State lawmakers have proposed a record of 238 bills this year that would limit the rights of LGBTQ+ people in regards to education, healthcare, and other issues. Sophomore Kadrian Bennet poses for the center spread cover. “There is a lot of current discrimination going on toward trans people in sports, with the ‘Don’t Say Gay Bill,’ and Texas with a lot of discrimination toward the community and the legal system, and I think that even in so many ways the more mainstream identities need a lot of protection,” Bennett said. (Cassie Ford, Staley (Talon))
Judge’s Comments: This image does an excellent job of utilizing selective color, and it should be clear to any viewer right away what the topic matter is for this portrait without having to be provided any context. The portrait is clean and free of distraction, as well as framed well.
Second Place: Nina Teckman, Kirkwood
Benji Haller doesn’t quite clear the bar during pole vaulting practice at Ernest L. Lyons Memorial Field March 6. (Nina Teckman, Kirkwood)
Judge’s Comments: Field events can be extremely challenging to photograph, but this framing is perfect with incorporation of rule of thirds and having breathing space around the subject. Not only is the focus clear, but the viewers do not miss any of the action.
TIE FOR THIRD PLACE
Paige Dernier, Notre Dame de Sion
As she takes her pose, sophomore Sophia Grantham stands front and center while her classmates dance behind her at the Sion Olympics, Mar 3.”Working on the dance with my classmates was a lot of fun but also a lot of work,” Grantham said. “I was really happy to preform and that our class hyped us up so much.” (Paige Dernier, Notre Dame de Sion)
Judge’s Comments: The photographer did a wonderful job of getting in the right spot to capture such an interesting moment in the group’s performance. The repetition of the performers’ arms is not only visually appealing, but the symmetry adds another layer of depth to the focus.
Mackenzie Nelson, Kearney (The Clipper)
During a performance of the play “Steel Magnolias,” M’lynn, played by senior Jessica Riley, is told the Earth-shattering news that her daughter Shelby, played by senior Heidi Eberhardt, is pregnant. M’lynn sits her daughter down for a difficult and heart-wrenching conversation about the sudden surprise. “I think the most difficult part of my role was just her basic plot,” Riley said. “Like her daughter dies, and that’s a very hard thing to go through, especially as a mother. I mean, being a person who not only doesn’t have a kid, but has never had a child die, it’s hard to put yourself in the shoes of someone who’s had to deal with something that tragic.” (Mackenzie Nelson, Kearney (The Clipper))
Judge’s Comments: This photograph could pass for a screenshot from a film. The framing is excellent, the photographer did a wonderful job of finding their clear focus, which is lit well, and the expression of the subject adds a visual component to support what is stated in the caption.
Gunner Wildermuth (12) pitches the ball against Jackson High School March 25. The Willard Tigers Baseball team started this season with the 2021 state championship on their mind. "The team is super excited to tackle this season after our big win last year," Wildermuth said. "We have been working hard since the beginning of this year to be prepared for anything that comes our way."
