2020 Qtr. 2 Singles
Khai Le
Contest Judging Quarter 2, 2020
“Sometimes it’s about seeing a photo that I’ve never seen before. Sometimes it’s the photo that I’ve seen before but done better. Often it’s a photo that I wish I made myself.
And sometimes it’s just a part of history. That one is hard, because so many of these photos are part of this strange present, and will be historic no matter if it places in this contest or not. I am in awe of the bravery of many of the photographers, putting themselves in harms way to bring the Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter truths to us. We don’t see what it took for the photographer to be in that place at that moment, or the emotional toll it is taking on the photographer. What a stressful job.”
-Ellen Jaskol, Quarter 2 judge
General News
First Place: Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News
Eric Puestow of Pasadena with his 1 1/2 year-old daughter Simone holds his fist up as she holds onto his hand as thousands of demonstrators caravan to the Pasadena City Hall to protest and hold a vigil after the death of George Floyd, a black man who was in police custody in Minneapolis in Pasadena on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
Second Place: Raul Roa, The Daily Pilot/LA Times
St. Joachim Catholic Church Pastor Father Mike Hanifin makes the sign of the cross for a parishioner during a drive-through confession event at their location in Costa Mesa on Saturday, May 23, 2020.
Third Place: Thomas R Cordova, Long Beach Post
Kevin Anderson stands toe to toe with a Long Beach police officer as he sheds a tear during a protest of the death of George Floyd, in Long Beach Sunday, May 31, 2020. At Broadway and Pine, purposely inches away from police officers blocking protesters. Anderson said he wasn’t scared; he doesn’t live in fear. Regardless, as he stared into the eyes of armed officers, emotion got the better of him and he began to cry. He said that at the moment, he was overwhelmed by so much that was running through his mind, one being that black men like him have no power when interacting with police.
Honorable Mention: Christina House, Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES-CA-APRIL 9, 2020: Pastor J. Edgar Boyd films a "fireside chat" in an empty chapel at First A.M.E church in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 9, 2020. Pastor Boyd has urged his congregation to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic after recent reports that black people die of Covid-19 at a higher rate.
Honorable Mention: Gina Ferazzi, Los Angeles Times
FONTANA, CA - MAY 30, 2020: Donald and Angie Autrey of Rancho Cucamonga pray before services begin at the reopening of the Water of Life Community Church during the coronavirus pandemic on May 30, 2020 in Fontana, California. The chairs have been covered in plastic and spaced out for social distancing. The stadium seating will not be used only the floor seating at 20% capacity. The plastic will be thrown out and new plastic used for each service.
Honorable Mention: Kent Nishimura, Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 02: LAPD Commander Gerald Woodyard takes a knee with clergy members from the Los Angeles area as they participate in a march in downtown Los Angeles to LA City Hall and LAPD Headquarters on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA. Protests erupted across the country, with people outraged over the death of George Floyd, a black man killed after a white Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground with his knee.
Honorable Mention: Mark J. Terrill, Associated Press
The shadows of demonstrators are seen as a Los Angeles police officer stands in front of them during a protest over the death of George Floyd, Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Los Angeles. Floyd died in police custody on Memorial Day in Minneapolis.
Honorable Mention: Thomas R Cordova, Long Beach Post
Jalysa Perez gets overwhelmed as she wipes tears during a Millikan High School drive-thru graduation ceremony at the school in Long Beach Thursday, June 11, 2020.
Honorable Mention: Jay L. Clendenin, Los Angeles Times
HERMOSA BEACH, CA - MAY 01: Ashley Puida, left and Aaron Reed, Hermosa Beach residents, led a group of dozens, onto the sand south of the Hermosa Beach Pier, following a vocal gathering and protest on Pier Plaza in Hermosa Beach, CA, on May Day, Friday, May 1, 2020, voicing their disagreement with California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s closure of beaches, during the coronavirus pandemic. The Hermosa residents were joined by about 100 people in chanting to “open the beach,” and then a march to the sand and eventually water, near the Hermosa Beach Pier. The crowd enjoyed the water and sand for about 25 minutes before leaving, under threat of citation from the Hermosa Beach Police Department.
