Kent State to host David LaBelle's "Picture With Purpose" workshop

The Third Annual "Pictures With Purpose" storytelling workshop with Dave LaBelle will be at Kent State University, July 7-15. LaBelle bills this not as a "knock-you-down” boot camp where you will be bullied, embarrassed or intimidated, but a magical, life-changing experience.

The workshop is limited to ten participants so procrastination may leave you sitting on the outside.

For more information go to http://pictureswithpurpose.org

ONPA March clip contest results

Fred Squillante from The Columbus Dispatch was the big winner in the March ONPA monthly clip contest. Squillante won first and second in the feature category and placed first in general news to pick up 142 points. Bill Lackey of the Springfield News-Sun also had three wins to put himself in fourth place just ahead of Squillante.

Chris Russell from The Columbus Dispatch placed first in illustration and maintains a slight lead over co-worker Kyle Robertson.

Complete results are on the ONPA website. The winning images will be posted as soon as they are received. The February gallery is now online.

Top Ten (unofficial standings)

1st - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch - 316
2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch - 296
3rd - Neal C. Lauron, The Columbus Dispatch - 236
4th - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun - 196
5th - Marshall Gorby, Springfield News-Sun - 176
Fred Squillante, The Columbus Dispatch - 176
7th - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch - 156
Phil Masturzo, Akron Beacon Journal - 156
8th - Lisa Dejong, The Plain Dealer - 146
9th - Jonathan Quilter, The Columbus Dispatch - 136
10th - Tom Dodge, The Columbus Dispatch - 84

Have iPhone, will travel and shoot

Former ONPA member Scott MacDonald who worked at the Zanesville Times Recorder back at the turn of the century returned to the Buckeye state recently and captured some images for his cellphone camera journal. The images were the Sportshooter centerpiece on Wednesday.

MacDonald is currently working at The Salinas Californian.

Robles to compete in Hearst finals

ONPA's Student Photographer of the Year for the past two years, Diego James Robles from Ohio University is one of six students that will compete in the 50th annual Hearst Journalism Awards Program's National Photojournalism Championship. The six finalists will compete in New York City, June 8 - 12.

Full story

ONPA February clip contest results

Photographers from The Columbus Dispatch hold down six of the top ten spots in the point standings after the first two months in the ONPA monthly clip contest. Dispatch photographers, Chris Russell, Kyle Robertson and Neal Lauron all had three wins in February each picking up 132 points.

Winners have been notified and a gallery will be posted as soon as the pictures have been submitted. Complete results are on the ONPA website under the clip contest tab.

Top Ten Standings

1st - Chris Russell, The Columbus Dispatch - 234

2nd - Kyle Robertson, The Columbus Dispatch - 214
3rd - Neal C. Lauron, The Columbus Dispatch - 184
4th - Eric Albrecht, The Columbus Dispatch - 124
- Marshall Gorby, Springfield News-Sun - 124
6th - Bill Lackey, Springfield News-Sun - 114
7th - Lisa Dejong, The Plain Dealer - 94
8th - Tom Dodge, The Columbus Dispatch - 84
9th - Shari Lewis, The Columbus Dispatch - 74
Phil Masturzo, Akron Beacon Journal - 74

No charges to be filed against Lantern photographer

With stories circulating earlier this week about Lantern photographer Alex Kortran being on his own to defend himself while facing criminal trespass charges several journalists and organizations have offered support and donations.

Kortran will still obtain legal counsel despite the University's decision not to charge him.

Full story

Gorby's "secrets" revealed

ONPA clip contest chairman Neal Lauron from The Columbus Dispatch couldn't resist having some fun at Marshall Gorby's expense after Gorby won the clip contest POY title recently after finishing second in the standings on several occasions.

For those of you who did not attend the recent ONPA convention and seminar this is your chance to see Lauron's "undercover work" to reveal just how Gorby makes all those prize winning photos in Springfield.

Lantern photographer on his own for defense

Ohio State university student Alex Kortran appears to be on his own in defense of criminal trespass charges as a result of trying to photograph cows which were running loose on campus recently.

A story on the school newspaper website The Lantern says that it appears that neither the university or the student newspaper will provide an attorney for Kortran.

Full story

Chan, Joeright, Graham, Miller and Bullock best in AP contest

Newspapers in Columbus, Canton, Sandusky, Ashland and Washington Court House were named the best in the state Sunday in the annual Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition. General Excellence awards for 2009 went to The Columbus Dispatch, The (Canton) Repository, the Sandusky Register, the Ashland Times-Gazette and the Washington Court House Record Herald.

Best Photographer awards went to Gus Chan of The Plain Dealer, Maribeth Joeright, of The (Willoughby) News-Herald, Nick Graham, of The Middletown Journal, James Miller, The Marion Star and Bryan Bullock, The Delaware Gazette.

Best Online Photojournalist awards went to Stacy Doose, The Cincinnati Enquirer, Michael Blair, The (Willoughby) News-Herald, Trevor Jones, Zanesville Times Recorder, Lindsay Niegelberg, Chillicothe Gazette, and Brandy Chandler, Hillsboro Times-Gazette.

Sixty-five daily newspapers submitted 2,794 entries in the contest, which featured news and sports stories, features, editorials, columns, graphics and photos from 2009

Entries were judged by editors from the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Times Free Press, Division V; the Huntsville (Ala.) Times, Division IV; the Cecil Whig, Elkton, Md., Division III; The Daily Advance, Elizabeth City, N.C., and the Johnstown (Penn.) Tribune-Democrate, Division II; and the News and Messenger, Manassas, Va., Division I.

Complete results can be found on the ONPA website