NPPA - POY

Its time for the National Press Photographers Association 2008 Pictures of the Year Competition. The 2007 winners were announced months ago however I bring it up because I got my POY book this past week. GO HERE to see the 2007 winning images.

A note of caution. Some of the images are from war zones and some are quite graphic and hard to look at. But that is what makes them so powerful and why these images are so important to be shot and viewed by people. Especially here in the US where many people have very cushy lives. As a photojournalist I have always felt that if enough people or the right people see a disturbing image, feel something and enough act on that feeling maybe something can be done.

Images of Innocent kids caught in adult and government conflict have always got to me and especially now that I have kids of my own. They remind me that the world can be a cruel place for children and to be thankful for what I have, where I live and to hug my kids alot.

When I started out in photography I would only hope to take such powerful images. No I can only wish I would have as my career lead me in different ways. But I still try and always take emotional ans images with feeling for what I am shooting and powerful images like those in the POY help inspire me to do better at what I do shoot.

I really like this image. Click HERE.
Its hard to look at but I find myself not being able to look away. It is very powerful and telling at whats wrong with the world. I get tears in my eyes looking at it.

Here is another one I like. Click HERE.
As a dad I can relate to not wanting your kids to be sad and worry about you.

Happy New Year! Bryan