MANNING River Times photographers Scott Calvin and Carl Muxlow have combined to take out one of the top awards to NSW regional newspapers in 2007-08 - the NSW Country Press Association Award for Photography.
Their portfolio of three winning photographs has been lauded by the judge as "special", fulfilling the country newspaper's role of covering its community "by celebrating the everyday with great images".
"Regardless of the impact of digital cameras (and their instant results), and of mobile phone cameras, people still love to see their community in THEIR newspaper," judge Neil Newitt said.
The award for photography as well as others for journalism, community leadership, news reporting, feature writing, technical excellence and advertising were presented at a gala dinner at Sydney's Menzies Hotel.
The awards followed the day-long annual conference of Country Press NSW, Australia's oldest newspaper industry association, at which the Times was represented by its editor, Toni Bell.
The award for photography tops off an exciting year for the Times' two full-time photographers, who have each had personal triumphs in other photography awards across the Manning Valley.
Their win at State level is especially exciting as their entry was chosen ahead of those submitted by much larger country newspapers including three dailies: the Maitland Mercury which was named runner-up, Tamworth's Northern Daily Leader (highly commended) and the Hawkesbury Gazette (special mention). Judge Neil Newitt said each of the Times' entries to the three categories of the competition - News, Sport and Photographic Study - was "a winner".
He described Carl Muxlow's sports photograph as "the crowning achievement, easily considered to be the photograph of the year".
Taken during an especially muddy Wingham Rodeo last January, it showed a competitor landing head-first in the mud after being dislodged by a mean bull.
"It shows what can be achieved when conditions are just right," the judge said.
"The timing, the angle of the photograph, as well as the final crop combined to produce a great photograph. A job well done!," he said.
The other two photos in the Times' winning portfolio were by Scott Calvin.
His entry in the News category was taken at the funeral of Senior Constable Paul Morris who was killed in a traffic accident at Tuncurry in August last year.
The photo "shows great emotion without being intrusive," the judge said.
"Funerals are always difficult to cover as a balance must be made between covering the event for the readers whilst respecting the families and friends mourning the deceased. Scott Calvin's photograph is a strong news pic which also conveys the grief of the event," judge Newitt said.
Scott also provided the Photographic Study for the Times' winning portfolio, of local electrical apprentice of the year, Luke Tener, shot in November last year.
The judge described the shot as "a portrait approached with some imagination... a standard assignment well executed, and worthy of its place on the front page of the Times.
"It conveys the happy apprentice in a fun setting," he added.
The Times is no stranger to Country Press NSW awards, although it is 11 years since it last picked up the top photographic prize.
Its last major wins were back-to-back in 1999-2000 and 2001-02 when it won the EC Sommerlad Memorial Award for Journalism.
In the mid to late 1990s the Times was a consistent winner in several award categories, including successive wins of the EC Sommerlad Memorial Award for Leadership and Community Involvement in 1996-1997 and 1997-98.
In 1996 it also took out the top prize for regional newspapers across Australia, the Spicers Award.
Times acting editor, Mick McDonald, yesterday congratulated Scott and Carl for the latest win, acknowledging that newspaper photographers play a unique role in their community under sometimes stressful and highly emotional circumstances.
In March this year, Scott was awarded the $1000 first prize in the Manning Valley Tourism Photo Competition. In June, Carl won the $5000 first place prizemoney in the Lower North Coast Photographic Art Prize.
during the Manning Valley Festival of the Arts.
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