Report feb 2015 feb 25 final

White House News Photographers Association • February 2015

2015 ‘Eyes of History®’ Winners

On Friday morning February 6th, Larry Downing’s competitors secretly gathered in the White House briefing room. There was David Ake, head of the Washington AP photo bureau, Scottie Applewhite, AP, Pablo Martinez Monsivals, AP, Brendan Smialowski, AFP. Mandel Ngan, AFP. Shawn Thew, EPA, Jim Lo Scalzo, EPA, Michael Reynolds, EPA. The Reuters team was there: Jim Bourg, Gary Cameron, Mike Theiler, Jonathon Ernest and Stel Varias.

A surprise announcement over the PA system. “There is a pool spray, immediately! Pool is to gather at the podium position imme-diately.” Of course, everyone knew—except Larry—but the pool gathered their equipment and rushed into the briefing room. Rodney Batten, NBC, was behind his video camera, but Larry kept adjusting his cameras. Brendan Smilaowski stopped everyone. Brendan told Larry that the pool spray call was just a

scam—quite fitting for Larry—and said that Larry will receive the WHNPA Lifetime A c h i e v e m e n t Award. Larry kept adjusting his cam-eras, he actually thought there was going to be a spray. Then he realized what was going on and started to grin.

The award could not have gone to a better person! Downing started with UPI in San Francisco and came to Washington during the Carter admin i s t r a t ion .

Later Newsweek hired Downing and for years the Wally McNamee—Larry Downing team

Larry Downing to Receive WHNPA Lifetime Achievement Award

Continued on page 2

Whitney Shefte

Whitney Shefte to be the new WHNPA President, Jim Bourg to be Vice President, Jon Elswick

continues as Treasurer, Brad Fulton to be Secretary

The Nominating committee, (Andrew Harnik, Joshua Roberts, and Nathan Luna) submitted the names of Whitney Shefte, President, Jim Bourg, Vice President, Jon Elswick, Treasurer, and A.J. Chavar, Secretary at the WHNPA meeting on Friday February 6, 2015. There were no additional nominations and the slate was voted on by the members present at the meeting.

Whitney Shefte is a Peabody Award-winning video journalist at The Washington Post, where she has worked since 2006. Whitney served as an executive board member and is on the video and multimedia committees for the White House News Photographers Association and is Mentorship Chair of the non-profit organization

Still PhotographyPolitical Photo of the Year

Brendan Smialowski, Agence France-Presse

Photographer of the Year Win McNamee Getty Images

VideoPhotographer of the Year

Ben Martin, ITN

Editor of the Year Chris Shlemon, ITN

MultimediaThe Washington Post

The National Geographic

NPR

Military Times

StudentOra DeKornfeld, Video

Photographer of the Year, UNC, Chappel Hill

Al Drago, Still Photographer of the Year, Elon Univsersity

Continued on page 15

Scottie Applewhite congratulates his old friend Larry Downing. Photo by Chip Somodevilla


The Report | 2

PORTRAIT/PERSONALITY ① Win McNamee Getty Images ② Brendan Smialowski Agence France-Presse ③ Jay Westcott For The Washington Post AE Andrew Harnik The Washington Times AE Astrid Riecken For The Washington Post AE Win McNamee Getty Images AE Olivier Douliery Abaca Press for MCT

PICTORIAL ① Andrew Harnik The Washington Times ② Andrew Harnik The Washington Times ③ Kevin Dietsch UPI AE Andrew Harnik The Washington Times AE Carolyn Kaster Associated Press AE Linda Davidson The Washington Post

FEATURE ① Alex Wong Getty Images ② Bonnie Jo Mount The Washington Post ③ Mary F. Calvert Zuma Press AE Andrew Harrer Bloomberg AE Michael Williamson The Washington Post AE Patrick Smith Getty Images

SPORTS ACTION ① Bonnie Jo Mount The Washington Post ② Patrick Smith Getty Images ③ Doug Mills The New York Times AE Toni L. Sandys The Washington Post

SPORTS FEATURE/REACTION ① Logan Mock-Bunting Independent ② Pete Marovich For The Washington Post ③ Patrick Smith Getty Images AE Ricky Carioti The Washington Post AE Jonathan Newton The Washington Post

PRESIDENTIAL ① Doug Mills 'All Eyes on Me'

The New York Times ② Doug Mills 'In Sync'

The New York Times ③ Kevin Lamarque Reuters AE Aude Guerrucci Polaris AE Kevin Lamarque Reuters AE Chip Somodevilla Getty Images

