2023 Q2 Singles
Guest User
Quarter 2 judge, Ron Erdrich
General News
First Place: Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register
Kathryn Zahm jumps into the arms of her husband, Maj. Andrew Do, after he returns to Camp Pendleton on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 after a seven-month deployment.
Second Place: Thomas R. Cordova, Long beach post
A community comes together for a vigil for a 12-year-old Eric Gregory Brown III as his mother Angela Washington is comforted a a vigil in Long Beach, Wednesday May 10, 2023. ‘He was so innocent’ as family mourns the 12-year-old killed in drive-by shooting.
Third Place: Genaro Molina, La times
Actor and writer Daheli Hall, left, joins WGA members as they cheer on the first day of their strike in front of Paramount Studios in Hollywood on May 2, 2023. The union were unable to reach a last minute-accord with the major studios on a new three-year contract to replace one that expired Monday night.
Honorable Mention: Brandon Richardson, Long beach post
Inaya Reddick, who will be a junior next year, cries as she says goodbye to her friends after the California Academy of Mathmatics and Science graduation ceremony at Dignity Health Center Tennis Stadium in Carson Thursday, June 8, 2023.
Honorable Mention: Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register
Western High School graduate Anas Mohamed gets tossed in the air as he celebrates graduation with his family and friends in Anaheim on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
Feature
First Place: Ringo chiu, freelance
A man takes photos of a mural near Japanese American National Museum during the World Naked Bike Ride where nude cyclists ride through Downtown Lo Angeles on June 24, 2023.
Second Place: Sarah Reingewritz, Los Angeles Daily News
Leonard Garcia, 65, rests in his Chevy van along Main Street in Venice where he has been living for a few months on Wednesday, June 28, 2023. Homelessness on the westside has increased 44% according to the 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count which also found an increase of unhoused living in vans and cars.
Third Place: Cristina Klenz, Freelance
A Romani-American father cuts his son-in-law’s hair in preparation for his son’s wedding. The group is in the garage of an Airbnb apartment they rented. The family traveled from Texas to Las Vegas, the city where the bride’s family resides. Romani children are often just as spunky as their parents, as in this case, where three-year-old Milanco gestures at the adults to get their attention.
Honorable Mention: Genaro Molina, LA Times
Graduate Robert Rodrigues holds his son Joshua during the Homeboy Industries Class of 2023 Graduation Celebration in Los Angeles on June 22, 2023. Students graduated from colleges like UC Berkeley, East Los Angeles College, California State University, Los Angeles and received MA and BA degrees. Other graduates came from the Youth Reentry Center Art Academy while others received high school diplomas or equivalency. Homeboy Industries is the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world.
Honorable Mention: Cristina Klenz, Freelance
Romani American bride Emma Flores and her father, Steve, share a tearful embrace during the father-daughter dance in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the Romani culture, girls will leave their parents ' home and begin a new life with their husbands and inlaws. They will learn to follow their new family’s variation of Romani traditions.
Portrait
First Place: MINDY SCHAUER, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Orange resident Gail Case, shows her colors as she watches the Orange May Parade on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
Second Place: Cristina Klenz, Freelance
Juan Flores (left) and his son, Sandro, are from the Xoraxay nation of Roma. The photograph was taken on the day of Sandro’s wedding in Las Vegas, just after his father finished cutting his hair. The family drove from Texas to the destination wedding in Las Vegas, the hometown of the bride and her family.
Honorable Mention: Thomas R. Cordova, Long beach post
Third Place: genaro molina, la times
Sabrina Baker, 39, stands behind a cushion that still has signs of where she gave birth to her child at her home in Madera. With the Madera Community Hospital closed, and in labor, she was unable to make the trip to Fresno to have her baby in a hospital. The hospital has been closed since January 3 after experiencing financial strains and filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Baker is one of many residents of Madera who has been affected by the closure of the only hospital in the city. Photograph taken on May 10, 2023.
Alejandra Perez-Serrato, community liaison volunteer for the Long Beach Community Design Center, is reflected in a puddle of water in an alley that she is heading up to become a walkable community pathway in Central Long Beach, Friday May 12, 2023.
Pictorial
First Place: genaro molina, la times
Pedestrians make their way through the shadows and late afternoon light on the streets of downtown Los Angeles on April 10, 2023. People have slowly returned to the downtown Los Angeles office buildings at the end of the pandemic.
Second Place: ringo chiu, freelance
A person runs past the rising full moon also known as June's Strawberry Moon in Los Angeles Saturday, June 3, 2023.
Third Place: mark edward harris, Freelance
Sea Eagles fight for territory in Seabeck, Washington State.
Honorable Mention: Thomas R. Cordova, Long beach post
A construction worker walks along scaffolding at a site of a multi-story building at Long Beach Blvd. and Broadway in Long Beach, Friday, April 21, 2023.
Spot News
First Place: David Swanson, Agence France Presse
A protestor spits while being detained by police officers after a fight broke out during a protest in support of US President Donald Trump in Los Angeles on January 6, 2021. - Trump supporters, fueled by his spurious claims of voter fraud, are protesting the expected certification of Joe Biden's White House victory by the US Congress on January 6.
