Picture Editing: Categories and Descriptions

NPPA 2021 Best of Photojournalism

The Best of Photojournalism – Picture Editing division recognizes the individuals and publications that practice and promote great photojournalism through great picture editing.

Picture editing is a complex and multifaceted process. Picture editors identify the best pictures and shepherd them to the public eye. They ensure that the text and pictures work together to tell a story. Picture editors work to facilitate page design and layout that engages and enlightens readers.

The act of editing itself may be a team effort, or it may be performed by an individual, but it is never completely in isolation.

Both Magazine and Newspaper categories are print-focused. Online components will be watched and considered but the print presentation is the most important piece.

For team entries, in order for the NPPA member discount to apply, the member must be the applicant.

Submissions for the Magazine and Newspaper categories should be in the form of a single PDF file with multiple pages, where appropriate. Digital category entries should be in the form of one (or more) URLs. For sites with a paywall, you will need to provide a login and password for judges to access the site.

Please see the Technical Guidelines section of the competition web site for more detailed information.

For all categories, you’ll be able to tell the story of how these presentations came to be. This is a place where editors can talk about the behind-the-scenes work that was done by them or their team to get the photographer to a place to make great pictures, the designer to agree to the space, all the unseen work that is a big part of picture editing. This is an optional field that judges may choose to look at.

Magazine Categories

Magazine Cover: Best use of photography on a magazine cover.

Magazine General News Story: Coverage of an individual news event or issue. Single or multiple pages.

Magazine Presidential Story: Coverage of any presidential candidate or event during the 2020 presidential election. 

Magazine Contemporary Issues Story: Photo stories that portray who we are as a society - through events or issues that have altered our lives, perspective or behavior. If applicable, reactionary or interpretive content directly related to the evolving dynamics of cultural/personal identity and COVID-19 related photo stories may be entered here. 

Magazine Feature Story: Coverage of a non-news event that captures daily life or stories that bring dignity to the human spirit. Single or multiple pages.

Magazine Sports Story: Coverage of a sporting event or a sports related story. Single or multiple pages.

Magazine Picture Editor of the Year (Team): Best use of photography from two or more editors. There is a maximum of 10 elements.

Magazine Picture Editor of the Year (Individual): Best use of photography from a single editor. There is a maximum of 10 elements.

Newspaper Categories

Newspaper Front Page: The front page of the newspaper.

Newspaper Section Front: The front page of other sections of the newspaper (e.g., features, sports, business, local news, etc.).

Newspaper General News Story: Coverage of an individual news event or issue.  Single or multiple pages.

Newspaper Presidential Story: Coverage of any presidential candidate or related event during the 2020 presidential election.

Newspaper Contemporary Issues Story: Photo stories that portray who we are as a society - through events or issues that have altered our lives, perspective or behavior. If applicable, reactionary or interpretive content directly related to the evolving dynamics of cultural/personal identity and COVID-19 related photo stories may be entered here.

Newspaper Feature Story: Coverage of a non-news event that captures daily life or stories that bring dignity to the human spirit. Single or multiple pages.

Newspaper Sports Story: Coverage of a sporting event or a sports related story. Single or multiple pages.

Newspaper Picture Editor of the Year: Team (Less than 100,000 circulation): Best use of photography from two or more editors. Please include entries that represent three or more months out of the year. There is a maximum of 10 elements.

Newspaper Picture Editor of the Year: Team (More than 100,000 circulation): Best use of photography from two or more editors. Please include entries that represent three or more months out of the year. There is a maximum of 10 elements.

Newspaper Picture Editor of the Year: Individual (Less than 100,000 circulation): Best use of photography from a single editor. Please include entries that represent three or more months out of the year. There is a maximum of 10 elements.

Newspaper Picture Editor of the Year: Individual (More than 100,000 circulation): Best use of photography from a single editor. Please include entries that represent three or more months out of the year. There is a maximum of 10 elements.

Digital Categories

These categories are digital-only entries and are open to all media organizations or outlets. They can come in the form of galleries, slideshows and scrolling pages. Video and audio that are a part of the entry will be watched and considered, but the still photography and its presentation will carry the primary weight.

General News Story: Daily coverage of an individual news event or issue.

Feature Story: Daily coverage of a non-news event that captures daily life or that brings dignity to the human spirit.

Sports Story: Daily coverage of a sporting event or a sports related story narrative

Presidential Story: Coverage of any presidential candidate or related event during the 2020 presidential election. 

Contemporary Issues Story: Photo stories that portray who we are as a society - through events or issues that have altered our lives, perspective or behavior. If applicable, reactionary or interpretive content directly related to the evolving dynamics of cultural/personal identity and COVID-19 related photo stories may be entered here.

Digital Project: This entry can be news, features or sports. It is not for content generated by a single daily assignment, but a longer-termed story told digitally.

Digital Picture Editor of the Year - Team (more than 2): Best use of photography from two or more editors. Please include entries that represent three or more months out of the calendar year. There is a maximum of 10-urls.

Digital Picture Editor of the Year - Individual: Best use of photography from a single editor. Please include entries that represent three or more months out of the calendar year. There is a maximum of 10-urls.

Multi-platform Picture Editor of the Year: This entry can include print as well as digital stories. If you enter the same story in a print and digital presentation, each of those counts as one entry. Please include entries that represent three or more months out of the calendar year. Maximum number of entries is 15, no more than 10 can come from one platform (print or digital). Print elements should be combined into one PDF.

Please contact bop@nppa.org for more information or questions concerning this division.