Each year, the What We Do Competition is hosted by the RIT student chapter of the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), the leading voice advocating for the work of visual journalists. The event is an opportunity to showcase work being made by photography students at RIT and features lectures, live contest judging by three photojournalism alumni, and offers students the chance to meet with industry professionals. On April 11, 2026, there were over 450 images entered and judged in 13 categories. Single image categories include feature, news, sports action, sports feature, portrait, and interpretive image. Multiple image categories include portrait series, photo story, interpretive project, picture editing, multimedia, non-fiction video, and overall portfolio. The 2026 judges were Kelly Jo Smart, Manager of Photography at the Obama Foundation, Matteo Bracco, University Photographer at Hofstra University, Justice Marbury, 19th Ward and Neighborhoods Reporter at the Democrat & Chronicle.
Feature
A candid or found moment that reflects the human experience.
First Place: Paul Besch-Turner
Carlos Sanchez, a student on one of his first multi-day expeditions, is photographed using a LifeStraw to drink from a puddle at the peak of Armstrong Mountain in the Adirondacks, N.Y., Oct. 13, 2025.
Second Place: Hannah Murphy
Dancers rehearse their piece backstage at Catch & Collide while Geo Mandrino sits in a plastic bin during the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival at School of The Arts in Rochester, N.Y., Sept. 24, 2025. Mandrino’s mother, Nanako Mandrino, was a dancer in “Connecting Threads,” a group dance piece that was a part of The Mending Project at University of Rochester, choreographed and coordinated by Anne Wilcox.
Third Place: Sophia Buonpane
Eric James “Badlands” Booker, American competitive eater and rapper, devours a chicken wing on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025 at the 2025 National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo N.Y. Badlands is a world record holder for many national food eating contests
Honorable Mention: Maya Galindo
A volunteer helps set up at the 2025 National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day event at the St. Mary’s Campus Chapel in Rochester, N.Y., Dec. 18, 2025. The volunteer preferred not to be named.
Honorable Mention:Sophia Buonpane
Cataleya Sierra holds her nose as she runs across the splash pad at Cazenovia Park on Monday July 7, 2025.
News
A photograph from a news event. This could be from a breaking news situation or a scheduled event where advanced planning was possible.
First Place: Oliver Tran
A woman places roses in the snow at the scene where Renee Good was killed by a federal ICE agent, her blood still in the snow from the shooting that morning in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 7, 2026.
Second Place: Emma Watson
A protestor (name withheld) stands on West Church Street for the No Kings Protest on Oct. 18, 2025, in Fairport N.Y.
Honorable Mention: Grant Bush-Resko
A protester chants into a megaphone while marching during the No Kings Day Protest on Mar. 28, 2026 in Rochester N.Y.
Sports Action
Images from a sporting event that captures peak action of individual or team sports.
First Place: Maya Galindo
Sal Uttaro serves the ball to opponent Shah Purva during the Mike Brown Butterfly Fall Classic Tournament at the Rochester Sports Garden in Rochester, N.Y. on Nov. 9, 2025. Uttaro ultimately won the game in 4.
Second Place: Colin Norland
RIT’s Yu Tanimoto plays a backhand return against St. John Fisher’s Tyler Hernandez at on RIT Tennis Courts in Henrietta, N.Y., on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025.
Third Place: Rebecca Villagracia
Minnesota Lynx guard DiJonai Carrington (3) looks at her lay up in the third quarter against the Washington Mystics in a WNBA basketball game at Target Center in Minneapolis, M.N., on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025.
Honorable Mention: Autumn Bernava
RIT’s Rania Sabri completes a hurdle during the women’s 60 meter hurdle finals On Friday, February 27th, 2026 at the Gordon Fieldhouse, RIT Track and Field hosts Liberty League championships
Honorable Mention: Grant Bush-Resko
ROC City Ninja Competition Squad member Owen Oliver swings on an X shaped obstacle during a Competition Squad practice on Mar. 19, 2026 at the ROC City Gym in Henrietta, N.Y.