Honorable Mention: Kent Nishimura, Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 30: Law enforcement evict people from the Whole Foods in the Fairfax District on Saturday, May 30, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA. Protests erupted across the country, with people outraged over the death of George Floyd, a black man killed after a white Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground with his knee.
Honorable Mention:Ringo Chiu, Freelance
Demonstrators greet members of the National Guard as they march along Hollywood Boulevard during a protest over the death of George Floyd who died May 25 after he was restrained by Minneapolis police, Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Honorable Mention: Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG
Black Lives Matters supporter Michelle Usher and a Santa Ana police officer share a moment together while holding hands outside the Hall of Administration on Tuesday, June 23, 2020. Usher was trying to keep several dozen protesters peaceful after a counter protester grabbed a sign and ripped it. Later in the day Usher brought some officers to tears when she asked them if they thought she was a bad person, as a counter protester suggested. The Orange County Board of Supervisors were meeting inside where the public addressed issues such as coronavirus-mandated masks, and defunding the police.
Feature
First Place: Michael Coons, The Acorn Newspapers
A gopher tries to escape from a crow near Westlake Elementary School in Westlake Village, Calif. on April 8, 2020. The gopher was able to escape into their hole in the ground.
Second Place: Ringo Chiu, Freelance
A LAPD motorcycle officer rides past the latest mural created by Mr. Brainwash that tells America to remain hopeful in the time of the coronavirus pandemic in Los Angeles on June 24, 2020.
Third Place: Jay L. Clendenin, Los Angeles Times
MANHATTAN BEACH, CA - JUNE 11: Sophia Strauss,17, left and Sarah Hoffmeister,17, right, celebrate following their drive-through graduation from Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, CA, and a walk along the Strand path from Hermosa Beach Pier to the Manhattan Beach Pier, right, on Thursday, June 11, 2020. While Hoffmeister is headed to Westmont College in the fall, Strauss is undecided on her plans.
Honorable Mention: Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG
Sande Gatherum gets the surprise of a life time for her 80th birthday, a drive by birthday party from family and friends in Riverside on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.
Honorable Mention: APU GOMES, AFP
A woman watches the sunset on a nearly empty Venice Beach, which remains closed along with all other Los Angeles County beaches under stay-at-home orders amid the coronavirus pandemic on April 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.
Honorable Mention: Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG
Citizens patrol volunteer Carol Simmons gets a fist bump from Nuview Bridge Early College High School senior Stephanie Perez after school staff and volunteers put a graduation banner at her home in Nuevo on Saturday, May 9, 2020.
Portrait
First Place: Thomas R Cordova, Long Beach Post
Long Beach local artist Vlad paints on boards on a building at the corner of Broadway and Long Beach Blvd in Long Beach Monday, June 22, 2020. The piece will be called Kids in Cages. We need this. We need this so the people who are angry like that, who don’t take the time to think, can see something that will stop them and actually calm them down, Noel said.
Second Place: Ringo Chiu, Freelance
AP photo editor Richard Vogel poses fin the window of his home during the Covid-19 crisis in Panorama City, California, Tuesday, April 21, 2020.
Third Place: Thomas R Cordova, Long Beach Post
.Duke Givens at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Long Beach Tuesday, June 23, 2020. When meeting Long Beach photographer Duke Givens, one is immediately confronted by a gravitational charisma suffused with resonant optimism. It is not a naive optimism by any stretch his experiences in Desert Storm and with gang violence alone are proof that Givens life has been anything but tree-lined streets and white picket fences but one enveloped in some hard truths.
Pictorial
A new category for 2020: A graphic image that expresses beauty, tension and other abstract concepts through composition and tonal and color relationships more than through human interaction.
