2025 Q3 Picture Essay

Points for Q3 PPAGLA Quarterly Contest 2025

Robert Gauthier                          540 Points

Ringo Chiu                                    500 Points

Jill Connelly                                   430 Points

Cristina Salvador Klenz               400 Points

David Swanson                             360 Points

Gina Ferrazi                                   320 Points

Mike Goulding                               260 Points

Robert Hanashiro                          210 Points

Thomas Cordova                            200 Points

Will Lester                                       190 Points

Keith Birmingham                          170 Points

Michael Coons                                140 Points

Scott Mitchell                                  110 Points

Patrick Fallon                                     90 Points

Terry Pierson                                      90 Points

Ghawam Kouchaki                             80 Points

Jonathan Alcorn                                  80 Points

Genaro Molina                                     60 Points

Paul Rodriguez                                      50 Points

Mindy Schauer                                       50 Points

William Liang                                           40 Points

Amy Gaskin                                              30 Points

Daniel Dreifuss                                         30 Points

Dana Rene White                                      20 Points

Sarah Reingewirtz                                      20 Points

Ronen Tivony                                               20 Points

Quarter 3 judges: Kent Porter and Christopher Chung

First place from a protest has good moments, but needs a tighter edit, as does the second place winner from a nude bike ride. Judges thought the entry was repetitive, but all solid images as a whole; don't be afraid to edit down. The ender was a nice moment, would've worked as a starter image too. Third place is a fun look at the fair with strong thematic moments. Looks like the Honorable Mention is a long-term project. Nicely done.

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First Place: Jill Connelly / Freelance

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A series of protests against ICE the Trump administration and their immigration raids by ICE officers unfolded in Los Angeles week after week throughout the summer and into the fall. People protested outside Home Depot, in front of City Hall, outside the Federal Building and in the streets. The protests have theatrical elements and different catchy names such as Good Trouble and Rage Against the Regime but they all have the same message of ICE out of LA and against the Trump administration policies. Many times the protests ended outside of Metropolitan Detention Center with confrontations between protesters and DHS and ICE officers who often responded with arrests, pepper spray and less than lethal weapons. Activists hold signs at a news conference outside Home Depot after the U.S. Supreme Court again backed President Donald Trump's hardline immigration approach by letting agents proceed with Southern California raids targeting people for deportation based on their race or language, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. September 8, 2025.

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Members of the Los Angeles chapter of Refuse Fascism participate in performance art called “The Disappeared/Los Desaparecidos” outside the Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles as part of the national Good Trouble day of action on July 17, 2025.

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A marine outside Metropolitan Detention Center following the national Good Trouble day of action on July 17, 2025 in Los Angeles.

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Demonstrators protest outside of City Hall as part of the national Good Trouble day of action on July 17, 2025 in Los Angeles.

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Protesters have a candlelight vigil outside City Hall as part of the national Good Trouble day of action on July 17, 2025 in Los Angeles.

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Protesters in the “Rage Against The Regime” protest gathered outside City Hall and marched to Metropolitan Detention Center with the band Ozomatli playing on a truck along the route and a giant balloon of Trump in a diaper on Aug. 2, 2025 in Downtown LA. The protest was organized by 50501So Cal and was part of a national protest today.

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A DHS Police officer yells at the crowd. About 200 protesters gathered outside City Hall on Labor Day and marched to Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles, where law enforcement officers including ICE and Department of Homeland Security Officers, peppered sprayed the crowd and detained one protester.

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A protester burns rubber as he rides a minibike outside LAPD Headquarters. About 200 protesters gathered outside City Hall on Labor Day and marched to Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles, where law enforcement officers including ICE and Department of Homeland Security Officers, peppered sprayed the crowd and detained one protester.

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A DHS officer pepper sprays the crowd through the fence at Metropolitan Detention Center. About 200 protesters gathered outside City Hall on Labor Day and marched to Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles, where law enforcement officers including ICE and Department of Homeland Security Officers, peppered sprayed the crowd and detained one protester.

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A protester yells at DHS Police officers outside Metropolitan Detention Center. About 200 protesters gathered outside City Hall on Labor Day and marched to Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles, where law enforcement officers including ICE and Department of Homeland Security Officers, peppered sprayed the crowd and detained one protester.

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ICE officers detain a man after chasing him down near Metropolitan Detention Center.About 200 protesters gathered outside City Hall on Labor Day and marched to Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles, where law enforcement officers including ICE and Department of Homeland Security Officers, peppered sprayed the crowd and detained one protester.

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Second Place: Ringo Chiu / Freelance

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Participants prepare in the World Naked Bike Ride where nude cyclists ride through Downtown Lo Angeles on Sept. 13, 2025.

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Participants prepare in the World Naked Bike Ride where nude cyclists ride through Downtown Lo Angeles on Sept. 13, 2025.

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Participants prepare in the World Naked Bike Ride where nude cyclists ride through Downtown Lo Angeles on Sept. 13, 2025.

