Blade photographers win 5 awards in state photo competition
4/24/2013Blade photographers have won five awards in the Ohio News Photographers Association annual photo competition.
Dave Zapotosky won first place in general news for a photo of Jacob Rodriguez, 16, attending a hearing in Lucas County Juvenile Court on Jan. 18, 2012. He was charged with the murder of Rory Hunter, 23, who was found about 4:30 a.m. eight days before in a field in the 1100 block of East Broadway. After being convicted in adult trial court, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Katie Rausch won third place in general news for a photo of a female couple kissing, as bemused patrons looked on, at Westfield Franklin Park mall. It was part of "National Same Sex Kiss Day at Chick-fil-A," in August, 2012. The event was a protest staged in response to another event, "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day."
Ms. Rausch also received an award of excellence in general news for a photo of a tearful Lasandra Lucas, taken during a vigil after the shooting death of Keondra Hooks, 1, and the wounding of the infant’s sister, Leondra Hooks, 2, at the Moody Manor Apartments in Toledo. Ms. Lucas is the girls' grandmother.
Andy Morrison received an award of excellence in the sports feature category for a photo of University of Michigan player Devin Funchess celebrating his first quarter touchdown against the University of Massachusetts at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Sept. 15, 2012.
Amy E. Voigt received an award of excellence in the feature category for a photo of Ann Schlosser, a mother who has stage-4 cancer and was given three months to live, hugging her daughter, Megan, after she shaved off all of her hair during a "Locks of Love" event at The University of Toledo in December, 2012.
Judging occurred last week in Columbus. Judges were: Liz O. Baylen of the Los Angeles Times (a former Blade photo intern), John Sale, assistant managing editor-visual at the Commercial Appeal in Memphis and Scott Strazzante, of the Chicago Tribune.