Tuesday, December 20, 2005

NPPA clarifies photo blog category in BOP

I got some clarification for folks wanting to enter this year's NPPA Best of Photojournalism competition in the Web division categories. The blog category is for amateurs only.

However, pros can compete with parts of their blogs in the Picture stories division. Pro-photobloggers can compete as INDE Web sites. If the pro photobloggers are part of a publication's URL (your-blog.your-pub.com) they must compete in the OVER or UNDER category.

This probably means bloggers don't stand a chance against fancy Flash presentations, but what the heck. Let's all give it a go, and they might make a pro blog division next year. :-)

Here's the clarification I got from Eric at NPPA:

I have consulted the contest chair for the web division and he stated that sites created by professionals are eligible for entry into the Independent sites classification. In this sense, the blog category is only for non-pro citizen photojournalism. Pro stories, even from blogs, should be entered in the Independent classification in the different categories. We will amend the rules online to make this distinction clearer. Please feel free to write with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Eric Waters
NPPA Sales & Contests
National Press Photographers Association

So, what does this mean for non-pro photobloggers? It means you have been invited to the party. If your images rock, prove it. Go head to head with the absolute best amateur photobloggers in the world and have your work judged by trained, pro PJs.

There are three blog categories:
1. Portraits
2. Festivals and Events
3. Photojournalism

The winners in these categories go against the big dogs for special awards.

Remember to check your egos at the door. This competition is extremely difficult to win. "Amateur" is a broad definition. It means anyone not making a full-time living in PJ work. In other words, all the bloggers who are also weekend stringers at major papers and magazines are eligible because they have day jobs. So, competition won't be as easy at it first appears.

Since it's the first year for this category, new photobloggers (on the verge of greatness) have a strong chance of winning. Next year will be even more difficult. So, take advantage of this year's opportunity.

Enough for now,

2 comments:

Justin DeYoung said...

Mark does that mean I could enter? Which one of the three categories?

Mark M. Hancock said...

I would imagine you cannot compete in the photoblog category because you earn your living with a camera (TV). However, you might want to check with them ... and let me know.

You can, however, compete in the Web category as INDE since you're a pro. You'll be competing as an editor and publisher of an independent journal (blog).

You can still compete head to head in the open photo categories, but you're against Nachtwey and Leeson, so enter humbly. ;-)