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Participants prepare in the World Naked Bike Ride where nude cyclists ride through Downtown Lo Angeles on Sept. 13, 2025.

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Participants prepare in the World Naked Bike Ride where nude cyclists ride through Downtown Lo Angeles on Sept. 13, 2025.

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Participants prepare in the World Naked Bike Ride where nude cyclists ride through Downtown Lo Angeles on Sept. 13, 2025.

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Participants wait in the World Naked Bike Ride where nude cyclists ride through Downtown Lo Angeles on Sept. 13, 2025.

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Participants prepare in the World Naked Bike Ride where nude cyclists ride through Downtown Lo Angeles on Sept. 13, 2025.

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Nude cyclists ride through Downtown Lo Angeles in the World Naked Bike Ride on Sept. 13, 2025.

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Nude cyclists ride through Downtown Lo Angeles in the World Naked Bike Ride on Sept. 13, 2025.

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Nude cyclists ride past Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Lo Angeles in the World Naked Bike Ride on Sept. 13, 2025.

Third Place: Mike Goulding / Freelance

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Two little girls share the thrill of a small roller-coaster in the KiddieLand area of the Orange County Fair on August 13, 2025.The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

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A young Future Farmer of America checks out the competition in the beef category as one steer enters the show ring on July 23, 2025. The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

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A couple of fair goers are making memories and photos in one of the many photo booths found throughout the fair on August 1, 2025 .The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

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Why have one donut when you can have seven? Fair food is a big part of the fair experience, it certainly was for this young boy on July 24, 2025.The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

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Rides and concessions along the fair’s midway begin to blur in the twilight as night falls and the fair transforms on July19, 2025.The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

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This mom watches in horror as her tower of stuffed animals she built on her stroller begins to fall on August 1, 2025.The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

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The owner of the Grand Champion pig gets congratulated by one of the auctioneers as he exits the show ring with his prized swine on July 26, 2025. The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

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These riders appear to fleeing the jaws of King Kong with the same primal scream as they make their drop down a large water chute at the Orange County Fair on July 20, 2025.The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

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Far from the maddening crowd and thick barbecue smoke this couple captures a selfie capturing of their shared alone time moment on August 9, 2025.The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

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One of the young visitors at the fair’s petting zoo gets trapped by overly zealous goats looking for food. The child was unharmed in the adventure on July 23, 2025.The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

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Some of the contestants from the funnel cake eating contest finish up, celebrate and clean up all in a beam of late afternoon sun on August 1, 2025.The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

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As the Joker laughs, one rider goes barefoot while riding on one of the many thrill rides in the fair’s midway on July 19, 2025.The Orange County Fair, which takes place every July/August is a throwback to Southern California’s small-town history - livestock competitions, carnival rides, and eating contests.

Honorable Mention: Cristina Salvador Klenz / FREELANCE

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. Gregory Madeira’s, 62, is homeless and living off Long Beach Boulevard in North Long Beach with his dog, Kaety. He says, “It’s a messed up world we live in, but I love life.”

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. A woman looks up while suspended over a wall and appeared to be looking through a dumpster.

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. Evette Cruz sleeps on the sidewalk off Cedar Avenue and Anaheim Street.

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. This young woman stopped on the corner of Linden Avenue and Fifth Street to collect some of the articles she dropped. She had been collecting items from nearby trashcans.

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. Lisa, who says she is in her 40s, said that she was pulling her hair because she has a stab wound and that she has three children she left behind in Colorado, “I miss my babies so much.”

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. A man, who is covered with a sheet, is on the sidewalk near Pacific Avenue just south of Anaheim Street in Long Beach.

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. Luther, who said he doe not have a last name, is 56 years old and said, “I like it out here.”

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. A man sitting on a bus bench shares a loaf of bread while a third man sleeps on the sidewalk nearby along Anaheim Street in Long Beach.

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. Edic reminisces about Richard a middle-aged man who recently died and was part of a circle of friends who spend time on Park Court off Anaheim Street in Long Beach. The wreath near the wall was placed to honor of Richard’s life.

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. An individual sleeps under a tree on Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach.

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. Louis is 30-years-old and has lived on the streets for about six years. The photograph was taken on Anaheim Street just west of Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach.

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Photos From My Car - Long Beach - is a photo essay of images I take during my travels driving through both Long Beach and Signal Hill California. All the images are taken from within my vehicle and depict the current plights of Long Beach residents. Like many U.S. cities, Long Beach’s homeless population has increased and the city will receive about $24 million in LA County Measure A funds and $11 million from the State of California’s Encampment Resolution Funding targeting vulnerable homeless communities and encampments along the LA riverbed. An individual who did not want to share their name, was among two other people spending time outside First Friends Church in Long Beach.

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Meet your judgeS

Judges are Kent Porter and Christopher Chung, staff photographers with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.  Both were on the team which won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Sonoma County.  With nearly 80 years of combined photojournalism experience, they have judged numerous contests and are consistent winners in CNPA's Better Newspaper competition.