2015 National Pictures of the Year Winners

April 23, 2016

Photograph of the Year
Native demonstrator Pierre George is engulfed in flames during a protest march at the entrance to the former Camp Ipperwash near Kettle Point, Ontario, September 20, 2015. At the end of the peaceful march, intended to bring elders of the Kettle and Stony Point First Nations to their former home, some residents of the camp set a small fire to stop others from entering the area and to signify the return of the land from the government. George’s brother, Dudley George, was shot and killed by an Ontario Provincial Police sniper during an occupation of Camp Ipperwash in 1995. (Craig Glover / The London Free Press)

VANCOUVER, April 23, 2016 – Photographers use their cameras as tools of exploration, documentation and, ultimately, as instruments of change.

Over 2,000 images were submitted to Canada’s premier photojournalist competition, the National Pictures of the Year (NPOY) awards. This is a testament to the ideal that photography matters now more than ever.

After careful consideration by a panel of experts, the News Photographers Association of Canada (NPAC) is pleased to announce the winners of its ninth annual NPOY awards during the National Pictures of the Year Gala event in Toronto, Ontario, on April 23, 2016.

These awards recognize the excellence of Canada’s outstanding photojournalists whose compelling images collectively represented a spectacular body of work.

About the National Pictures Of The Year Awards:

The National Pictures Of The Year awards competition was created by NPAC to recognize excellence in Canadian photojournalism. NPAC is a volunteer-run, non-profit association comprised of Canadian professional and student photojournalists and photo editors who champion quality and ethical photography in journalism.

The News Photographers Association of Canada’s 2015 National Pictures of the Year Winners:

Photojournalist of the Year – Sponsored by The Canadian Press

Melissa Renwick, Toronto Star

Photograph of the Year – Sponsored by The Globe and Mail

Craig Glover, The London Free Press

Student Photographer of the Year – Sponsored by SAIT

Jesse Winter, Carleton University

Single Images:

General News – Sponsored by CNW Group

1. Amber Bracken – for the Edmonton Journal
2. Ivanoh Demers – La Presse
3. Chad Hipolito – for The Canadian Press
HM. Jim Young – Reuters

Spot News – Sponsored by The Camera Store

1. Craig Glover – The London Free Press
2. Jim Young – Reuters
3. Don Denton – Victoria News

Sports Action – Sponsored by Nikon

1. Jason Franson – The Canadian Press
2. Ryan Pfeiffer – Metroland
3. Nathan Denette – The Canadian Press
HM. Mark Blinch – for The Canadian Press

Sports Feature – Sponsored by Thomson Reuters

1. Carlos Osorio – Toronto Star
2. Tyler Anderson – National Post
3. Kevin Light – for CBC Sports

Feature – Sponsored by the Winnipeg Free Press

1. Annie Sakkab – Independent
2. Tyler Anderson – National Post
3. John Lehmann – The Globe and Mail

Pictorial – Sponsored by Canon

1. David Bloom – Postmedia
2. Darryl Dyck – Independent
3. Nick Iwanyshyn – Metroland
HM. Rafal Gerszak – Boreal Collective

Portrait / Personality – Sponsored by Beau Photo

1. Marta Iwanek – Toronto Star
2. Martin Tremblay – La Presse
3. Melissa Renwick – Toronto Star
HM. Darren Calabrese – for The Globe and Mail (“David McCallum”)
HM. Darren Calabrese – for The Globe and Mail (“Sarah Ferguson”)

Social Issues – Sponsored by Fujifilm

1. Rafal Gerszak – Boreal Collective
2. Steve Russell – Toronto Star
3. Amber Bracken – for The Globe and Mail

Picture Story – Sponsored by Leica

1. Melissa Renwick – Toronto Star
2. Rafal Gerszak – Boreal Collective
3. Tyler Anderson – National Post
HM. Darren Calabrese – for The Globe and Mail

View the picture stories.

Single Multimedia – Sponsored by the Toronto Star

1. Marta Iwanek – Toronto Star
2. Ryan Jackson – Edmonton Journal (“Boxer Jelena Mrdjenovich”)
3. Andrew Tolson – Maclean’s
HM. Ryan Jackson – Edmonton Journal (“Poundmaker Pow Wow”)

View all the multimedia.

Team Multimedia – Sponsored by Vistek

1. Brent Foster, Preston Kanak, Peter Schnobb and Tammy Foster – Foster Visuals (“Healing Waters”)
2. Melissa Renwick, Kelsey Wilson and Olivia Carville – Toronto Star
3. Brent Foster/Foster Visuals and Nick Brokalakis (“Leo Bud Welch”)
HM. Leah Hennel and Kerianne Sproule – Calgary Herald

View all the multimedia.