2021 Qtr. 2 Photo Essay

Marcia Prouse, Quarter 2 Judge

Judges Notes on winners – All three winners (of the four total entries) were from the border. It was interesting to see how each photographer approached their storytelling. Each had several memorable photos in their entries. In the end, I got more of a sense of place and the experience from the first place winner.

First place

That tennis shoe photo was a compelling ender.

Second place

The opening photo and no. 5 are two of the most compelling photos of any category in this quarter's contest. A reader can feel what the subjects are feeling. That is the power of visual storytelling.

Third place

This one would have benefitted from more detail in the cutlines. There were many strong photos that left me trying to understand what was going on in the images. Some of the best images, the most poignant, were at the end of this essay. I might have edited differently so that some of the humanity was sprinkled throughout.

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First Place: Ringo Chiu, Agence France-Presse

Immigration Border Crossings

A mexican flag is seen behind the wall separating the United States and Mexico near the the San Luis Port of Entry on May 12, 2021 in San Luis, Arizona.

Immigration Border Crossings

A Border Patrol agent stands by the wall separating the United States and Mexico on May 12, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona.

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Migrants from Columbia wave their hands after crossing the United States and Mexico border to turn themselves over to authorities on May 13, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona.

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Migrants from Guatemala walk cross the border wall between the United States and Mexico after they turned themselves over to authorities at the border May 12, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona.

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Migrants from Columbia wait to be processed after turn themselves over to authorities at the United States and Mexico border May 12, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona.

A migrant from Cuba, kisses and feeds her daughter with water as they wait to be processed after turn themselves over to authorities at the United States and Mexico border May 13, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona.

Immigration Border Crossings

A migrant from Columbia shows his injured hand to a Border Patrol agent after turning himself over to authorities on May 13, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona.

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Young migrants from Columbia wait to be processed after turn themselves over to authorities at the United States and Mexico border May 12, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona.

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Border Patrol agents check and search migrants from Guatemala, after they turn themselves over to authorities at the United States and Mexico border May 12, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona.

Immigration Border Crossings

Personal belongings wait to board a van after migrants from Cuba turning themselves over to authorities at the border between the United States and Mexico on May 13, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona.

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A young migrant from Cuba sits in a van after she was with parents crossing the United States and Mexico border to turn themselves to authorities on May 13, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona.

Immigration Border Crossings

Shoes are left on the wall separating the United States and Mexico on May 12, 2021 in Yuma, Arizona.

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Second Place: Don Bartletti, Freelance

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CONTROLLED ANARCHY. This gate in the $-multi-million border fence built during the Trump Administration has become the Holy Grail of sorts for immigrants from throughout Latin America. The barrier runs parallel to the Colorado River but is 100 yards inside Arizona. Consequently it draws hundreds of people a day to simply walk across the mostly dry river bottom and land on U.S. territory. Ñ Two Cuban nationals fall to their knees after scaling the fence in San Luis, Arizona. They and 2 companions climbed to the top and squeezed through an existing cut in the barbed wire. They later explained that the stunt was a spontaneous celebration to mark the end of a 4-month journey from Cuba and through Central America and Mexico. After bowing in prayer they waited patiently for the U.S. Border Patrol to arrive and hear their pleas for asylum.

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APRIL 21, 2021. SAN LUIS, ARIZONA. A group of Brazilian nationals walk along the U.S./Mexico border fence where it is 100 yards inside U.S. territory. They are rushing towards a gate thatÕs 2.5 miles from where they illegally crossed from Mexico - and where they will wait to be taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol. All will make a plea for asylum.

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MAY 2, 2021. SAN LUIS, ARIZONA. A group of men, women and children with pants wet up to the knees stop for an approaching U.S. Border Patrol agent. They illegally crossed into San Luis, Arizona from Mexico through the shallows of the Colorado River just over the levee in the background. Hundreds of undocumented immigrants from throughout Latin America have been giving up along this easily breached portion of the border and pleading for asylum.

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APRIL 22, 2021. SAN LUIS, ARIZONA. Cuban and Venezuelans surrender to U.S. Border Patrol agents where the border fence is so far inside Arizona that it has become an uncontested route from Mexico to the U.S. for hundreds of migrants every day.