First Place: Jay L. Clendenin, Los Angeles Times
HERMOSA BEACH, CA - APRIL 26: Bioluminescent waves glow off the coast of Hermosa Beach, CA, Sunday, April 26, 2020. The phenomenon is associated with a red tide, or an algae bloom, filled with dinoflagellates which react with bioluminescence when jostled by the moving water. During the daytime, due to the pigmentation of the dinoflagellates, the water can turn a deep red, brown, or orange color, giving red tides their name.
Second Place: Raul Roa, The Daily Pilot/LA Times
A hiker is seen on boulders as the setting sun lights up the sky at Joshua Tree National Park on Sunday, June 21, 2020.
Third Place: Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
A honey bee carries pollen from a blooming daisy in the wildflower garden outside of Yucaipa City Hall on a warm spring Wednesday morning April 15, 2020.
Honorable Mention: Michael Nelson, Freelance
A grasshopper chews through a Bird of Paradise plant in a garden in Topanga, California.
Honorable Mention: Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG
A colorful rainbow fills the sky as a graffitied Union Pacific freight train moves on the tracks along San Timoteo Canyon Road near Alessandro Road after heart rains in Redlands on Wednesday, April 8, 2020.
Honorable Mention: Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News
Rental cars line the parking lot at Dodger Stadium as the MLB baseball season is on hold during the Coronavirus Pandemic in Los Angeles on Friday, April 03, 2020.
Spot News
First Place: Ringo Chiu, Freelance
A protester tries to stop others from attacking a police vehicle during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Los Angeles, Saturday, May 30, 2020. Protests across the country have escalated over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.
Second Place: Mark J. Terrill, Associated Press
Los Angeles Police Department commander Cory Palka, right, talks to another officer as they walk by a police car on fire during a protest over the death of George Floyd, Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Los Angeles. Floyd died in police custody on Memorial Day in Minneapolis.
Third Place: Ringo Chiu, Freelance
A man jumps on a burning police vehicle in Los Angeles, Saturday, May 30, 2020, during a protest over the death of George Floyd. Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on Memorial Day.
Honorable Mention: Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
A protester lays injured after being hit with a projectile fired by Riverside law enforcement Monday night June 1, 2020 in downtown Riverside after protesters failed to disperse during a protest for the death of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police.
Honorable Mention: Keith Birmingham,
Los Angeles Firefighters knock down a structure fire at 327 E Boyd St and 3rd street after an explosion and a mayday was dispatched as multiple firefighters were injured in Los Angeles on Saturday, May 16, 2020.
Honorable Mention:Ringo Chiu, Freelance
Demonstrators help a man who was sitting on a police car and injured by falling onto the ground during a protest for George Floyd in downtown Los Angeles Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
Honorable Mention: Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
A Riverside County Sheriff grabs a protester blocking a SWAT vehicle Monday June 1, 2020 in downtown Riverside as protesters failed to disperse during a protest for the death of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police.
Honorable Mention: SCOTT MITCHELL
George Floyd Protest City Hall A protester waves a donut on a string at members of the LAPD during a peaceful protest of the killing of George Floyd, City Hall, Los Angeles, CA, USA, June 5, 2020
Honorable Mention: Gina Ferazzi, Los Angeles Times
RIVERSIDE, CA - JUNE 1, 2020: Demonstrators retreat as Riverside County Sheriffs fire pepper pellets after law enforcement announced an unlawful assembly and protesters did not leave during the coronavirus pandemic on June 1, 2020 in Riverside, California. Thousands of protesters marched through the street of downtown Riverside and police alloyed them to stay 90 minutes after the 6pm curfew.
Entertainment
First Place: Gina Ferazzi, Los Angeles Times
RIVERSIDE, CA- APRIL 29, 2020:Kat Bristow, 12, sits at the piano in the Roth’s living room playing the flute during music class taught by her neighbor music producer Gabe Roth during home school in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic on April 29, 2020 in Riverside, California. The Bristow’s, Roth’s and Furbush’s, who are also neighbors, have quarantined together and are home schooling the 8 children amongst them using the parents as teachers. They’ve named the school “Brothbush Academy” coined from the families’ last names.