Sports Feature
Images from a sporting event that highlights subjects outside of primary game action/competition. Should increase understanding and appreciation for individual and team sports or celebrate the role athletics play in the lives of amateur and/or professional athletes and fans.
First Place: Grant Bush-Resko
Rochester Red Wings infielder Yohandy (Yoyo) Morales is covered with Gatorade from behind after crossing home plate in the bottom of the ninth inning at Innovative Field in Rochester, N.Y., on Jul. 12, 2025. After surrendering three runs and the lead in the top of the ninth, the Red Wings third baseman stepped up to the plate with two runners on and launched his first ever Triple-A walk-off home run to beat the Worcester Red Sox 6-4.
Second Place: Maya Galindo
Wrestler Madeira “Deja Vu” Johnson sits in the locker room after her match against Ava Brooks during the Upstate Pro Wrestling (UPW) “Locked Up” match at the Eastview Mall in Rochester, N.Y. on Nov. 8, 2025. Brooks ultimately won the match when “Amazing Maria” dragged her on top of “Deja Vu’s” body.
Third Place: Colin Norland
Members of the Rochester Institute of Technology Women’s Hockey team celebrate their win against Post University at the Gene Polisseni Center in Henrietta, N.Y., on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025.
Honorable Mention: Kaila Stefanini
Arnold Tossah (52) sheds some tears at the Greece Olympia/Odyssey Griffins football game against the Rush-Henrietta Royal Comets at Olympia High School in Rochester N.Y., Oct. 17., 2025. Final score was 55-13 with Rush-Heniretta winning over Greece Olympia/Odyessy.
Honorable Mention: Hannah Murphy
Brendan McCollum of University of Rochester vomits in a trash can after running in the Men’s 500m Final at the Nazareth University Alumni Meet at Golisano Training Center on Dec. 5, 2025 in Rochester, N.Y. McCollum finished second with a final time of 1:06.65.
Portrait
An image of a person that reveals the essence of their character
First Place: Paul Besch-Turner
Rino Whoba, a Rochester Institute of Technology student, is photographed on a tintype in Rochester, N.Y., on Jan. 19, 2026.
Second Place: Paul Besch-Turner
Alex Robertson, a composer in the New York City area, works on a piece titled “Erinnerungen,” a German word translating to “memories,” in his apartment in New York City on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. While this specific work is composed for piano, Robertson frequently writes for larger ensembles. A freshman studying music composition at The Juilliard School in New York City, Robertson is preparing for his work “Modum” to be performed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
Third Place: Maryel Pryce
Margie Pryce looks out to the frozen Niagara River in Lewiston, N.Y. on Feb. 5, 2026.
Honorable Mention: Carlos Sanchez
Isabella Sanchez poses for a portrait in her bedroom on Mar. 11, 2026, in Maplewood, N.J. Isabella is a daughter, sister, and Aunt. She has been a dancer for her entire life practicing ballet, contemporary, Jazz, and hip hop. Isabella is pursuing film making in college as she has always been fascinated by story telling. At the age of 11 Isabella became an aunt, due to mental health issues their mother was largely unfit to care for them and it became a duty of the family to raise the children. This has taught Isabella about responsibility and through taking care of her niece’s and nephew she has realized the importance of being there for the children and helping those who cannot help themselves.
Honorable Mention: Hannah Murphy
Samantha Howe, a company dancer and teacher at Rochester City Ballet and a pharmacist at CVS Pharmacy poses for a portrait while wearing her scrubs in front of her students at Rochester City Ballet on Oct. 30, 2025 in Rochester, N.Y. Howe started working at CVS as a shipping manager, then began their free training program to be a pharmacist technician, which ultimately led her to go back to college to study community health. “Whenever I stop [dancing], I’m going to use my community health education degree and dance, and kind of combine them into dance therapy. […] I think it’ll be good for me to stop teaching at such a high level and kind of go back to how people get started and how dance can heal people.”
