2020-21 SATW Foundation Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition
107 Photo Illustration of Travel ( Newspapers,Travel Magazines,Travel Coverage in General Magazines,Travel Audio-Radio,Travel Audio-Podcasts and Guides)Back
Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: The New York Times Entry Title: Hidden in Plain Sight: The Ghosts of Segregation Entry Credit: Richard Frishman Judge Comment: This haunting photo essay about locations of racial violence begins with a surreal image of a glowing Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL. Vestiges of horror sit quietly, devoid of life or movement, as viewers are left to imagine the racism and violence that occurred there. Peeling paint, cracked facades and boarded entrances remain, made even more noticeable by the astounding detail in the images. The photographer’s personal vision and the starkness of the pictures create a winning package.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: National Geographic Traveler Entry Title: Historical interpreters share their sides of the story Entry Credit: Jared Soares Judge Comment: This striking story about people of color working as living history interpreters at Colonial Williamsburg highlights the important discussion of race and history. The portraits are elegant and respectful, showing subjects in their costumes, with captions to provide context and understanding. Although the portraits stand out, scenic images of Colonial Williamsburg and details of work done by enslaved people add variety and information. This essay provides a rare glimpse behind a historical site.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Smithsonian Magazine Entry Title: The Last Quiet Places Entry Credit: Pete McBride, Quentin Nardi, Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Maria Keehan Judge Comment: How do you photograph silence and the last quiet places on earth? This picture essay successfully envisions quiet expanses, free from noise pollution and non-stop, human-made noise. It takes readers from remote Icelandic glacial rivers to the padded feet of elephants in Malawi and the cracked surface of the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia. Each photo is a poetic musing on what it looks like to be surrounded only by sounds of land and passing animals.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: National Geographic Traveler Entry Title: Wildfires have ravaged Napa Valley. Will California's wine industry survive? Entry Credit: Stuart Palley Judge Comment: The destruction of California wine country during the summer of 2020 is vividly photographed, with raging fires in the background. The story begins with burning grapevines, workers trying to save the plants and glowing orange images of firefighters. It ends with emergency harvesting and the remains of a destroyed vineyard, telling a complete story in visuals. The degree of difficulty and danger of working in fire conditions make the photographs even more remarkable.
