Now that the results are in for the first quarter of the revamped NPPA Student Clip Contest, let’s look at the numbers. Students from about 20 schools in all NPPA regions submitted nearly 400 still images and multimedia pieces.  The winning work showed an equally diverse expanse, from a Tijuana street corner to a factory in upstate New York at 5:21 a.m. to an organic farm in Troutville, Virginia.  The winning work was also a reminder of the thoughtful and dedicated photojournalism students do.

I teach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and each semester I’m struck anew by the enthusiasm students have for photojournalism. Media economics are tough right now, true, but there are opportunities to find an audience for good work unimaginable to previous generations of photojournalists. As it grows, I hope this contest will become one of those popular gathering spots for great visual work.

Students can enter work from November, December, and January on a rolling basis until February 7. Be sure to check your captions for spelling and grammar errors– as our University of Montana judges pointed out, “To be taken seriously as photographers, your words must be just as strong as your images.”

-Brian McDermott, Student Contest Chair