Hannah Loucks arrives 5 weeks early, as Angie (mom) looks on in the infant room inside the hospital. Hannah is 4 lbs 15 ounces and both are home resting. They both are doing great.

Posted by tloucks as WNPA Member Pics at 3:31 PM EDT

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Hey guys…Dewey thought it would be cool for me to have my own blog, so if you’re interested please check it out at Eye on the Ball Blog Thanks…Dan.

Posted by Guest Author as Webmaster's Column at 11:57 AM EDT

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There is an opening a photographer full-time at the Lake Country Reporter just west of Milwaukee in Waukesha County.

It’s a twice weekly and it is an entry-level job.

You need to contact Scott Peterson (check the name, its the editor) asap and find out how to submit the portfolio. You need your own car and gear. You can google the paper to
find out the contact info.

Posted by Mark Hoffman as Webmaster's Column at 9:10 PM EDT

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Here is video #2.
Click on the waterskiers on the right

http://www.madison.com/wsj/

I will take all observations, questions and complaints.

J. Maniaci
WNPA

Posted by Guest Author as Webmaster's Column at 12:24 PM EDT

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August 1, 2007–NPPA Region 5 Director Gregory Morley announced today
nominations for candidates are now being accepted for the position of
Director and Associate Director.

The National Press Photographers Association consists of nearly 10,000
professional, student and retired photojournalists representing
expertise in traditional still-frame, television and new media
technologies. Membership is divided into 11 regions, each represented
by elected or appointed members installed every two years and who work
together to represent the regional membership’s interest on issues
ranging from First Amendment to professional growth opportunities.

Eligible candidates must be news division members for at least one
full year before the elections or submit a request for waiver to the
Nominations Chair. Deadline for submission of biographical statements
by candidates to the Nominations Chair Kristyna Wentz-Graff is August
15. Kristyna can be reached at kwentz@journalsentinel.com.

For more information, please refer to NPPA Bylaws and Standing Rules
or contact either Director Gregory Morley, greg.morley@comcast.net, or
Associate Director Mike Borland, mike.borland@whotv.com.

Gregory Morley
Director, NPPA Region 5
www.nppa5.org
630.689.6933

Posted by Administrator as WNPA Report at 10:00 AM EDT

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WNPA Monthly Clip Contest standings have been updated to include results through May. Hooray!
John Maniaci, WSJ 485
Kristyna Wentz-Graff, Journal Sentinel 315
Corey Wilson, Press Gazette 280
Mark Hertzberg, Journal Times 255
Terry Mayer, The Week 220
Dan Lassiter, Janesville Gazette 215
Evan Siegle, Press-Gazette 200
Dan Reiland, Leader-Telegram 195
Mark Hoffman, Journal Sentinel 190
Al Hoch, Janesville Gazette 180
Eric Young, Herald Times Reporter 170
Marc Larson, Press Gazette 165
Kevin Poirier, Kenosha News 145
Gregory Shaver, Journal Times 135
Andi Stempniak, Leader-Telegram 120
Susan Pichke, Herald Times Reporter 120
Steve Kinderman, Leader-Telegram 100
Tom Loucks, Daily Telegram 95
Patrick Ferron, Post-Crescent 90
Jack Orton, Journal Sentinel 80
Michelle Stocker, Capital Times 70
Dan Powers, Post-Crescent 55
Gary Klein, Sheboygan Press 40
Jaslyn Gilbert, Herald Times Reporter 40
Doug Alft–Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune 30
Dan Plutchak, The Week 15

Posted by Administrator as Clip Contest Update at 4:40 PM EDT

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Clip Contest results are in from the editors from Evansville, Indiana.

Spot News
1st Evan Siegle  Green Bay Press-Gazette Boating Accident Victim
2nd Mark Hertzberg  The Journal Times  Shooting/ Man Injured
3rd H. Marc Larson  Green Bay Press-Gazette Rollover on US 41
Comments: There were very few moments in this category with lots of bad composition. Sometimes photographers weren’t close enough (in the third place picture, the action was the firefighter crawling out of the window - perhaps a longer lens to show this? It took us a while to get to that gem.) We had a difficult time filling out the places in this category. The first place picture we almost missed because of size. The eyes of the young man drew us in, but the paramedic on the left is in the frame
a little oddly. Either crop more of him out or shoot with more of him in. Second place was a different situation. That cop got some air under him to hop that fence. Third place screamed the need for a longer lens.