Interpretive Image
An image that showcases the photographer’s vision or unique perspective. These images can be planned, posed, or otherwise set up. Must be grounded in the documentary tradition and offer visual commentary on an issue or idea.
First Place: Paul Besch-Turner
James Fischer poses for a portrait on March 26, 2026, in Rochester, N.Y. Fischer models as the emotional, ethereal music of the band Radiohead is explored. The concept draws on the music’s introspective nature and its deep message, seeking to visualize the band’s sonic atmosphere. A star filter was used in the creation of this photograph to enhance the lighting effects.
Second Place: Kat Angeline
Spotting a couple through a break in the pathway on a bench at Green Lakes.
Third Place: Paul-Besch Turner
Rubble outcrop in the highest part of the canyon at Letchworth State Park, N.Y., on Nov. 2, 2025. This image explores the early photographic documentation of notable landscapes in the Western United States by photographers and explorers such as William Henry Jackson and F. Jay Haynes, who documented terrain as if it had never been seen before. This photograph uses large-format tintype to focus on details of the landscape that resonate personally, rather than focusing on primary tourist attractions.
Honorable Mention: Paul Besch-Turner
Antlers and a juvenile skull found resting in the grass in Umiujaq, Quebec, on Aug. 6, 2025. The indigenous Innu people of northern Quebec and Labrador view the frequency of caribou antlers as a vital signifier of the health of the land. These antlers served as a profound testament to the land’s resilience, even as a warming climate pushes the Great Northern herd further toward the pole.
Honorable Mention: Riley Ferriss
Self portrait reflecting on managing suicidal thoughts. March 20, 2025. Rochester, NY
Interpretive Project
A maximum of 12 images that showcase the photographer’s vision or unique perspective. These images can be planned, posed, or otherwise set up. Must be grounded in the documentary tradition, this project showcases a body of work that offers visual commentary on an issue or idea.
Through Her Eyes – Life is layered when it is seen through the eyes of a sister, both beside you and far away. This series follows the bond between Madi and Alicia Gentes, two sisters experiencing college together at Rochester Institute of Technology. It reveals the world through their shared and separate perspectives, showing how traces of one another remain in a photo, a piece of jewelry, or a stuffed animal from childhood. Through light, gesture, and atmosphere, it examines the balance of independence and love that defines their relationship. Rooted in the loss of my own sister when I was young, this piece gave me a glimpse of a connection I never had and celebrates the way love quietly persists both when we are together and when we are apart.
If These Walls Could Talk-This project takes the viewer inside the house of my grandma, which was the home to many others along with her. Although it is just her who lives there now, the house breathes with her. Every rip in the wall, every picture, every memory comes together to remind each person who walks in that house that it is filled with love. The house has seen so many faces, raised so many children, seen all the good and all the bad, creating its own story. Therefore, this is a thank you to the house, and a thank you to the feeling it gives me, knowing I contributed to its story as well.
The Watcher and the Victim is centered around George Orwell’s view on surveillance in 1984. This diptych series focuses on surveillance in the modern day. It addresses the reality we all know but are reluctant to admit, that we have little privacy left, and we can be tracked, watched, and kept in check at all times.
Solastalgia – While landscapes are traditionally perceived under the egalitarian wash of sunlight or clouds, Solastalgia explores these spaces by night to feel the scale of the environment without the interruption of day. I alter these familiar locations not by manipulating their contents, but by introducing an alternate light source that reveals textures as alien, strange, and illicit. Whether illuminating the indifferent waterfalls of Letchworth or a mountain of urban rubble in Henrietta, the work serves as a meditative intervention into the “human effect” on our surroundings. This series captures a world that continues to exist without an audience, presenting a landscape that feels increasingly distant, as if it should not be observed under these circumstances.
Reflection – In November of 2024, I returned home for my safety after nearly taking my life. My time at home, especially at the start, was turbulent. After a photography hiatus, I began documenting myself in an intimate way I hadn’t tried before. What began as a suicide note became my way to reflect on how much depression has shaped my life, along with a way to process the ongoing world around me.