INSIDER’S WASHINGTON ① Saul Loeb Agence France-Presse ② Melina Mara The Washington Post ③ Win McNamee Getty Images AE Brendan Smialowski Agence French-Presse AE Melina Mara The Washington Post AE Tom Williams Roll Call

ON CAPITOL HILL ① Marty LaVor Independent ② Bill Clark Roll Call ③ Jim Lo Scalzo EPA AE Gabriella Demczuk The New York Times AE Larry Downing Reuters AE Marty LaVor Independent AE Tom Williams Roll Call

DOMESTIC NEWS ① Pete Marovich Corbis ② Jewel Samad Agence France-Presse ③ Gabriella Demczuk The New York Times AE Larry Downing Reuters AE Mark Wilson Getty Images AE Ricky Carioti The Washington Post

INTERNATIONAL NEWS ① Michel du Cille The Washington Post ② Michel du Cille The Washington Post ③ Michel du Cille The Washington Post AE Chip Somodevilla Getty Images AE Michel du Cille The Washington Post AE Nikki Kahn The Washington Post

PICTURE STORY/POLITICS ① Brendan Smialowski Agence France-Presse ② Win McNamee Getty Images ③ Linda Davidson The Washington Post AE Gabriella Demczuk The New York Times AE Brooks Kraft TIME

PICTURE STORY/FEATURE ① Bonnie Jo Mount The Washington Post ② Jay Westcott Freelance ③ Bonnie Jo Mount The Washington Post AE Matt McClain The Washington Post AE Mary F. Calvert Zuma Press AE Bonnie Jo Mount The Washington Post

STILL PHOTOGRAPHY Contest Winners

THE

EYES OF

HISTORY 2015

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was the force to beat. Since 1997 Downing has worked as a staff photographer for Reuters.

Downing has been nominated for Reuters global Journalist of the Year awards several times. He has won it twice, once as the part of the team covering the U.S. presi-dential election campaign in 2008 and once solo in 2009 as Multimedia Storyteller of the Year, for his multimedia blog about the survivors of fallen U.S. warriors entitled “Those Left Behind: The Legacy of Arlington’s Section 60.” Along with colleague Jason Reed, he also won a prestigious 2012 Edward R. Murrow award in the News Documentary cat-egory for multimedia coverage of wounded combat veter-ans entitled, “Souvenirs of War: Purple Hearts, Prosthetics and Phantom Pains.” Larry also won numerous still and multimedia photo awards from the WHNPA, China International Press Photo Contest, Best of Photojournalism, Pictures of the Year International and multiple National Headliner Awards.

The WHNPA Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Larry at the 2015 ‘Eyes of History®’ annual awards gala Saturday, May 16, 2015, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC.

Larry Downing continued

Photographer of the Year

PICTURE STORY/ NEWS ① Jewel Samad Agence France-Presse ② Mary F. Calvert Zuma Press ③ Jahi Chikwendiu The Washington Post AE Matt McClain The Washington Post

PICTURE STORY INTERNATIONAL ① Michel du Cille The Washington Post ② Win McNamee Getty Images ③ Jahi Chikwendiu The Washington Post AE Chip Somodevilla Getty Images

PICTURE STORY/ SPORTS ① Ricky Carioti The Washington Post ② Patrick Smith Getty Images ③ Mary F. Calvert Zuma Press AE Jonathan Newton The Washington Post AE Mike Morones Military Times AE Jahi Chikwendiu The Washington Post

POLITICAL PORTFOLIO ① Brendan Smialowski Agence France-Presse ② Win McNamee Getty Images ③ Gabriella Demczuk The New York Times AE Brooks Kraft Corbis AE Chip Somodevilla Getty Images

PORTFOLIO ① Win McNamee Getty Images ② Bonnie Jo Mount The Washington Post ③ Brendan Smialowski Agence France-Presse

TOP HONORSPolitical Photo of the Year

Brendan Smialowski Agence France-Presse

Brendan Smialowski stops Larry Downing to tell him that he is to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Photo by Dennis Brack

Win McNamee, Getty Images

AE=Award of Excellence

i See whnpa.org/contests for more details about the winning entries and links to winning images and videos i

See All ‘Eyes of History®’2015 Winning Photos and More Information on whnpa.org/contests/


The Report | 3

Katie Falkenberg, a Multimedia judge, presented some of her recent projects at the Friday night meeting. Katie worked at the Washington Times before mov-ing on to her current job as a staff pho-tographer for the Los Angeles Times.

The Judging of the 2015 ‘Eyes of History®’ Contest

Brendan Smialowski gets a hug from contest chair Nikki Kahn after winning the Political Photograph of the Year.