General News:
1st Jack Orton  Journal Sentinel Master Sgt. & Son
2nd Mark Hertzberg  The Journal Times  A Shared Grief
3rd Corey Wilson  Green Bay Press-Gazette Playful judges
HM Mark Hertzberg  The Journal Times  Last Goodbye
Comments: There were also a lack of moments in this category with a lot of “almost but not quite” type of photographs. Again, lens choice seems to be an issue. The first place picture drew us because of the young mans face. The white gloves on the lap and the little tiny fingers on the brim of the hat were a great touch. Nice patience waiting for all those elements to come together. Second place was well shot, nice moment, filled the frame and good caption information. The news story was shocking, but it didn’t quite make first place because it wasn’t quite different enough, it’s hard to get different shots out of vigils. Third place was a nice moment from what could have been a boring assignment. Honorable Mention had raw emotion, but it seemed a bit isolated. The caption says funeral, but that’s hard to get from the picture. A bit of a sense of place would have been nice.

Sports:
1st  Susan Pischke  Herald Times/Lakeshore Chronicle Lancers Rally
2nd Andi Stempniak  Leader Telegram  Trevor Madison’s catch
3rd Al Hoch  The Janesville Gazette  Outfielders collide

Comments: We saw a lot of bad crops by designers or copy editors trying to fit a hole. Maybe some bridges should be built between the picture departments and those putting the pages together. That said there were a few pictures submitted that could have done with a crop. First place was
great action. Second place was run too small and maybe needed to be shot with a longer lens. However, the moment is there, the ball is on the edge of the glove, the extension of the arm makes it all work. Third place was an example of a good crop or good framing. It wasn’t too loose
and there is good action.

Portrait
1st Kristyna Wentz-Graff Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Iraq veteran
2nd Al Hoch  The Janesville Gazette  Widening Services to weakest
3rd Jack Orton  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Fishing Eyes

Comments: We question the need for a portrait category. We wonder if this is a crutch instead of going out and getting moments and shooting people when they are actually doing what they do. That said, the first place picture was the clear winner because it was shot from above - a
different angle than all the straight on pictures. This is also a situation where the caption (and captions are so very important) elevated the picture even more. The second place photograph seems harshly lit and could have been shot a little better. Is there a moment to be had here? We do like the women’s faces, they do draw in theviewer. The third place picture has great caption information and very well cropped and shot. It was clearly from a feature situation, which makes us wonder why there is this category.

Features
1st Patrick Ferron  The Post-Crescent  Foggy spring day
2nd John Maniaci  Wisconsin State-Journal  Veggie car race
3rd Michelle Stocker The Capital Times  Playing along Lake Mendota

Comments: A lot of cute kids and near moments. However, the first place picture was beautifully photographed. A different kind of weather photograph that looks like it could be hung on a wall. The second place picture is a situation we had never seen, it made us giggle. The only problem is the kids are reacting that much. It seems the kid on the left is the only one who is interested, but it’s a great picture and well done. (Which veggie won?) The frame is filled and it seems to have been shot with a lens that wasn’t wide angle. The third place picture had good energy, the hair in the air, the kid with both feet of the ground and the spray of the water. It was shot well and with a good lens.

Feature Multiple
1st Kristyna Wentz-Graff Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Recovering from Brain Injury
2nd Corey Wilson  Green Bay Press-Gazette Studio Time
3rd Kevin Poirier  Kenosha News Firefighter Training

Comments: There were a lot of redundant pictures in this category.
Sometimes it is necessary to pick the best picture and not just run a bunch of pictures.
First place was the clear winner, it seemed to be the least redundant photographically. There seems to be a good variety of lenses, but we wondered how much time the photographer spent with the subject. There are some wonderful moments and great facial expressions. Nice job. Second and third were hard to award, we went back and forth on them. Second place had a decent visual variety - in the sense that there were faces represented. It also seems the designer let the photographer down.
A lot of the shots felt similar in the sense they were shot in the same way with the same lens. The best moment was in the first picture, were there not any more? Third place did not have a face and was all loosely shot. There are some great fire shots, but did they learn to do anything else? Many of the pictures are fire and house, with backs of people. Maybe shoot the actual recruits instead of a journalist going through the training? Detail shots? It feels like a missed opportunity.

Posted by Administrator as Clip Contest Update at 2:02 PM EDT

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