Portrait Series
A maximum of 12 images that reflect a strong sense of identity or narrative.
More Than Forty Six – The Adirondack 46ers are not defined by summits alone, but by the people they become through the journey—through healing, stewardship, mentorship, resilience, and community.
The Trenton and Pamela Jackson R Center is home to a free facilities boxing gym. Here, kids and adults of all ages come to weight lift, run, or box, fostering a community of amateur and professional boxers. At the heart of this is Coach Debra Lagares and her team, members of USA boxing, and a family in their own right.
Along the 8 miles of Atlantic coastline in Rye, New Hampshire, are many rocky beaches popular for their good surf breaks year-round. Notably Sawyer’s Beach, Jenness Beach, & Rye on the Rocks. As the weather gets colder in the fall, the active hurricane season off the New England coast often brings in bigger waves and good surf for the locals who continue to brave the cold and wind for the sport they love.
17 Pill Bottles – Seventeen pill bottles once lined the countertop of former U.S. Marine RJ Sirianni. During his service in Iraq, an IED detonated beneath his unit’s vehicle, and Sirianni was the only survivor. After returning home, he struggled with traumatic brain injury, chronic migraines, and severe PTSD, eventually turning to alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms. While undergoing treatment through the VA, he was stabilized in the psych ward and placed on 17 different medications, though over time those prescriptions were gradually reduced until he fully discontinued them in 2021. Today, Sirianni manages his PTSD through plant medicines, nature-based healing, and daily practices like gardening and exercise, while sharing his journey to show others that meaningful, long-term healing is possible.
“I’ll be back again for you tomorrow” – Stephen Rosa spent 20 years of his life with on and off addiction, homelessness, and stays in prison, but, a few years after he got sober and got a job as an electrician, he decided to give back to his community and become a homeless outreach worker. Now, he works for three non-profit organizations that aim to help the unhoused and those in active addiction. With homelessness rates on the rise in Rochester, he often finds himself stretched thin and overwhelmed but still persisting on in his calling to help the community.
Built Not Born – For Ally Hogan, her rookie bodybuilding season began long before she stepped under the stage lights. The 26-year-old Williamsville resident spent her days balancing early morning cardio, weight training, posing practice and strict meal preparation, all in pursuit of the National Physique Committee Western New York Championships. “Built Not Born” follows Hogan through the physical demands and quiet routines of her competition prep, showing how months of discipline, sacrifice and support from those around her culminated in a winning performance and the Overall Fit Model Title at Buffalo RiverWorks on July 19, 2025.
Untitled – The Beccarelli Family continues their 33 year legacy at the New York Special Olympics. For thirty-three years, Al Becarelli has coached his sons, Jonathan and Aaron, guiding them through a lifetime of competitive excellence across a variety of sports including: soccer, floorball, track and field, basketball, and tennis. In the 2026 New York State Special Olympics, the Becarelli brothers continued to prove their versatility across a staggering array of sports. On this frigid 20-degree day the brothers competed in the 50 and 100 meter races for cross country skiing, the family trio continued to build upon their legacy, bringing home 2 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medals.
DiPetta – Caitlin DiPetta is a teacher, educator, and Special Olympics coach at BOCES in Elmira N.Y., she spends time outside of her normal schedule refining her team’s skills to compete at the highest level. DiPetta’s family is extremely involved in the Special Olympics community her daughter Grace DiPetta is a coach in training for the team, and her husband and son come to every game team has “It’s nothing for me to go on a weekend trip in the winter, but for these kids its an experience they won’t forget”, said DiPetta.
Multimedia Story
A multimedia story or essay that reflects the human experience and may include: videos, photos, text, and audio.
A non-fiction video that reflects the human experience.