Contest Committee members Jonathan Ernst and Andrew Harnik arrange a screen using Photo Mechanic in the portfolio judging.

Contest Chair Nikki Kahn makes an iPhone photo, Linda Epstein edits and Andrew Harnik mugs.

Under a point system for winning photographs, two pho-tographers were tied for the Photographer of the Year. The winner of the portfolio section would be the Photographer of the Year. Carolyn Cole, Richard Murphy, and Dean Rutz took their time. First one portfolio was up, then the other. The judges gave it a great deal of thought.

Unknown to the judges, Win McNamee had one of the portfolios in the race. Tense moments for Win as he watched that final match.

When the decision was made, Win won. He had the most winning photographs and was the Photographer of the Year. Someone remarked, the judging went quick-ly and was easy. Win laughed and said, “Easy for you.”

Tom Williams and Oliver Douliery watch the judging from the back of the National Geographic staff auditorium.

Linda Epstein watching during the final moments of the judging. Linda's tweets and live posts helped to promote the contest.

Each year a dedicated group of WHNPA members devote their weekend to making the ‘Eyes of History®’ contest is a success. For many the effort starts well before the week-end. The Still, Video, and Multimedia com-mittees members spend hours going over the

contest rules. Nikki Kahn, still contest com-mittee chair worked to get the right judges for the weekend. Jim Lo Scalzo, dedicated count-less hours downloading and readying images in preparation spent in logging in the entries and getting them in the proper order for judg-

ing weekend. Chip Somodevilla, Jonathan Ernst, Brendan Smialowski, Molly Riley, Linda Epstein,Gina Martin, and Andrew Harnik, spent what was a nice February Saturday and Sunday in the dark auditorium at the National Geographic Society. Two flights

Carolyn Cole, Richard Murphy, and Dean Rutz, judging the Political Photo of the Year section of the 'Eyes of History®' Contest.

Still contest committee chairperson Nikki Kahn talks with judges Richard Murphy and Dean Rutz. Photo by Ken Cedeno.

Continued on page 4


The Report | 4

TOP HONORSPhotographer of the Year

Ben Martin ITN

SPOT NEWS ① Ben Martin ITN ② Randall W. Brown NBC News ③ Ronald Mounts WJLA-TV

GENERAL NEWS ① Ben Martin ITN ② Randall W. Brown NBC News ③ Doug Wilkes WTTG-TVAE Dan Sweetapple Australian Broadcasting CorporationAE Dickon Mager Sky News

DAY FEATURE ① Chip Baysden WTTG-TV ② Doug Wilkes WTTG-TV ③ Dan Sweetapple Australian Broadcasting Corporation

NEWS FEATURE ① Ben Martin ITN ② Dickon Mager Sky News ③ Andrew Smith CCTV-AmericaAE Dan Sweetapple Australian Broadcasting CorporationAE Ian Druce BBC

FEATURE ① Ben Martin ITN ② Joel Witte CCTV-America ③ Maxine Collins BBCAE Brian Hopkins WJLA-TVAE John Landy BBC

NEWS SPECIAL REPORTS/SERIES ① Whitney Shefte The Washington Post ② Robert Hill Australian Broadcasting Corporation ③ Andrew Smith CCTV-America

MAGAZINE FEATURE ① Don Lee & Christopher Albert CBS 60 Minutes ② Peter Murtaugh BBC ③ Dan Sweetapple Australian Broadcasting Corporation ③ Allison Shelley Freelance

DOCUMENTARY ① Dan Sweetapple Australian Broadcasting Corporation ② Dickon Mager & Kevin Sheppard Sky News

SPORTS ① Floyd Yarmuth CNN ② Chip Baysden WTTG-TV ③ John Bodnar CNNAE Doug Wilkes WTTG-TV

POLITICAL/CAMPAIGN ① A.J. Chavar The New York Times ② Jeremy Moorhead CNN ③ Maxine Collins BBCAE Kevin Sheppard Sky News

WHITE HOUSE/PRESIDENTIAL ① Peter Murtaugh BBC ② Jeremy Moorhead CNN ③ Maxine Collins BBCAE Eric Conner Fox News

LIGHTING ① Don Lee & Christopher Albert CBS ② Joel Witte CCTV-America ③ Allen McGreevy FreelanceAE Floyd Yarmuth CNN

NETWORK ① Ben Martin ITN ② Peter Murtaugh BBC ③ Floyd Yarmuth CNNAE Peter Morris CNN

