White House News Photographers Association, Washington, DC 
Interview with Diego James Robles, this year’s WHNPA student photographer of the year. He’s just starting a new job as a staff photographer with the Denver Post.
Campaign Desk, Transparency — March 25, 2010 04:00 PM
No Handouts: White House photographers bridle at restricted access
By Clint Hendler
DC Shoot Off Thanks WHNPA
I want to thank all our WHNPA members for coming out to support this year’s educational event in supporting our military and civil service photographers. Once again many of you have given freely in the spirit of mentorship and for that many are thankful and our community stronger. Jason Brunson, our event association president wanted to address you all for your time and dedication.
Respectfully,
Johnny Bivera
Founder & Executive Director
DC Shoot Off
This year’s Fifth Annual DC Shoot Off was an enormous success. With over 80 students and a staff of 60 volunteers a lot of valuable lessons were learned and perhaps equally as important, many lasting friendships were born.
The spirit of the Shoot Off is and has always been, passing on the knowledge as freely as it was received. And wow, it is truly a wonderful thing to see how the hard work of the staff along with the outstanding support we continually receive from our sponsors came together to make this event the wonderful experience that it is.
I want to personally thank all the judges, speakers and mentors from the White House News Photographers Association and to all the students who participated. The workshop has grown quite a bit over the last five years and I’ve heard several participants say it gets better every year.
You can help us continue to raise the bar by spreading the word and by marking yourcalendar now. We look forward to seeing you all again next year. Thank you.
Sincerely,
MC1(AW) R. Jason Brunson
President, DC Chapter
National Association of Naval Photography
Members, did you receive your dinner invitation in the mail? If not, here’s a PDF version. Be sure to R.S.V.P. by May 1st. Download and mail in your ticket requests.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
The Ritz-Carlton, 1150 22nd Street, N.W., Washington, DC
Reception 6:30 p.m., Dinner 8:00 p.m.
Drinks and dancing until 1:00 a.m.
Black Tie
RESERVATIONS CODE — GALA WEEKEND, RITZ CARLTON HOTEL If you wish to reserve a room at the Ritz Carlton for the WHNPA Gala, book online (http://www.ritzcarlton.com) and type in the following code: whnwhna. Select the dates of the reservation (must be May 15-16) and you will receive the special rate of $199.
Photo/Brendan Hoffman
REMINDER
Photos on the Deck: DC Photographers in Haiti
Photography Exhibit Sunday, March 28, 2010 at 7:00pm -midnight
Location: Marvin Bistro & Bar (2007 14th St. NW)
When a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, killing more than 200,000 people, photojournalists from Washington, DC traveled to Port-au-Prince to document the rescue and recovery efforts. Some were on the ground in less than 24 hours, and others have already returned multiple times. What they brought back is horrific, gripping, touching, and most importantly, real.
photo/Astrid Riecken
Their pictures show the shock and horror visited on Haiti, but also the broad international response, the humanity and resilience of the Haitian people, and the deep emotional scars that will long outlast any physical damage. You’re invited to see Haiti through the eyes of some of the country’s top photojournalists, presenting their own personal edit of their work, with donation options available for the UN World Food Program and Project Hope, both doing amazing work to help the earthquake victims in Haiti.
photo/Allison Shelley
Featured Photographers: Brendan Hoffman (Corbis), Benjamin Myers (Corbis), Shawn Thew (epa), Kevin Dietsch (UPI), Win McNamee (Getty), Gary Fabiano, Sipa Press; David Gilkey (NPR), Jonathan Ernst, Chip Somodevilla (Getty), Allison Shelley (Polaris/Project HOPE), Astrid Riecken (Project HOPE) , Rod Lamkey, Jr.
Everyone’s invited — bring your friends.
Photo/Gary Fabiano, Sipa Press
Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.
And speaking of Haiti …
The WHNPA web site also is highlighting some of our members’ work in Haiti. We’ve just added a new batch of images to the slideshow. Nine WHNPA members are currently represented.
Visit the WHNPA member gallery for a sampling of the remarkable coverage of the Haitian earthquake and its aftermath by WHNPA members. Our thanks to David Gilkey, NPR; Carol Guzy, The Washington Post; Gerald Herbert, AP; Brendan Hoffman, Corbis; Nikki Kahn, The Washington Post; Rod Lamkey, Jr, freelancer; John Poole, NPR; Astrid Riecken, freelancer; Jewel Samad, Agence France Presse, for sharing their extraordinary images.
We will continue to add to the Haiti gallery as more photographs become available. Members, if you’d like to add some of your photos to the Haiti feature, please contact us.
There is a Flash slideshow and an HTML version with full EXIF data for non-Flash enabled devices such as iphone, ipod touch, etc.
Download a PDF of the latest issue of The Report, the WHNPA’s newsletter.
The WHNPA Student Contest committee are happy to announce the Student Photographer of the Year is Diego James Robles from Ohio University.
Honorable Mention: Western Kentucky University student Phillip Scott Andrews
Honorable Mention: Western Kentucky University student Scott McIntyre
Honorable Mention: Corcoran College of Art + Design student Christopher G. Jones
The winning portfolios are online at:
http://www.whnpa.org/contest/eyes2010/students/
Originally from Southern California, Diego James Robles discovered his passion for photography while on deployment with the U.S. army in Kosovo.While studying criminology at a community college, an inspiring tour of the Los Angeles Times newsroom made him decide to switch careers. Diego soon applied and was accepted into Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication. There he served as the photography editor for the school’s yearbook and the president of the NPPA student chapter. After finishing school in November, Diego currently freelances for different news organization in the heart of the Navajo Nation and Southwest. Diego has interned for El Deber: Diario Mayor (Bolivia), Democrat & Chronicle and The Orange County Register. On March 29, he will join the staff of The Denver Post. You can see more of his work on his web site.