First Place: Kate Magsaysay
Picture Editing
Use images from the AP and Getty photo wires to illustrate a slideshow of the best photos of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan Cortina. This edit should demonstrate your journalistic and creative vision and should be carefully researched and arranged.
The Gitner Family Award goes to a body of work that showcases a returning student photographer’s vision and demonstrates versatility, expertise, and depth.
Last Updated: April 29, 2026 by Jenn Poggi
2026 Results
Each year, the What We Do Competition is hosted by the RIT student chapter of the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), the leading voice advocating for the work of visual journalists. The event is an opportunity to showcase work being made by photography students at RIT and features lectures, live contest judging by three photojournalism alumni, and offers students the chance to meet with industry professionals. On April 11, 2026, there were over 450 images entered and judged in 13 categories. Single image categories include feature, news, sports action, sports feature, portrait, and interpretive image. Multiple image categories include portrait series, photo story, interpretive project, picture editing, multimedia, non-fiction video, and overall portfolio. The 2026 judges were Kelly Jo Smart, Manager of Photography at the Obama Foundation, Matteo Bracco, University Photographer at Hofstra University, Justice Marbury, 19th Ward and Neighborhoods Reporter at the Democrat & Chronicle.
Feature
A candid or found moment that reflects the human experience.
Carlos Sanchez, a student on one of his first multi-day expeditions, is photographed using a LifeStraw to drink from a puddle at the peak of Armstrong Mountain in the Adirondacks, N.Y., Oct. 13, 2025.
Dancers rehearse their piece backstage at Catch & Collide while Geo Mandrino sits in a plastic bin during the ESL Rochester Fringe Festival at School of The Arts in Rochester, N.Y., Sept. 24, 2025. Mandrino’s mother, Nanako Mandrino, was a dancer in “Connecting Threads,” a group dance piece that was a part of The Mending Project at University of Rochester, choreographed and coordinated by Anne Wilcox.
Eric James “Badlands” Booker, American competitive eater and rapper, devours a chicken wing on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025 at the 2025 National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo N.Y. Badlands is a world record holder for many national food eating contests
A volunteer helps set up at the 2025 National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day event at the St. Mary’s Campus Chapel in Rochester, N.Y., Dec. 18, 2025. The volunteer preferred not to be named.
Cataleya Sierra holds her nose as she runs across the splash pad at Cazenovia Park on Monday July 7, 2025.
News
A photograph from a news event. This could be from a breaking news situation or a scheduled event where advanced planning was possible.
A woman places roses in the snow at the scene where Renee Good was killed by a federal ICE agent, her blood still in the snow from the shooting that morning in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 7, 2026.
A protestor (name withheld) stands on West Church Street for the No Kings Protest on Oct. 18, 2025, in Fairport N.Y.
A protester chants into a megaphone while marching during the No Kings Day Protest on Mar. 28, 2026 in Rochester N.Y.
Sports Action
Images from a sporting event that captures peak action of individual or team sports.
Sal Uttaro serves the ball to opponent Shah Purva during the Mike Brown Butterfly Fall Classic Tournament at the Rochester Sports Garden in Rochester, N.Y. on Nov. 9, 2025. Uttaro ultimately won the game in 4.
RIT’s Yu Tanimoto plays a backhand return against St. John Fisher’s Tyler Hernandez at on RIT Tennis Courts in Henrietta, N.Y., on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025.
Minnesota Lynx guard DiJonai Carrington (3) looks at her lay up in the third quarter against the Washington Mystics in a WNBA basketball game at Target Center in Minneapolis, M.N., on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025.
RIT’s Rania Sabri completes a hurdle during the women’s 60 meter hurdle finals On Friday, February 27th, 2026 at the Gordon Fieldhouse, RIT Track and Field hosts Liberty League championships
ROC City Ninja Competition Squad member Owen Oliver swings on an X shaped obstacle during a Competition Squad practice on Mar. 19, 2026 at the ROC City Gym in Henrietta, N.Y.