AUDIO ① Ben Martin ITN ② Floyd Yarmuth CNN ③ Eric Kerchner CBS 60 MinutesAE Brian Hopkins WJLA-TV

CONFLICT/DISASTER COVERAGE ① Andrew Smith CCTV-America ② Randall W. Brown NBC News ③ Maxine Collins BBC

RAW FOOTAGE ① John Landy BBC ② Chip Baysden WTTG-TV ③ Kevin Sheppard Sky News

VIDEO CONTESTPhotography Categories

WHNPA 2015 'Eyes of History®' video photography judges, from left, David Bradford of WJW-TV in Cleveland; Al Ward of Award

Productions in Boston and Carmaine Means with CBS News in Chicago, watch an entry dur-ing contest judging at National

Geographic on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015. Photo by Jon Elswick.

Video Photographer of the Year

Ben Martin

above, Pierre Kattar presented the multimedia entries for judging with Whitney Shefte and Coburn Dukehart. Chris O’Brien of the National Geographic Society provided valu-able technical assistance.

In other small rooms of the National Geographic Society, Pege Gilgannon, Doug Wilkes, Joni Mazer Field and Marty Doane

presented the video entries. In the cafeteria Charlie MacDonald tal-

lied the votes. On another computer Jon Elswick worked to spread the word on www.whnpa.org.

Executive director Heidi Elswick worked everywhere making sure that judges were com-fortable, lunches and coffee were in position

and of course solved problems everywhere.The weekend would not have been pos-

sible without the work of Ken Geiger, Jeff Lawrence and Charlie MacDonald in arrang-ing for WHNPA to have the spaces at the National Geographic Society for Contest weekend.

The Judging continued

THE

EYES OF

HISTORY 2015

®

See All ‘Eyes of History®’ 2015 Winning Entries and More Information on whnpa.org/contests/


VIDEO CONTESTEditing Categories

STUDENT CATEGORYWinners

The Report | 5

TOP HONORSEditor of the Year

Chris Shlemon ITN

SPOT NEWS ① Chris Shlemon ITN ② Maxine Collins BBC ③ Joni Mazer Field BBC

GENERAL NEWS ① Maxine Collins BBC ② Chris Shlemon ITN ③ Khalil Abdallah CNN

DAY FEATURE ① Andrew Smith CCTV-America ② Maxine Collins BBC ③ Chip Baysden WTTG-TVAE William McKenna BBC World News AmericaAE Allen McGreevy Freelance

NEWS FEATURE ① Chris Shlemon ITN ② William McKenna BBC World News America ③ Jeremy Moorhead CNNAE Floyd Yarmuth CNNAE Andrew Smith CCTV-America

EDITING SHORT FORM ① Chris Shlemon ITN ② Marc Allard Freelance ③ Joann Sierra CNNAE Joann Sierra CNN

EDITING LONG FORM ① Chris Shlemon ITN ② William McKenna BBC World News America ③ Joann Sierra CNNAE Andrew Smith CCTV-AmericaAE A.J. Chavar The New York Times

MAGAZINE FEATURE ① Joann Sierra CNN ② Dan Sweetapple Australian Broadcasting

Corporation

DOCUMENTARY ① Dickon Mager/Kevin Sheppard Sky News ② Charles MacDonald National Geographic

Channel ③ Lance Ing WTTG-TV

SPORTS ① William McKenna BBC World News America ② Joann Sierra CNN ③ Floyd Yarmuth CNN

POLITICAL/CAMPAIGN ① A.J. Chavar The New York Times ② Jeremy Moorhead CNN ③ Nathen Luna Hearst Television Inc.

AUDIO ① Chris Shlemon Australian Broadcasting

Corporation ② Brian Hopkins WJLA-TV ③ William McKenna BBC World News AmericaAE Nathen Luna Hearst Television Inc.AE David Postovit Hearst Television Inc.

PROMOTIONAL ① Charles MacDonald National Geographic

Channel ② Whitney Shefte The Washington Post ③ Kevin Sheppard Sky NewsAE Joann Sierra CNN

Video Editor of the Year

Chris Shlemon, ITN

WHNPA 2015 'Eyes of History®' video editing judges, from left, Dan Robbins of WCNC-TV in Charlotte; Patty Gaffney the Technical Production Manager for MSNBC's The Cycle and All In with Chris Hayes; and Matt Mrozinski of WTHR-TV Indianapolis, watch an entry dur-ing contest judging at National Geographic on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015. Photo by Jon Elswick.