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APRIL 22, 2021. SAN LUIS, ARIZONA. Venezuelan national Francisco Gonzalez, 59 dries his tears in his grandsonÕs infant onesie that was sent by his daughter in Memphis, Tennessee. The garment humorously reads, ÒI Just Arrived But IÕm Already the BossÓ. Gonzalez said political and economic conditions in Venezuela are no joke and forced his family to flee with dreams of reuniting with those who left before them.

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APRIL 21, 2021. SAN LUIS, ARIZONA. After surrendering to Border Patrol agents in San Luis, AZ, a family of Brazilians clutch their passports and U.S. government questionnaires. One person said that illegally entering the country was simple, but they agonized his plea for asylum was far from assured.

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MAY 2, 2021. SAN LUIS, ARIZONA. Three Brazilian children from the DeCarvalho family peer through the 30-ft-high U.S./Mexico border fence. Their parents led them into San Luis, Arizona through an unsecured gap in the barrier where they made a plea for asylum.

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MAY 2, 2021. SAN LUIS, ARIZONA. U.S. Border Patrol field agent I. Piceno copies information from the passport of one of 50 undocumented immigrants who made an easy but illegal crossing into Arizona. They all trekked 2.5 miles along a pathway between the fence line and a Colorado River canal. Hundreds of migrants from throughout Latin American arrive here every day and plea for asylum. One frustrated agent quipped, ÒI got into this business for law enforcement. Now IÕm a baby sitter.Ó

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Third place: eric thayer, freelance

U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border fence near Yuma, Arizona, April 21, 2021. Through May of this year, the United States Border Patrol counted 929,868 encounters with migrants along the border with Mexico. ThatÕs nearly as many as in all of 2019, and on pace to double 2018 numbers when the June numbers are released. News reports have indicated Border Patrol officials unofficially said that number has already crossed one million for the year. Border Patrol Agents from the El Centro sector and Yuma sector apprehend those crossing illegally, many of whom surrender with the intent of seeking asylum.

Migrants who illegally crossed the border are apprehended by Border Patrol at the U.S.-Mexico border fence in Calexico, California, on Thursday, April 8, 2021.

U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border fence near Yuma, Arizona, April 21, 2021.

Asylum seeking migrants who crossed the border illegally surrender to U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border fence near Yuma, Arizona, April 21, 2021.

Asylum seeking migrants who crossed the border illegally surrender to U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border fence near Yuma, Arizona, April 23, 2021.

Asylum seeking migrants who crossed the border illegally surrender to U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border fence near Yuma, Arizona, April 23, 2021.

Asylum seeking migrants who illegally crossed the border are apprehended by Border Patrol at the U.S.-Mexico border fence in Calexico, California, on Thursday, April 8, 2021.

Asylum seeking migrants who crossed the border illegally surrender to U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border fence near Yuma, Arizona, April 23, 2021.

A man who illegally crossed the border is apprehended by Border Patrol at the U.S.-Mexico border fence in Calexico, California, on Thursday, April 8, 2021.

Asylum seeking migrants who illegally crossed the border surrender to U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border fence near Yuma, Arizona, April 21, 2021.

U.S. Border Patrol agents at the U.S.-Mexico border fence near Yuma, Arizona, April 22, 2021.

The U.S.-Mexico border fence near Yuma, Arizona, April 21, 2021.

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Meet Our Judge, Marcia Prouse

Marcia Prouse started her professional career as a photo editor and deputy director of photography at the Detroit Free Press. She was part of the picture editing team that edited two Pulitzer Prize-winning entries for Feature Photography, in addition to three finalists. That team was also honored with the Angus McDougall Award in picture editing in POY. Marcia returned to California to the Orange County Register as a photo editor, Director of Photography, Sunday Editor, Page One editor, and finally, Assistant Managing Editor/Page One and Photography. In 2014, she moved to the Tennessean in Nashville, eventually becoming Visuals and Storytelling Coach.

Marcia got hooked on photojournalism when she was required to take a photo class for her journalism education major at Arizona State University. After brief stints, mostly as a photographer, at the now-defunct Simi Valley Enterprise and Camarillo Daily News, she completed the master's program at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, where she produced the book, "Arrow Rock: 20th Century Frontier Town."

Since retiring from the Tennessean earlier this year, she has been freelance editing, coaching photographers and teaching. She just returned from Alaska, the 50th state she has visited.