Sports Feature
Images from a sporting event that highlights subjects outside of primary game action/competition. Should increase understanding and appreciation for individual and team sports or celebrate the role athletics play in the lives of amateur and/or professional athletes and fans.
Rochester Red Wings infielder Yohandy (Yoyo) Morales is covered with Gatorade from behind after crossing home plate in the bottom of the ninth inning at Innovative Field in Rochester, N.Y., on Jul. 12, 2025. After surrendering three runs and the lead in the top of the ninth, the Red Wings third baseman stepped up to the plate with two runners on and launched his first ever Triple-A walk-off home run to beat the Worcester Red Sox 6-4.
Wrestler Madeira “Deja Vu” Johnson sits in the locker room after her match against Ava Brooks during the Upstate Pro Wrestling (UPW) “Locked Up” match at the Eastview Mall in Rochester, N.Y. on Nov. 8, 2025. Brooks ultimately won the match when “Amazing Maria” dragged her on top of “Deja Vu’s” body.
Members of the Rochester Institute of Technology Women’s Hockey team celebrate their win against Post University at the Gene Polisseni Center in Henrietta, N.Y., on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025.
Arnold Tossah (52) sheds some tears at the Greece Olympia/Odyssey Griffins football game against the Rush-Henrietta Royal Comets at Olympia High School in Rochester N.Y., Oct. 17., 2025. Final score was 55-13 with Rush-Heniretta winning over Greece Olympia/Odyessy.
Brendan McCollum of University of Rochester vomits in a trash can after running in the Men’s 500m Final at the Nazareth University Alumni Meet at Golisano Training Center on Dec. 5, 2025 in Rochester, N.Y. McCollum finished second with a final time of 1:06.65.
Portrait
An image of a person that reveals the essence of their character
Rino Whoba, a Rochester Institute of Technology student, is photographed on a tintype in Rochester, N.Y., on Jan. 19, 2026.
Alex Robertson, a composer in the New York City area, works on a piece titled “Erinnerungen,” a German word translating to “memories,” in his apartment in New York City on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. While this specific work is composed for piano, Robertson frequently writes for larger ensembles. A freshman studying music composition at The Juilliard School in New York City, Robertson is preparing for his work “Modum” to be performed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
Margie Pryce looks out to the frozen Niagara River in Lewiston, N.Y. on Feb. 5, 2026.
Isabella Sanchez poses for a portrait in her bedroom on Mar. 11, 2026, in Maplewood, N.J. Isabella is a daughter, sister, and Aunt. She has been a dancer for her entire life practicing ballet, contemporary, Jazz, and hip hop. Isabella is pursuing film making in college as she has always been fascinated by story telling. At the age of 11 Isabella became an aunt, due to mental health issues their mother was largely unfit to care for them and it became a duty of the family to raise the children. This has taught Isabella about responsibility and through taking care of her niece’s and nephew she has realized the importance of being there for the children and helping those who cannot help themselves.
Samantha Howe, a company dancer and teacher at Rochester City Ballet and a pharmacist at CVS Pharmacy poses for a portrait while wearing her scrubs in front of her students at Rochester City Ballet on Oct. 30, 2025 in Rochester, N.Y. Howe started working at CVS as a shipping manager, then began their free training program to be a pharmacist technician, which ultimately led her to go back to college to study community health. “Whenever I stop [dancing], I’m going to use my community health education degree and dance, and kind of combine them into dance therapy. […] I think it’ll be good for me to stop teaching at such a high level and kind of go back to how people get started and how dance can heal people.”
Interpretive Image
An image that showcases the photographer’s vision or unique perspective. These images can be planned, posed, or otherwise set up. Must be grounded in the documentary tradition and offer visual commentary on an issue or idea.
James Fischer poses for a portrait on March 26, 2026, in Rochester, N.Y. Fischer models as the emotional, ethereal music of the band Radiohead is explored. The concept draws on the music’s introspective nature and its deep message, seeking to visualize the band’s sonic atmosphere. A star filter was used in the creation of this photograph to enhance the lighting effects.
