Attack on America Picture Story
First place: Yoni Brook, Freelance

Winner's comments:
"I honestly feel really humble to have covered something of this magnitude and to be recognized for it. I am really, really grateful to everyone at the Washington Post. I learned a lot before 9/11. I hope that it (this picture story) conveys what I really thought as I was shooting. I was overwhelmed and confused by the seriousness of what I was doing for the readers and the families of the victims. It feels a little strange to receive an award for this. It is not me, but the images." -- Yoni Brook

Overall judges' comments:
"I think it was just the clear starkness, the tightness of the edit, every frame is solid. It really had such impact visually....the drama in that setting spoke to me more than any of the others. In contests, a lot of what we see is poor editing. You really need to work over those things and think about the presentation ...to see somebody who was able to pull a really great story together is very gratifying....You anticipate that the next picture is going to be good. And then it is, and you go 'Thank God!'" -- Michelle Stephenson

"The first [place story] had a tone that was consistent and powerful. There's a way to take a pictures that is literal and straight forward and these are more poetic and sophisticated...That's something that you only feel when you look at the pictures. It was poetic. The first picture set the mood ... it was on a higher level." -- Cheryl Hatch