Second Place: Mark J. Terrill, Associated Press
Justin Buchman, left, and Becki Dennis Buchman dance as they dine in the parking lot of Vitellos Italian restaurant, Saturday, May 23, 2020, in Los Angeles. Customers at Vitellos are reserving parking spaces, bringing their own tables and even fine china to enjoy an al fresco takeout meal on the asphalt outside the Italian restaurant.
Third Place: Kent Nishimura, Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 06: Bartender Benny Cortez checks a glass at Faith & Flower in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, June 6, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA. As restrictions are lifted and businesses and the economy start to re-open, restaurants are putting in place rules to ensure proper social distancing and the health and safety of guests.
Sports Features
First Place: Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG
Above the rim during a game of horse for this basketball player as he goes up for a layup at Al Guhin Park in San Bernardino on Wednesday, June 24, 2020.
Second Place: Jay L. Clendenin, Los Angeles Times
REDONDO BEACH, CA - JUNE 17: Jennie Reynoso works out in her “Gainz Pod,” during Peet Sapsin’s “HIIT” class, which stands for high intensity interval training, at Sapsin’s Inspire South Bay Fitness, in Redondo Beach, CA, on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. In this time of coronavirus, Sapsin’s wife Trinh came up with the pod idea and after researching costs, realized they could build what they needed for safety and distance with PVC piping and shower curtains. The couple built nine of their “Gainz Pods” for the studio, conducting in-person classes and still doing some Zoom classes.
Third Place: Gina Ferazzi, Los Angeles Times
REDONDO BEACH, CA - JUNE 17: Jennie Reynoso works out in her “Gainz Pod,” during Peet Sapsin’s “HIIT” class, which stands for high intensity interval training, at Sapsin’s Inspire South Bay Fitness, in Redondo Beach, CA, on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. In this time of coronavirus, Sapsin’s wife Trinh came up with the pod idea and after researching costs, realized they could build what they needed for safety and distance with PVC piping and shower curtains. The couple built nine of their “Gainz Pods” for the studio, conducting in-person classes and still doing some Zoom classes.
Honorable Mention: Gina Ferazzi, Los Angeles Times
DANA POINT, CA - JUNE 27, 2020: Siblings of Max Tuerk, Natalie, left, and Abby, middle, hug a friend before a memorial paddle out for former USC football star Tuerk who died suddenly at age 26 while hiking with his family last week at Salt Creek Beach on June 27, 2020 in Dana Point, California.
Sports Action
First Place: Ringo Chiu, Freelance
Demonstrators play basketball with a hoop mounted on a school bus during in a protest over the death of George Floyd who died May 25 after he was restrained by Minneapolis police, Saturday, June 6, 2020, in downtown Los Angeles.
Second Place: Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG
Full court press for basketball players as they fill the courts to play hoops at Sycamore Highlands Park as the sun sets in Riverside on Sunday, June 28, 2020.
Third Place: Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Full court press for basketball players as they fill the courts to play hoops at Sycamore Highlands Park as the sun sets in Riverside on Sunday, June 28, 2020.
Judge’s Notes & Bio
FEATURE
First Place: The crow and the gopher. Besides being a crazy moment, it’s clean and well-done. The photographer used a 600mm lens, so there’s absolutely no clutter in the photo.
Second Place: I did a double-take on this one—it really looks like the police officer is riding with the hope ribbon on the end of the motorcycle. I recropped it on the left and right, so that on the left, its cropped right at the edge of the Kobe mural, to clean up the stuff on the left. And then a little on the right just to balance that out.
Third Place: I took it from of the photo story and put it here because it was a great moment. And funny, with the gown lifting up as they’re running towards the water, to reveal her bathing suit. The photo story wasn’t going to place, but I wanted this photo to be noticed.
HM: Drive-by 80th Birthday. Love the expressions on everyone, and the confetti that didn’t block anyone’s faces. There were other drive-by celebrations in this contest that were also wonderful. This one just edged out the others.
HM: A lovely beach photo. Quiet, and centered, literally and figuratively.
HM: Another graduation-ish photo. A nice moment of connection, with a chain-link fence between the two people.