Spotting a couple through a break in the pathway on a bench at Green Lakes.
Rubble outcrop in the highest part of the canyon at Letchworth State Park, N.Y., on Nov. 2, 2025. This image explores the early photographic documentation of notable landscapes in the Western United States by photographers and explorers such as William Henry Jackson and F. Jay Haynes, who documented terrain as if it had never been seen before. This photograph uses large-format tintype to focus on details of the landscape that resonate personally, rather than focusing on primary tourist attractions.
Antlers and a juvenile skull found resting in the grass in Umiujaq, Quebec, on Aug. 6, 2025. The indigenous Innu people of northern Quebec and Labrador view the frequency of caribou antlers as a vital signifier of the health of the land. These antlers served as a profound testament to the land’s resilience, even as a warming climate pushes the Great Northern herd further toward the pole.
Self portrait reflecting on managing suicidal thoughts. March 20, 2025. Rochester, NY
Interpretive Project
A maximum of 12 images that showcase the photographer’s vision or unique perspective. These images can be planned, posed, or otherwise set up. Must be grounded in the documentary tradition, this project showcases a body of work that offers visual commentary on an issue or idea.
View full project here
Through Her Eyes – Life is layered when it is seen through the eyes of a sister, both beside you and far away. This series follows the bond between Madi and Alicia Gentes, two sisters experiencing college together at Rochester Institute of Technology. It reveals the world through their shared and separate perspectives, showing how traces of one another remain in a photo, a piece of jewelry, or a stuffed animal from childhood. Through light, gesture, and atmosphere, it examines the balance of independence and love that defines their relationship. Rooted in the loss of my own sister when I was young, this piece gave me a glimpse of a connection I never had and celebrates the way love quietly persists both when we are together and when we are apart.
View full project here
If These Walls Could Talk-This project takes the viewer inside the house of my grandma, which was the home to many others along with her. Although it is just her who lives there now, the house breathes with her. Every rip in the wall, every picture, every memory comes together to remind each person who walks in that house that it is filled with love. The house has seen so many faces, raised so many children, seen all the good and all the bad, creating its own story. Therefore, this is a thank you to the house, and a thank you to the feeling it gives me, knowing I contributed to its story as well.
View full project here
The Watcher and the Victim is centered around George Orwell’s view on surveillance in 1984. This diptych series focuses on surveillance in the modern day. It addresses the reality we all know but are reluctant to admit, that we have little privacy left, and we can be tracked, watched, and kept in check at all times.
View full project here
Solastalgia – While landscapes are traditionally perceived under the egalitarian wash of sunlight or clouds, Solastalgia explores these spaces by night to feel the scale of the environment without the interruption of day. I alter these familiar locations not by manipulating their contents, but by introducing an alternate light source that reveals textures as alien, strange, and illicit. Whether illuminating the indifferent waterfalls of Letchworth or a mountain of urban rubble in Henrietta, the work serves as a meditative intervention into the “human effect” on our surroundings. This series captures a world that continues to exist without an audience, presenting a landscape that feels increasingly distant, as if it should not be observed under these circumstances.
View full project here
Reflection – In November of 2024, I returned home for my safety after nearly taking my life. My time at home, especially at the start, was turbulent. After a photography hiatus, I began documenting myself in an intimate way I hadn’t tried before. What began as a suicide note became my way to reflect on how much depression has shaped my life, along with a way to process the ongoing world around me.
Portrait Series
A maximum of 12 images that reflect a strong sense of identity or narrative.
View full series here
More Than Forty Six – The Adirondack 46ers are not defined by summits alone, but by the people they become through the journey—through healing, stewardship, mentorship, resilience, and community.
View full series here
The Trenton and Pamela Jackson R Center is home to a free facilities boxing gym. Here, kids and adults of all ages come to weight lift, run, or box, fostering a community of amateur and professional boxers. At the heart of this is Coach Debra Lagares and her team, members of USA boxing, and a family in their own right.