Now that the entry deadline has passed we can tell you the names of this year’s student contest judges: Molly Roberts, Chad McNeeley, and Stephen Crowley. Read the JUDGES’ BIOS on our web site.
These are photos of Pege Gilgannon, WJLA- Channel – 7 News upon learning that she will receive the WHNPA Lifetime Achievement award at the 2010 ‘ Eyes of History’ awards gala on May 15th. Pege is shown below with WHNPA President, John Harrington. Congratulations!
Photo credit : Joni Mazer Field
2009 Project Grant winner is announced!
Andrea Bruce, freelance photographer on contract for the Washington Post, has been chosen as the recipient of the White House News Photographers 2009 Project Grant. The grant total of $10,000, half from the WHNPA and a matching amount of $5,000 from PNY Technologies Inc., will fund ‘The Caucasus at the Crossroads: Ingushetia’s Decisive Moment’, which Bruce plans to publish in magazines, major news web-sites and a traveling exhibition in the Caucasus.
The Republic of Ingushetia is a splinter of land west of Chechnya that is caught in Russia’s struggle to hold on to the North Caucasus. Bruce’s project focuses on the Ingush people and the changes they confront in the wake of violence in Chechnya and Georgia as well as the choices they make while faced with harsh Russian forces and a conflicting wave of Muslim extremism gaining support in the area. Bruce said of the project, “One of Russia poorest and most restive regions, Ingushetia has been destabilized by corruption, a number of high-profile crimes and an increase in religious extremism. It’s a region that has received very little international attention and yet has the potential to become one of the most dangerous places in the world..”
While photographing in Iraq for The Washington Post, she has witnessed similar power struggles and outlets for Muslim extremism. WHNPA Education Committee Chairman Pablo Martinez Monsivais announcing the award said: “Andrea Bruce’s project is in part of the world that is often overlooked but should not be ignored and with this grant she can bring more attention to the region.” Bruce is a four-time winner of WHNPA’s Photographer of the Year Award.
“Photojournalists are unspoken heroes who have the ability to connect the world through photographs, and in times of conflict give war a memorable face. We wish Andrea the best as she takes a stand for the Ingush people and bears witness to capture the societal destruction of this area, a region many people may have not even heard of, and bring it into focus for the public’s eye,” said Tony Gomez, vice president of sales and marketing at PNY.
Bruce also commented, “WHNPA has been great at encouraging photographers to go beyond one-time news stories and cover an issue in a more complete and nuanced way. I also thank PNY for their continued commitment to photojournalism.”
In commenting about the grant award White House News Photographers Association president John Harrington said, “ The WHNPA is committed to supporting member projects through the project grant program for work that makes an impact and potentially changes lives. These grants re-enforce the power of photography and its place in the visual media as a catalyst for change. Andrea’s passion for bringing stories to light from remote regions of the world will be supported and rewarded through this grant. The WHNPA is so pleased that PNY has stepped forward with a matching grant that will allow Bruce to commit more of her talents and time to this worthwhile project.”
For more information please contact John Harrington at john.harrington@whnpa.org or executive director Heidi Elswick at heidi@whnpa.org (301-606-8251). For further information about ‘The Eyes of History™’ and to view images of Andrea’s work visit the WHNPA member gallery.
A Message From Previous Project Grant Winner, Susanna Raab:
Consumed: Fast Food in the US.
First a solo show of Consumed will open next Tues March 22 at the Cole Art Center at Stephen F Austin State Univ. in Nacodogches, Texas and I will be giving an artist lecture that evening. It will be the first solo show of the work.
On Saturday March 27 I would like to invite all WHNPAers to the opening of my solo show, “American Vernacular” at Irvine Contemporary, 1412 14th St, from 6.30 to 8.30.
The show will also feature work from Consumed.
Lastly I’m pleased to announce that the Smithsonian Institution has acquired a portfolio of my work ,which also includes images from Consumed.
Susana Raab: American Vernacular, March 27 to April 24
So, thank you WHNPA! I hope to see many of you next Saturday the 27th!
Susanna
2010 ‘Eyes of History’ award gala is scheduled for Saturday, May 15, 2010. The invitations will go in the mail on Friday. Watch your mailboxes! There is a new format, so please follow instructions carefully. No online sales. Interest is high, so don’t delay!!
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The next WHNPA general membership meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 26th at 6:30 p.m. Elections will take place. Please plan to attend this important meeting of your association.
IMPORTANT UPDATE
Please note: “Checks/proof of school” should be mailed to the WHNPA — DO NOT USE FED EX . If you did send via FedEx, have the package re-routed back to you and re-send via USPS. As long as you have uploaded your photos by March 17th you will not be penalized for being late with your entry.
Rules have been posted for the 2010 Student Photography Contest. Deadline for submissions is March 17th. Visit us at http://www.whnpa.org/studentcontest to download the PDF rules and guidelines document, and to learn more about the contest, student memberships in the WHNPA (not required to enter), awards for the winning portfolio, and more.
The 2010 WHNPA New Media contest has been posted,