Second Place: David Swanson, Agence France Presse
Police divide parents and counter protesters as they clash outside of a school board meeting over a Pride Day assembly and teaching LGBTQ issue in class, Glendale, California, U.S., June 20, 2023.
Third Place: Ringo chiu, freelance
Los Angeles Fire Department emergency responders give first aid to a homeless man who appears to be overdosed in the Skid Row district of Los Angeles on Thursday, April 6 in Los Angeles.
Honorable Mention: Chris torres, Santa Clarita Valley Signal
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriffs Station officials detain an armed robbery suspect after an hours-long standoff with law enforcement barricading himself inside his vehicle on the 19300 block of Newhouse Street in Canyon Country, Calif., on Monday, April 24, 2023. The initial call to station officials around 6 a.m. Monday involved a report of a man with a handgun standing behind the register at the convenience store at 23055 Soledad Canyon Road, according to Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station officials. As deputies arrived at the location, the suspect entered his vehicle, a white Chevrolet Tahoe SUV, with stolen merchandise and drove off on the wrong side of the road leading deputies on a pursuit. The pursuit ended in the Canyon Country culdesac where more than 16 patrol SUVs and three BearCats, a vehicle used by the Special Enforcement Bureau, or SWAT team, had converged on the quiet residential neighborhood by about 7:30 a.m. Deputies sealed off the street and temporarily restricted traffic on nearby Whites Canyon Road during the resulting standoff, as Schultz refused to exit the Tahoe. The suspect was taken into custody around noon on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and felony evading arrest, according to an email from Deputy Natalie Arriaga, spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station.
Entertainment
First Place: SCOTT MITCHELL, freelance
Musician - Louis Collins, bassist for the Jason Charles Miller Band, on stage at the 2023 “Rock for Ronnie” Concert to Benefit Ronnie James Dio Cancer Fund, Los Encinos State Historic Park, Encino, California, USA, May 7, 2023
Second Place: Chris torres, Santa Clarita Valley Signal
The mermaids perform during “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center in Valencia, Calif., on Saturday, June 10, 2023.
Third Place: david swanson, reuters
Jack Black attends the premiere of Universal Pictures' "The Super Mario Bros." at Regal LA Live April 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
honorable mention: ringo chiu, associated press
Band members perform along Santa Monica Boulevard during the WEHO Pride Parade in West Hollywood, California on Sunday June 4, 2023.
Sports Features
First Place: KEITH BIRMINGHAM, PASADENA STAR-NEWS
JSerra is blessed by Sister Miriam O.P. of the Dominican Sisters of Mary prior to taking on Santa Margarita prior to a CIF-SS Division 1 championship baseball game at Blair Field in Long Beach on Friday, May 19, 2023.
Second Place: gina ferazzi, la times
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 30, 2023: Michael Torhan, right, and Desus Nice, middle, react after a foul is called on a New York Knicks player while watching Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Miami Heat at 33 Taps bar on April 30, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Third Place: ringo chiu, zuma press
HONORABLE MENTION: paul rodriguez, freelance
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) celebrates after dunking against Memphis Grizzlies during an NBA basketball playoffs round one game 5, April 24, 2023, in Los Angeles.
The Costa Mesa High School swim team led by the coaches jump into the pool to celebrate winning the first place team award at the CIF-SS swimming championships in Riverside, California, on Saturday, May 6, 2023.
HONORABLE MENTION: katharine lotze, getty images
WALNUT, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: Rai Benjamin poses after competing in the men's 400 meter hurdles during the 2023 Mt SAC Relays at Hilmer Lodge Stadium on April 15, 2023 in Walnut, California.
Sports Action
First Place: KEITH BIRMINGHAM, PASADENA STAR-NEWS
Ryder Young #2 of San Dimas scores past catcher Jordan Pasillas #23 of Bishop Amat in the fifth inning of a National Classic baseball game at Fullerton College in Fullerton on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.
Second Place: KEITH BIRMINGHAM, PASADENA STAR-NEWS
Third baseman Rudy Rosales #13 of Nogales tags out Jayden Jimison #7 of Gladstone at third base in the sixth inning of a prep baseball game at Nogales High School in La Puente on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.
Third Place: Katharine lotze, getty images
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Maile O'Keefe of the Utah Utes competes on balance beam during the NCAA Los Angeles Gymnastics Regional Final at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on April 01, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
honorable mention: paul rodriguez, freelance
Villa Park High School’s third baseman Justin Tims keeps his eyes on the ball as he fields a grounder by Orange Lutheran High School in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinal baseball playoff in Orange, California, on Friday, May 12, 2023.
honorable mention: ringo chiu, associated press
Los Angeles FC defender Denil Maldonado (2) and Sporting Kansas City midfielder Erik Thommy (26) vie for the ball during an MLS soccer match at BMO Stadium Wednesday, May 17, 2023, in Los Angeles.
Judge’s Notes & Bio
FEATURE
First place: So much to unpack in this cheeky photo. The simple composition of the nude figure against the black and white image, which he is photographing and makes you wonder where he’s keeping his camera, starkly emphasizes the Elliot Erwitt-like humor of this great picture.
