Newsday wins 20 New York Press Photographers Assn. awards

Newsday photographers and videographers won 20 prizes in the 83rd annual New York Press Photographers Association 2017 Year in Pictures Awards.

Newsday’s multimedia staff won first place in the long form category for “The Cut” by Jeffrey Basinger and Chris Ware, a documentary that explored the stories and dangers of weight-cutting among mixed martial arts fighters, boxers, wrestlers and jockeys.

Ware and Randee Daddona also captured first place in the short form video category for “Waves of Remembrance,” about a winemaker who taught himself to build boats in his spare time.

First place winners included Thomas Lambui, a Newsday freelance photographer, in the spot news category for his photo “Why Momma Why?” Uli Seit, a Newsday freelance photographer, won first place in the portrait category for his photo “First Degree Murder.”

Newsday photographer Steve Pfost won three awards: an exhibit award in the feature category, third place in the feature picture story category and honorable mention in the sports picture story category.

Newsday photographer Thomas A. Ferrara took home two awards, an honorable mention in the sports feature category and an exhibit award in the digital darkroom category. Photographer John Paraskevas won an exhibit award in the animals category.

Other Newsday freelance photographers who received awards were Jeff Bachner, Randee Daddona, Charles Eckert, Bruce Gilbert, Barry Sloan and Joe Sullivan.

Newsday’s multimedia team received an honorable mention for “March Madness NYC Style,” from Jeffrey Basinger, Robert Cassidy, Raychel Brightman and Arnold Miller. Jessica Kelly, Ware and Miller received an honorable mention for “Bob the Baker.”

“We are honored that the New York Press Photographers Association has recognized the outstanding visual journalism produced by Newsday staff and freelance photographers and our video team,” Newsday Editor Deborah Henley said. “We are proud of their powerful, creative visual storytelling.”

Seventy-two photographers entered the contest and submitted more than 4,200 images. The annual awards ceremony will be held May 24 at Gallery 198 in Brooklyn.

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com@ScottEidler

Scott Eidler is a deputy editor for the towns department at Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.