WHNPA The Eyes of History Video Contest
WHITE HOUSE NEWS
PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION
2008 WHITE HOUSE NEWS PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION TELEVISION AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED; RABBAGE AND SHLEMON NAMED TOP WINNERS
Nation’s Leading Photojournalists compete for Top Industry Awards
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 11, 2008) – The White House News Photographers Association announced that BBC photographer Mark Rabbage has been awarded “Photographer of the Year” for 2008 in the “Eyes of History™” video contest. Chris Shlemon ITN has been named video “Editor of the Year.”
Mark Rabbage has worked for the BBC for 15 years and has been based in Washington for the last eight years. With four first place category wins, two second-place finishes and two third-place finishes in the “The Eyes of History™” contest judging, it was a terrific year for Rabbage. “I don’t think even my BBC colleagues realized what a newly minted cameraman I was when I arrived in Washington in January 1999. In fact, I was a videotape editor who picked up a video camera less than a year before while based in Germany. These last nine years have been a real journey for me. I feel so proud and honored on receiving the Photographer of the Year Award from my peers,” said Rabbage upon learning about his big win.
The WHNPA “Editor of the Year” is Chris Shlemon. Shlemon started as a producer/editor in ITN’s Washington, DC, bureau on Jan. 28, 1986, the day the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded over Florida. Shlemon took WHNPA Editor of the Year honors in 1999. Shlemon said, “ I‘ve had the privilege to cover every political event, natural disaster and cultural trend in the U.S. and across the world for 20 years. I’ve been blessed to work with the best producers, correspondents and photographers in the industry, and without their inspiration and pictures I would not have won this award. I am honored and proud to be a part of WHNPA—an organization that truly recognizes and appreciates the valuable contributions editors make to the journalism process.”
The White House News Photographers Association is recognized as one of the most prestigious organizations of its kind. WHNPA president Dennis Brack says, “The ability to edit with your mind and your eye is the gift of a prizewinning video journalist. To take images and sound and turn them into a meaningful story is the objective of a prizewinning editor. We see the best work of both video journalists and editors in the “The Eyes of History™” contest this year.”
The judges for the video photography contest were: TV Photography: Patrick O’Gara, NECN-TV, Boston: Miekie Sullivan, KTVT-TV Dallas/Ft Worth; and Kevin Rans, freelance, Cleveland. TV Editing judges were Brandi Paulson, WKYC-TV; Mike Harrity, KCNC-TV, Denver and Matt Rafferty, WJW-TV Cleveland.
The top winners of the still and television contests, along with winners in the Still Photography, New Media and Student contests, will be honored at the annual “Eyes of History™” Gala on May 10, 2008, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington. The black-tie event celebrates all photojournalists and the President of the United States.
The WHNPA is an 87-year-old non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the efforts of Washington’s professional photojournalists. The WHNPA aims to provide professional and educational outreach to its members and the community through scholarships, programming, an annual competition and a celebration of the industry at the annual “The Eyes of History™” gala. For more information please contact Dennis Brack at dennis@dennisbrack.com (703-622-5949) or business director Heidi Elswick at heidi@whnpa.org (301-606-8251). For further information about ‘The Eyes of History™’ and to view the winning images and videos, visit the WHNPA website at www.whnpa.org.
The WHNPA and The Eyes of History™ are sponsored in part by Nikon, Tiffen/Domke, Digital Railroad, Continental Airlines and PNY.