Student Video Photographer

of the Year

Ora DeKornfeld, UNC, Chappel Hill

Student Still Photographer of the

Year

Al Drago, Elon University

THE

EYES OF

HISTORY 2015

®



The Report | 6

Multimedia judge Ross Taylor answers questions after his multimedia pre-

sentations on Friday night.

MULTIMEDIA CONTEST

Katie Falkenberg, Ross Taylor, and Nancy Donaldson Gauss look at entries in the Multimedia Contest.

NEWS ① They Are the Body Collectors: A Perilous Job in the Time of Ebola NPR Motion Photography David Gilkey, Reporter Nurith Aizenman, Producers

Nicole Beemsterboer, Ben de la Cruz, David Gilkey, Senior Editors Joe Neel, Vikki Valentine, Executive Producer Anne Gudenkauf

② Michael Brown's Mother Expresses Outrage on Grand Jury Decision The Washington Post Whitney Leaming

③ Amid Little Earth’s Poverty and Pain, a Protest Culture Aimed at Redskins’ Name The Washington Post McKenna Ewen

AE Will Brain Chip Give Paralyzed Man a Hand? The Washington Post Lee Powell

ISSUE REPORTING ① A Sky Full of Cameras National Geographic Produced by Janna Dotschkal of National Geographic and Tomas van

Houtryve of VII, with support from The Pulitzer Center

② In Alaska Native Villages, Little Protection Leaves Residents at Risk The Washington Post Whitney Shefte

③ Justice is Slow to Arrive for Native Women The Washington Post Whitney Shefte

AE How Will You Die? NPR Produced by John W. Poole, Animation by Steve Cutts, Sr. Editors Vikki Valentine, Ben de la Cruz, Exec. Editor Anne Gudenkauf

AE In Turkey, Syrian Refugees Find a Home of Their Own The Washington Post Zoeann Murphy

FEATURE ① The Mystery of the Missing Martins NPR Adam Cole, Maggie Starbard, Alison Richards, Ben de la Cruz

② From Clubfoot to Climbing: Double Amputee Life of Adventure The Washington Post Whitney Shefte

③ The Blind Woman Who Saw Rain NPR Adam Cole, Lulu Miller, Ben de la Cruz

AE Pinball Passion Becomes Man’s Obsession The Washington Post Lee Powell

AE What Can Babies Teach Students? The Washington Post Brad Horn

SPORTS ① Former NFL Player Battles ALS The Washington Post Mckenna Ewen

② Beer Man Dreams of Beltway World Series The Washington Post Mckenna Ewen

③ Buzkashi NPR David Gilkey, Sean Carberry, Sultan Faizy, Jeremy Bowers, Becky Lettenberger, Wes Lindamood, Claire O'Neill

AE Up in the Air: The Life of Speedy Peterson The Washington Post Lee Powell

AE Deaf Player Seeks to Become First Gallaudet Grad in NFL The Washington Post

DOCUMENTARY ① One Family, Two Sacrifices The Washington Post Whitney Shefte

② Romanian Orphan Tries to Close the Chapter on His Troubled Past The Washington Post Brad Horn, Sohail Al-Jamea, Sandi Moynihan,

③ Congolese Refugees Cry Out for Justice The Washington Post

AE 'Your Property is Guilty Until Proven Innocent' The Washington Post Gabriel Silverman

AE Refugees for Nearly 40 Years Consider Return to Conflict The Washington Post Whitney Shefte

BEST MULTIMEDIA PACKAGE ① The N-Word Project The Washington Post Reporting: Dave Sheinin and Krissah Thompson. Video: Pamela Kirkland

and Gabe Silverman. Design & Development: Seth Blanchard, Emily Chow, Roy Wilhelm and Emily Yount. Timeline: Lonnae O'Neal Parker, Neely Tucker, Cameron Blake, Ashleigh Joplin and Nicki DeMarco. Photos: Nikki Kahn and Michael S. Williamson. Digital Production: Veronica Toney. Social Integration: Jessica Stahl

② Borderland NPR For NPR: Steve Inskeep, Kainaz Amaria, Jeremy Bowers, Danny DeBelius, Tyler Fisher, Chris Groskopf, Becky Lettenberger, Wes Lindamood, Claire O'Neill , Matt Stiles. For The Center for Investigative Reporting, Andy Becker, Michael Corey, Tia Ghose

③ Arlington at 150: Celebrating America's Heroes Military Times Mike Morones, Angy Peterson, Issa Chan, Amy Ng, Peter Shatzer, John Bretschneider, Jennifer Milbrett

THE

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The Report | 7The President’s Recent Trip To India

By Jim Bourg.President Barack Obama's recent whirl-

wind trip to India for three days and then Saudi Arabia for four hours was unique in recent memory of pre-planned major interna-tional trips in that it only had four Washington news photographers along for the journey and representing the White House press corps at the events. Carolyn Kaster of AP, Saul Loeb of AFP, Steve Crowley of the New York Times and Jim Bourg of Reuters, traveled in the Air Force One travel pool and there were no other photographers along.