Second place: A different tone, one capturing the dignity of the subject coupled with his living arrangement and a sense of personality. Beautiful light brings it all together.
Third Place: Speaking of cheeky…, great seeing and situational awareness on the part of the photographer in not only capturing the boy’s gesture but the barber’s reaction to it as well. Not to mention the sly approval of the man getting his hair cut. The two points of the photo, boy and barber chair, I wish were a little closer, but that’s the only thing.
HM1: Nice tight, clean image of a man and his son, the father’s tattoos hinting at his past and the young child’s face speaking of his future. The lei adds an interesting splash of color. This might have been third if not for that other photo’s unique moment.
HM2: The monochrome of this image really engages the eye with all of the texture on display on the dresses in the background. But the main act is the intimate exchange captured at the moment when father and daughter realize she’s not coming home to him anymore. Excellent seeing.
PORTRAIT
There were entries that were more feature than portrait in this category. Made for judging a bit more challenging.
First place: This photo was shot close as it should. Great expression with the glasses and even the mouth half open. Great portrait.
Second Place: This photo is nicely executed with their heads pointing towards each other. Clean and nicely done.
Third Place: This photo looks like it should be a part of a story. Felt more like a feature than a portrait.
HM: This is a bit typical of a puddle shot but I like the feeling of it. Almost like it has a old vintage feel to it.
ENTERTAINMENT
First place: The serendipity of this moment is what drew me in for this picture, the passion of the guitarist and the mural background which weirdly seems to be cheering him on.
Second place: The symmetry of this lovely photograph is what held my attention. Wonderfully executed.
Third place: The energy of the subject, Jack Black, is what makes this picture glow. The choice of the tight crop brings me right into his face, which magnifies Black’s characteristic charisma.
Honorable Mention: The framing of the other bagpiper within the pipes of the first piper is eye-catching and demonstrates good seeing. I think focusing on the foreground subject might have made it work better for me, or a deeper depth of field.
GENERAL NEWS
First place: Great peak energy in this homecoming photo that gets an assist from the dueling expressions between her and the oversized face cutout in her hand.
Second place: A touching, intimate moment captured without being intrusive, putting the viewer’s heart right alongside that of the grieving mother.
Third place: Well-composed, strong image demonstrating the solidarity of the striking writers as they march. Honest emotion lifts it into the top three.
Honorable Mention 1: Tears aren’t always found at graduations, so it was nice to see a photographer looking for those intimate moments which otherwise might escape notice.
Honorable Mention 2: Kudos to the photographer for quick reflexes after spotting a family tossing their graduate into the air. That’s one that doesn’t happen too often.
PICTORIAL
First Place: The pure emotion captured made this rise straight up to the top.
Second Place: The variety from this sporting event for a picture story was a standout for sure.
Third Place: This was funny and good coverage of an event that was probably challenging.
HM: This was good coverage but the other entries were stronger and rose to the top
SPORTS ACTION
First place: Great Homeplate slide, loved seeing the faces of both players. The light, the dust, and the collision all came together to make an amazing photograph.
Second place: It was tight between this one and the first place winner. Kudos to the photographer for following through with the play, a great blink-and-you-miss-it moment captured with skill. What put it in second for me was it seemed a little looser than what I would have preferred, but still an incredible moment.
Third place: Good thinking, composition and reaction-time landed this wonderful picture into third.
HM1: I laughed when I saw this, made me remember all the infield balls I missed as a kid. Good reaction and nice crop.
HM2: Nice rough-and-tumble soccer image. Would have liked to have seen the image just a bit less hot in the toning.
SPORTS FEATURE
First place: There was something timeless and honest about this picture that drew me in. The pensive light, the nun’s expression, the drops of Holy Water all elevated this beautiful image.
Second place: The fans each rooting for their respective teams, sitting side-by-side at a bar, is a photo that’s representative of how sports can bring people together even when their teams are competing. Great moment.
Third place: There’s always lots of photos of people yelling in this category, but LeBron’s expression here takes it up another notch. Excellent capture of his passion and the release in the moment.
HM1: The coaches falling into the pool in celebration is a wonderful moment. Kudos to the photographer for quick thinking in anticipation of the moment.
HM2: A mysteriously playful image that captures the eye (no pun intended…, well, maybe) and holds it. Excellent tight composition mixing the diagonal of the arms and the framing of the eye is what elevated this for me.
SPOT NEWS
First Place: The hands coming in from all sides to the man being restrained, combined with the capture of his expression, elevated this picture to the top. Good compositional awareness in the midst of a chaotic moment.
Second Place: Nice, clean image with good emotion and interesting light.
Third Place: This is a nice daily spot news photo. The guys tee of Monroe does make this photo.
HM: The guy’s expression is great in this photo. Like it might be aimed at the photographer.
Meet our judge, Ron Erdrich
PPAGLA Contest Winners, judged by Ronald W. Erdrich, photojournalist for the Abilene Reporter-News/USA Today Network, twice-voted Star Photojournalist of the Year in the statewide Texas Managing Editors Association awards, and a judge in the 2022 Pictures of the Year, International Contest.