Categories

Spot News
A picture of an unscheduled or breaking event for which no advance planning was possible. Examples: fires, accidents or natural disasters.

General News
A picture of a scheduled political, social or cultural event for which advance planning was possible. Examples: demonstrations, staged promotional or political events and other daily news.

Feature
A candid picture of a "found situation" containing strong human interest, a fresh view of the ordinary or humor. In all cases the dignity of the subject must be respected.

Sports Action
A picture that increases understanding of and appreciation for sport through the capture of peak action and the competitive spirit.

Sports Feature
A sports-related picture with strong human interest or pictorial quality that celebrates the role athletics play in the lives of athletes and fans. Examples: The joy of victory or agony of defeat, fan reaction and interaction, athlete portraits.

Portrait
A picture of a person that reveals the essence of the subject's character.

Pictorial
A graphic image that expresses beauty, tension, harmony, chaos and other abstract concepts through composition, tonal and color relationships more than through human interaction.

Illustration*
A food, product, still life, fashion or concept picture. Each entry must have a title.

Domestic Picture Story
A narrative picture story or thematic essay photographed in your home country that either reports on significant events, celebrates life, portrays sport or explores environmental, social, economic or political topics. 8 photos maximum per story.

International Picture Story
A narrative picture story or thematic essay photographed in a foreign country that reports on significant events, celebrates life, portrays sport or explores environmental, social, economic or political topics. 8 photos maximum per story.

Documentary
A long-form photographic essay or extended narrative story which portrays important contemporary concerns or social issues. To encourage long-term projects, images from previous year's work may be included, provided none of them have previously won a CPOY award. Half of the photographs in the entry must have been taken or first published between September 1, 2010 and August 31, 2011. 12 photos maximum per entry.

Sports Portfolio
Demonstrates versatility and includes at least three different sports. No stories. Eight images maximum.

Sports Portfolio
Demonstrates versatility and includes at least three different sports. No stories. Eight images maximum.

Portfolio
A portfolio should showcase your vision as well as demonstrate versatility, expertise and depth. It must include submissions from at least 4 single picture categories (categories 1 - 8) and one multiple picture category (categories 9 - 11). 50 images maximum. Multimedia entries from categories 14 - 16 may not be included.

Large Group Multimedia Project*
A multimedia project produced in a class or workshop setting. Must contain multiple photojournalistic components produced by eligible students. The overall project presentation may benefit from the input and supervision of faculty or professionals.

Individual Multimedia Story or Essay
A story or essay which uses more than one form of reporting (still image, video, audio) and where the media choice and its utilization enrich and enhance the understanding of the subject. No more than one story per entry. Work must be that of one person. Run times should be between 90 seconds and 4 minutes. Longer pieces, complex multiple story projects and collaborative efforts belong in the Multimedia Project category (16).

Multimedia Project
A photojournalistic project (one long story or a series of stories related by topic) that may utilize any or all of the following: still photography, video, audio, and/or interactivity in pursuit of enriching and enhancing the understanding of the subject. May be the effort of a single student or a small team of no more 5 students. The content, production, and presentation must be solely the work of eligible students.