Sports Photographer of the Year

In this and several other categories, a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place were not awarded because the work did not reflect the standards expected from that position compared to the entire body of contest submissions.

Judges' Comments:

"We are supposed to be setting a standard....I'm not voting. To judge is always a great responsibility because one feels one is setting standards...People will be taking from [the contest] to mirror their own works. It would be very unfair to go by low standards because we would be doing a big disfavor to our profession.. . . I'm very pleased by the fact that we the judges decide not to put up with stuff that is below our standard of quality."

-- Horacio Villalobos

"I don't think we have anything strong enough. If we had a complete and excellent edit...but I don't see it.. . . First Place means its outstanding and excellent and we didn't see anything that was an outstanding and excellent body of work. I have thought all along that we're helping to educate photographers - and whoever else - about seeing. And we didn't see any strong vision.

"What I want to see is sports photos that are beautiful, with good seeing and strong action and interesting stories, not just peak action....We don't want to award mediocrity. ...We're trying to educate..." The judges did not want give the impression that there was no good work entered in the category. The work submitted as a body or portfolio of images did not work well enough to be rewarded.. . . There were some glimpses of hope and moments, but there wasn't one consistent distinct excellent body of work."

-- Cheryl Hatch