Photographer of the Year

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HALibuRTON COuNTy ECHO DARREN LuM

Well done, Darren. You exhibit skills as a photographer by covering events well in a variety of challenging situations. I understand basketball is one of the most difficult sports to photograph and make look interesting, yet you managed to do so. Photographing an empty church during an online stream is a great way to colourfully convey the message behind a story that is hard to visualize in your head. The photo of the girl jumping through the sprinkler screams summer; it’s a classic summer scene, photographed well. Great choice shooting vertical to complement the water stream and compress your shot. You also captured a great moment during the Christmas concert. You manage to capture lots of emotion in your photos, which I appreciate. It’s evident, as your editor points out, that you go above and beyond to convey a story as creatively as possible. Overall, great job, keep it up.

RiCHMOND HiLL/THORNHiLL LibERAL STEvE SOMERviLLE

Well done, Steve. You manage to capture good moments at the things you cover. The photo of the friends reflected in the window, and the mourning individual in Vaughan are examples of this. Not only do you have the ability to see and capture emotion, but your timing is also great. The photo of the individual jumping into the lake is a good example of this. I have no doubt, as your editor says, you cover many different kinds of assignments on a daily basis. Overall, well done, keep it up.

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THE iNDEpENDENT SERviNG pETROLiA AND CENTRAL LAMbTON HEATHER WRiGHT

Heather, first of all well done, and congratulations to you for taking on the responsibility of running an entire newspaper by yourself. That’s no small task, and you should be proud. It’s evident you’re in touch with your community. The spot news photo of the man being arrested is an example of this. Your ability to anticipate, plan, and be there to see this is quite remarkable.

GENERAL COMMENT

I’d like to congratulate each person who entered this year’s Photographer Of The Year competition. I was very impressed with submissions, and it was a pleasure to judge. It’s evident each entrant strives to not only tell the story they’re assigned, but also do so in a way that makes it fun and exciting for the reader. In a world overrun by information, being able to capture interesting imagery, and make your story stand out, is an invaluable skill which all three finalists possess. In addition, their ability to be versatile and cover a wide range of topics is incredibly valuable to a community newspaper. That being said, I had a hard time choosing a winner. All three finalists are talented photojournalists who evidently serve their communities well. I’d like to thank everyone who submitted their work for critique, it’s not an easy thing to do! Congratulations everyone, well done.

Judge

Phil McLachlan

Senior Reporter Kelowna Capital News Kelowna, BC

Philip McLachlan works as senior reporter at the Kelowna Capital News, covering breaking news, human interest features, and social issues around the Okanagan region. Prior to this he served as editor of the Penticton Western News, and of The Free Press in Fernie. Since graduating from Loyalist College’s Photojournalism Program in 2016, he has been nominated for and won several provincial and national newspaper and photography awards. His work has been featured in community newspapers across Western Canada. He possesses a passion for storytelling, an appreciation of community news, and a love for photography. He has become known by locals as ‘the man on the street with a camera’. I can be reached any time via my Instagram, at phil_mclachlan. My DM’s are open, and I’m always up to chat about photography. My recent work can also be found at Instagram.com/phil_mclachlan, or at the Kelownacapnews.com.