The new era of less White House press corps international travelers, dramatic budget belt tightening across the press corps, and the huge cost of recent trips led organizations to vote to skip having a press charter plane for the India trip. Cost estimates of $26,000- $61,000 per traveler with a charter involved led to an overwhelming majority of organiza-tions deciding to either forgo coverage alto-gether, make due with local staff, stringers or wire coverage, or in the case of some reporters

The White House travel pool and some White House staff pose for a photo before departure from India.Continued on page 8

Rodney Batten steps back from his video camera to make a still photograph of the Republic Day Parade.

The Report | 8


The Report | 8

and television staff, to fly to New Delhi com-mercially for a fraction of the cost. This left us with the four stills in the travel pool as the only Washington photographers on the trip. To the degree that we could, each of us supple-mented our own coverage with local staff and stringers credentialed with the White House to fill spots in pools that it was not possible for the traveling photographers to get to.

As with so many recent international trips with President Obama, the first day, starting with a 5:30am call time at Andrews, would stretch for more than 36 hours before we first lay down to sleep in our New Delhi hotel rooms, only to face another call time approxi-mately 5 hours away. Again as usual, transmit-ting was done overwhelmingly from the mov-ing pool vans of the motorcade, though this was made particularly challenging by some of the most extensive and high strength jamming Rodney Batten of NBC makes due with his socks as Anita Kumar of McClatchy, Jim Bourg of

Reuters, Stephen Crowley of the New York Times and Carolyn Kaster of AP wear the very small and tight white slippers provided for them to wear during coverage at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial in New Delhi.

Rodney Batten taking of a selfie with members of the travel pool is photographed and shown in the Hindustan Times.

India continued

continued on next page


The Report | 9

Jim Bourg of Reuters and Saul Loeb of AFP file their pictures as they walk out the front door of King Salman of Saudi Arabia's palace in Riyadh.

The New Delhi police VIP Security unit provided Jim Bourg with an interesting new lens hood supplement as they applied this security sticker to his camera after a security check, which was appreciated more than the similar sticker applied directly to the front element of one of Carolyn Kaster of the AP's lenses.

Stephen Crowley of the New York Times files from the buffer of President Obama's speech at Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi.

of cellular data signals in and around the motorcade that most of us have ever seen. In addition to the ever present "Roadrunner" communications van that always accompanies the president and regularly creates such chal-lenges, the Indian government had their own version regularly in the vicinity that outdid even the U.S. version for sheer numbers of antennas on the roof and made the signal jam-ming pretty pervasive and challenging. Some of us found that our trusty cellular air card sticks were rendered essentially useless for the visit, while those of us with AT&T Mifi devic-es had slightly better luck pumping out pic-tures through the local data networks.

The highlight of the trip for us all was India's incredible and seeming endless

Republic Day parade, watched by the presi-dent for two hours in the rain, which had an impressive array of military might with tanks, rocket launchers, thousands of troops of all sorts, and the photographers' favorites, a large Indian military marching band riding atop wildly decorated camels. In place of the Snoopy and Spider Man of the Macy's Day parade, we were entertained by huge anima-tronic crabs and a crew of military mountain climbers scaling a scale model of a Himalayan mountain peak.

Significant access concerns for the tight pool and traveling photographers that had been stressed over and worked on for more than a month before the trip ended up playing out for the best throughout. The efforts of the

traveling photographers and their organiza-tions, significant work from WHCA President Christi Parsons and board members Margaret Talev and Doug Mills, as well as some heroic efforts and advocacy on our behalf from White House press advance staff like Erin Mulhall all paid off to our benefit. In the end, through the efforts of many, the fear that we would not all get in to the photo opps on the trip did not pan out and our access was good.

The Saudi Arabia stop on the way back to Washington (sadly swapped in rather than a stop at the Taj Mahal which some had been looking forward to) was truly a whirlwind, with the Saudi King surprising us with his attendance at an arrival ceremony at the air-port, a very high speed motorcade to the King's palace and back and a blur of events and speed filing while at the palace in between. The king's staff were very apologetic that the hold room that they offered the travel pool for filing was "so small" at only about the size of the White House East Room, but the gold wrapped chocolates offered more than made up for it. It was a fast and action packed four day trip, and for those of us lucky to be along, a good one.