PORTRAIT
First & Third Place: and both by same photographer, who really had a thoughtful and creative approach to both photos AND the captions were phenomenal, with rich details, one with a quote, and one with some history of the subject. And both were portraits I had never seen before, with great location lighting. Love the use of the spray paint in the 1st place pic.
Second Place: A “porch portrait” of an AP photo editor. I love how he is holding up his own light, and perhaps he’s on the phone with the photographer while the photo is being made, so he’s totally participating in the process. He is a photo editor, after all. Of course the cat and the messy (sorry!) porch adds to the story of the subject.
Third Place: See 1st place explanation.
ENTERTAINMENT
First Place: Music Lessons During Covid. A girl playing the flute during a music lesson at home. It’s just a beautiful photo. It’s not straighforward, with reflections and blurs surrounding her. She is focused, and has lovely rim-lighting outlining her face.
Second Place: I moved this photo into entertainment, because this couple is providing their own entertainment, dancing in the parking lot by their make-shift dinner table. Really a sweet scene.
Third Place: I stole this one out of a photo story that didn’t place, even though the photos were all excellent. This unexpected photo stood out, as a bartender with a face mask and face guard meticulously cleaning a wine glass in an upscale restaurant, with a huge mural of an (unmasked) woman on the back wall.
GENERAL NEWS
I had a hard time picking 1st, 2nd and 3rd out of these top three.
First Place: Fighting for justice for Black Lives, for today and for the future generations. It’s so simple but the image just resonates with me. Great caption.
Second Place: Another image I haven’t seen before. A drive-thru confessional. I like that we can’t see the driver’s face. Well done.
Third Place: A police officer and a BLM protestor, staring at each other, and as the excellent caption describes, the protestor felt the gravity of the movement and teared up.
HM: A pastor speaking to an empty chapel because of Covid. The streaky TV lights add to the scene.
HM: Nice moment of a couple praying in a church surround by chairs covered in plastic.
HM: Funny photo of a couple enjoying some time on the sand after protesting the state-wide closure of beaches. Great composition, color and moment.
PICTORIAL
First Place: Bioluminescent wave, with great composition.
Second Place: Not just a beautiful silhouette. But in the context of Covid, it’s inspiring to see someone finding beauty in times of isolation.
Third Place: Great moment, with the pollen falling off of the bees stash.
HM: Great shadow and framing.
HM: What a serendipitous moment. You can’t plan that.
HM: It was an unexpected photo, with the cars in the Dodger Stadium parking lot, and no one inside the stadium. Great angle to show the juxtaposition.
SPORTS ACTION
A tough category in a time without a lot of sports going on.
First Place: I moved this from sports feature because it’s an action photo, and since there are two others at the same event that are also both action, I thought it best to all be in the same category. I love this angle, with all the layers, taken from inside the bus at a BLM demonstration.
SPORTS FEATURE
First Place: The shadow is so perfect it looks like an athletic company’s logo.
Second Place: Working out in a square bubble. Love the strange shadow—is it from the bright daylight casting onto the clear plastic shower curtain in front of her? It adds to the interest.
Third Place: Nice shot of mourners in the ocean for a memorial of former football player.
SPOT NEWS
A hard category to pick out first, second, third, and HM, for sure. They’re all good.
First Place: She’s a brave soul to get between protesters and a police car. Great intense emotion.
Second Place: Great photo.
Third Place: Great moment.
Meet our judge, Ellen Jaskol
Up until early 2009, I was a newspaper photographer and photo editor at the Rocky Mountain News in Denver for 17 years, where our photo team won two Pulitzer Prizes, and before that I was at the Los Angeles Times, as staff photographer and photo editor, following three photo internships there in 1983/1984, and then lots of freelancing for them before finally getting hired. In 2010 and 2011, I spent some time in Afghanistan and Pakistan, photographing children, teachers, and communities in schools for the Central Asia Institute, co-founded by Greg Mortenson, who wrote the book "Three Cups of Tea." Currently I have my own photography business, doing mostly corporate work, and I am completely grateful for it.
