishers, boutique wire services, photojournalism agencies, and so on.

Pictures created for traditional news publishers should be entered in one of the Best Published Picture Story categories, OPS or UPS.

The location where the picture was created.

• State/Province
• Province/State
• Province-State

The photographer's name. Please be consistent from photo to photo.

For example, please use Joe E Smith for each image, not Joe Smith on one, Joseph Smith on another, J.E. Smith on a third, and so on.

Your employer or client.

This caption will be shown together with your photograph during public viewing of the archive and winners. Please check grammar and spelling before submitting.

As they taught all of us in basic caption writing, use the five W's: who, what, where, when and why.

Please do not include your name or publication credit in your caption.

• Caption/Abstract
• Description

Identify who holds the copyright for the image. Check your contract if you aren't sure who to list here.

For staffers, this will generally be your employer; for freelancers, it might be you, or it might be the client for whom the image was made.

• Copyright Notice

When was the picture created?