India continued


Edison Place Gallery Opening

From the HillBy Jeff Kent.

The new Congress started quickly after a relatively quiet fall on the Hill. The new Republican majority in the Senate wanted to show it is serious about governing by remain-ing in session from the opening day to the State of the Union eschewing the tradition of recessing until the State of the Union address.

Although this was the President’s second to last State of the Union address, it still drew a good crowd of over 50 photographers, many of them WHNPA members, to cover it. Photographers were positioned in ticketed seats, rotating positions and in the House Press Gallery. As usual the House Press Gallery gra-ciously accommodated many requests from news organizations to have a photographer in the gallery’s seats. At the request of the House Press Gallery Superintendent, photographers were reminded of the rules and decorum of the press gallery before they took their position in the chamber.

The remainder of the year promises to be just as busy as the start with confirmation hearings, joint meetings and showdowns on legislation between the republican controlled Congress and the President. WHNPA mem-bers should be kept busy on the Hill this year.

The Report | 10

For the first time the White House News Photographers Association and the Women Photojournalists of Washington had a joint exhibit. The WHNPA exhibit was curated by

Ron Sachs. Bill Auth and Johnny Bivero played the major role in transporting and hanging the WHNPA exhibit. The January 13th opening reception drew a healthy crowd

from both associations. It was fun. Thanks go to WPOW's and WHNPA's Mellisa Golden and Jennifer Davis Heffner for handling the reception.

Neshan H. Naltchayan in front of photographers making pictures of President Ford in the White House swimming pool. One of the photogra-phers was his father Harry Naltchayan. Photo by Sharon Farmer. Photo by Bill Auth.

Jeff Kent and the photographers who will work the reporters gallery at the 2015 State of the Union. (left to right: Jonathan Ernest, Stephen Crowley, Jeff Kent, Pete Morovich, Tony Sandys Mallon, Brendan Smialowski, Pat Benic, Pablo Martinez Monsivals, Win McNamee, and Lauren Victoria Burke.

Save the Date

The ‘Eyes of History®’ Gala Awards Dinner

May 16, 2015


The Report | 11Helping Hands—A project by Laura Sikes

A grateful hug from Firefighter Kathy Willem. Willem's home took on eight feet of water during Hurricane Sandy’s storm surge.

Have a project that you think is important?

WHNPA members long term projects are welcome in this newsletter.

Although the newsletter is digital, several print copies are made and bound in book

form for future WHNPA members.

Graduate stu-dent Christen Dierken pulls

up mold-infest-ed flooring

from a home on Staten

Island, N.Y.

The hot meals from the back of a Red Cross Emergency Response vehi-cle are deliv-ered to families that still have no power in their flooded homes.

Volunteers prepare meals from Oklahoma Baptist convention mobile kitchen #1, which served some 65,000 meals in response to Hurricane Sandy.

By former WHNPA Grant winner Laura Sikes.In the days after a hurricane or major

disaster, most all of the news media are there. Soon they move on to the next story. Often, as photojournalists we may want to do more follow-up but we are not able to stay with the story.

For the victims of these disasters, the story is just beginning as they put their lives back together. After Hurricane Sandy struck on Oct. 29, 2012, I was given the opportunity to photograph the initial response of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) volunteers to the storm. I returned several times over the next couple of years to write about and photo-graph the recovery.

SBDR volunteers were on the ground working in feeding kitchens in New York and New Jersey. Within those first few days after the storm 100,000 meals were prepared by SBDR volunteers serving in multiple kitchens in New York and New Jersey. Hundreds of volunteers were clearing debris with chain saws. Others were working to deal with mud. Mud was everywhere. There were volunteer units helping with communication, childcare, portable showers, laundry, water purification,

Continued on page 12


The Report | 12

Aid worker Lilly Bolar, 21, uses outdoor sink at the start of a long day. A daily challenge is getting an available shower—even a cold one.

The mud has finally been cleaned out of Ruth Noonan’s basement. There is a warm moment of thanks and prayer by Chaplain Carl McCollum (left).