View full series here
Along the 8 miles of Atlantic coastline in Rye, New Hampshire, are many rocky beaches popular for their good surf breaks year-round. Notably Sawyer’s Beach, Jenness Beach, & Rye on the Rocks. As the weather gets colder in the fall, the active hurricane season off the New England coast often brings in bigger waves and good surf for the locals who continue to brave the cold and wind for the sport they love.
View full series here
Photo Story
A maximum of 12 images compiled in a picture story or essay that reflects the human experience.
View full story here
17 Pill Bottles – Seventeen pill bottles once lined the countertop of former U.S. Marine RJ Sirianni. During his service in Iraq, an IED detonated beneath his unit’s vehicle, and Sirianni was the only survivor. After returning home, he struggled with traumatic brain injury, chronic migraines, and severe PTSD, eventually turning to alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms. While undergoing treatment through the VA, he was stabilized in the psych ward and placed on 17 different medications, though over time those prescriptions were gradually reduced until he fully discontinued them in 2021. Today, Sirianni manages his PTSD through plant medicines, nature-based healing, and daily practices like gardening and exercise, while sharing his journey to show others that meaningful, long-term healing is possible.
View full story here
“I’ll be back again for you tomorrow” – Stephen Rosa spent 20 years of his life with on and off addiction, homelessness, and stays in prison, but, a few years after he got sober and got a job as an electrician, he decided to give back to his community and become a homeless outreach worker. Now, he works for three non-profit organizations that aim to help the unhoused and those in active addiction. With homelessness rates on the rise in Rochester, he often finds himself stretched thin and overwhelmed but still persisting on in his calling to help the community.
View full story here
Built Not Born – For Ally Hogan, her rookie bodybuilding season began long before she stepped under the stage lights. The 26-year-old Williamsville resident spent her days balancing early morning cardio, weight training, posing practice and strict meal preparation, all in pursuit of the National Physique Committee Western New York Championships. “Built Not Born” follows Hogan through the physical demands and quiet routines of her competition prep, showing how months of discipline, sacrifice and support from those around her culminated in a winning performance and the Overall Fit Model Title at Buffalo RiverWorks on July 19, 2025.
View full story here
Untitled – The Beccarelli Family continues their 33 year legacy at the New York Special Olympics. For thirty-three years, Al Becarelli has coached his sons, Jonathan and Aaron, guiding them through a lifetime of competitive excellence across a variety of sports including: soccer, floorball, track and field, basketball, and tennis. In the 2026 New York State Special Olympics, the Becarelli brothers continued to prove their versatility across a staggering array of sports. On this frigid 20-degree day the brothers competed in the 50 and 100 meter races for cross country skiing, the family trio continued to build upon their legacy, bringing home 2 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medals.
View full story here
DiPetta – Caitlin DiPetta is a teacher, educator, and Special Olympics coach at BOCES in Elmira N.Y., she spends time outside of her normal schedule refining her team’s skills to compete at the highest level. DiPetta’s family is extremely involved in the Special Olympics community her daughter Grace DiPetta is a coach in training for the team, and her husband and son come to every game team has “It’s nothing for me to go on a weekend trip in the winter, but for these kids its an experience they won’t forget”, said DiPetta.
Multimedia Story
A multimedia story or essay that reflects the human experience and may include: videos, photos, text, and audio.
First Place: Kate Magsaysay
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Password: Bees2025
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Nonfiction Video
A non-fiction video that reflects the human experience.
Picture Editing
Use images from the AP and Getty photo wires to illustrate a slideshow of the best photos of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan Cortina. This edit should demonstrate your journalistic and creative vision and should be carefully researched and arranged.
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Overall Portfolio
A body of work that showcases the photographer’s vision and demonstrates versatility, expertise, and depth.
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Gitner Family Prize
The Gitner Family Award goes to a body of work that showcases a returning student photographer’s vision and demonstrates versatility, expertise, and depth.
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Category: What We Do