Oklahoma disaster relief volunteers hold a nightly devotional after working in Middletown, N.J.

and power generators. SBDR volunteers were everywhere.On my visits over the past couple of years, I followed

volunteers who worked long days tied by their common mis-sion to bring healing and hope. I met homeowners who wel-comed volunteers into their homes and lives during a challeng-ing time. The volunteers and homeowners bonded, and so did I. The experience of meeting and working with such loving people is one I’ll always remember and value. Many times it was just listening. I followed the advice Dan Moutria, volun-teer leader. "If someone wants to talk with you, I tell them, 'Put your hammer or your chain saw down and listen to them.'" I heard stories like the one from cancer patient Frank Primiani of Staten Island, “These people were thanking me for allowing them to help me. I couldn’t understand it; a typical New Yorker doesn’t understand something like that. They wouldn’t accept pay so I would order them pizzas and offer some kind of ges-ture to pay them back. They just kept giving and giving and giving.”

Helping Hands Continued


By John Harrington. Longtime WHNPA member Michel

du Cille passed away Dec. 11, 2014, at the age of 58 while covering the Ebola crisis in Liberia. du Cille (who’s given name, known to only a few until his memorial service, was Michelangelo du Cille) was a three-time Pulitzer-Prize winning photojournalist work-ing for the Washington Post, who collapsed after returning from an assignment, and died before making it to the nearest hospital two hours away, of an apparent heart attack. A memorial service was held at the Newseum in Washington, on Jan. 16, 2015, where a stand-ing room only overflow crowd exceeded the capacity of the 450-seat Annenberg Theater. Among those sharing insights into their appre-ciation for du Cille were former Washington Post chief executive Donald Graham, and col-leagues Donald Winslow, Carol Guzy, Mary Lou Foy, Joel Achenbach. The Rev. Kenny Irby, a photojournalist and longtime friend of du Cille's presided over the memorial service. du Cille's daughter Lesley Anne performed a violin solo and his son Leighton spoke about his father and recounted their con-versations during du Cille's time in Liberia shortly before he died. Throughout the mov-ing memorial service a slide show of Michel’s work was shown, interspersed with images of du Cille and his many friends taken over his career. du Cille is survived by his wife, fellow photojournalist and WHNPA member Nikki Kahn, and his two children from his first marriage, Leighton du Cille and Lesley Anne du Cille.

Michel du Cille

The Annenberg Theater was filled beyond capacity to honor WHNPA member Michel du Cille during a memorial service Friday, January 16, 2015. Photo by John Harrington.

Rev. Kenny Irby looks towards Michel du Cille's urn amidst a standing ovation in memory of Michel du Cille during a memorial service at The Annenberg Theater, which was filled beyond capacity to honor WHNPA member Michel du Cille, Friday, Jan. 16, 2015. Photo by John Harrington.

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Member News

Scotty Applewhite and Kevin Lamarque look to the camera line in an very crowded White House Press briefing room.

In a less crowded White House press briefing room crews work their personal computers.

Abbas Shirmohammadi gifts a new tie straight off his own neck to Jon Elswick at a holiday party.

New members

Please welcome our new members to the WHNPA:

Janna Dotschkal National Geographic

McKenna Ewen The Washington Post

Michael Judge NBC News

Whitney Leaming The Washington Post

Zoeann Murphy The Washington Post

Lee Powell The Washington Post

Alex Rosen CNN

Gabriel Silverman The Washington Post

Don Stanke CCTV-America

Photo Wrangler

A new term that we have given to the people in the White House press office that work with the photographers. Photo Wranglers get us to the venues for our photographs in the White House and everywhere the president travels. Some are good, some not so good.

Recently, photo wrangler Hannah Hankins was promoted to another assignment at the White House. The promotion was well deserved because she did a good job, but we will miss Hannah’s good humor and skill in Photo Country.

Hannah Hankins and friends. Photo Chip Somodevilla.

White House News Photographers Association®7119 Ben Franklin Station • Washington, DC 20044-7119 • www.whnpa.org

New Local Equipment Rental Business

One half off of the first rental for WHNPA members at f8rentals 703•382•9000 [email protected]

New WHNPA Officers Elected

Treasurer WHNPA

Jon ElswickPhoto Editor at The Associated

Press

Vice President, WHNPA

Jim BourgEditor In Charge, Washington

Reuters News Pictures

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The still representatives are

Andrew Harnick

Brendan Smialowski

Pablo Martinez Monsivals

The video representatives are

Rodney Batton

Nathan Luna

Brad Fulton

Changes in the Still and Video representatives

The representatives will assume their duties at the May 16th Gala.

Women Photojournalists of Washington. She is also an instructor at Georgetown University.

The new officers will assume their duties

on the night of the WHNPA ‘Eyes of History®’ Gala May 16, 2015.

The new Executive Board will also assume their duties at the May 16th Gala.

Continued from page 1

Secretary at the WHNPA

A.J. ChavarStaff Video Journalist for the New York Times, Washington Bureau.

Documents

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