The Washington Post’s White House News Photographers Association 2011 award winners

A look at the work honored at the annual White House News Photographers Association gala, held May 14.

5 Seconds

00:00

Political News Photo of the Year and On Capitol Hill: Second place

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), surrounded by leadership and key House chairmen, spoke to the media after the passage of the health-care bill in the House on March 21, 2010. The final vote was 220 to 211.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Insiders Washington: First place

Dressed in half a suit after running from his son's soccer game, Rand Paul waits to be a guest on a Fox News program in Bowling Green, Ky., on May 5, 2010. Paul, a tea party favorite, went on to win one of Kentucky's U.S. Senate seats in November.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Insiders Washington: Second place

Lisa Murkowski, left, campaigns in Anchorage on Oct. 3, 2010, as a write-in candidate to be reelected to her U.S. Senate seat. Tea party favorite Joe Miller narrowly defeated the incumbent during the Republican primary, but Murkowski beat Miller in the general election, the first time a write-in candidate had been elected to the Senate since 1954, when Strom Thurmond won as a write-in.

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Picture Story/Politics: Second place

COOPER LANDING, AK- October 2: Surrounded by misty covered mountains, Senator Murkowowski walks through new senior housing built in picturesque Cooper Landing... Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) campaigns as a write-in candidate to be re elected to Alaska's Senate seat, in Cooper Landing, Alaska, Friday, October 1, 2010. Joe Miller narrowly defeated incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski in the republican primary. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

Picture Story/Politics: Award of Excellence

Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) walks to work on Capitol Hill with his male bichon-poodle mix Bruin, part of a series on powerful pets that roam the halls and offices on Capitol Hill that won an Award of Excellence in the Picture Story/Politics category.

Linda Davidson / The Washington Post

International News: Second place

The smell of death and ash permeates the air as decomposing bodies are pulled from the rubble weeks after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Initially, it was mainly the people of Port-au-Prince, working with bare hands and simple tools, who pulled at slabs of concrete and blocks of debris to get at those still trapped. Some were eventually able to get heavy machinery to tear down destroyed buildings, finding many victims.

Carol Guzy / The Washington Post

International News: Award of Excellence

Army Pfc. Terry Heise screams in pain as Task Force Shadow flight medics work on his leg wounds aboard a helicopter in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on Oct. 10. Army Pfc. Jeff Springer, left, and Sgt. Rodrigo Santos are transported with Heise. All three survived but with lower-extremity injures; one lost his foot.

Linda Davidson / The Washington Post

Domestic News: Award of Excellence

Ian T. Wendt, 12, of Lewiston, Idaho, yawns before the start of the preliminary round at the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee on June 3 in Washington.

Ricky Carioti / The Washington Post

Sports Action: Award of Excellence

A Jack Russell terrier competes at the 73rd running of the International Gold Cup Races on Oct. 16, 2010, at The Plains, Va. Several races are held to see who is the fastest Jack Russell. In the final, terriers race over several jumps, chasing a fox tail pulled by a rope.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

Sports Feature/Reaction: Second Place

At Lucky Bar in Northwest Washington, Anayo Osueke, 29, center, reacts as Ghana scores a goal against the United States in the World Cup. The United States lost to Ghana.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

Sports Feature/Reaction: Award of Excellence

A lone Duke men's basketball fan in a sea of Maryland fans shouts as his team is introduced at Comcast Center in College Park on March 3, 2010. He was probably less exuberant at the end of the game, when Maryland won, 79-72.

John McDonnell / The Washington Post

Feature: Second place

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne pray before a difficult operation in the Pech Valley of Afghanistan.

Andrea Bruce / The Washington Post

Feature: Award of Excellence

Some brave souls venture out onto the top deck of a double-decker tour bus during the heavy snow in Washington, on Jan. 30, 2010. The snow reached whiteout conditions.

Tracy A. Woodward / The Washington Post

Feature: Award of Excellence

A crawdad was out of water and looking for a fight aalong George Washington Parkway as emergency vehicles responded after a heavy thunderstorm downed trees in Alexandria on Aug. 5. How the fresh-water crustacean got so far into town and along the busy highway was a mystery. The storm caused a two-hour backup for commuters while trees were removed from the highway.

Linda Davidson / The Washington Post

Picture Story/Feature: First place

Sgt. Cole Reece, a Task Force Shadow flight medic for the 101st Airborne, runs through a dusty field in search of soldiers wounded in a blast in Kandahar, Afghanistan. This image is part of a series documenting how injured soldiers who might have died in previous wars have become survivors as sophisticated NATO hospitals and trauma experts have moved closer to conflict zones.

Linda Davidson / The Washington Post

Picture Story/Feature: Third place

Sofia Wilenkin recites a prayer for the ancient Jewish Kaporos tradition in Brooklyn, N.Y. This photo was part of a series documenting the ancient Jewish tradition of Kaporos, which takes place on the street corners of the vibrant Crown Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn every year before Yom Kippur. It involves swinging chickens over the head three times and slaughtering them as a symbol of repentance for Day of Atonement. Thousands participated in the 2010 ritual, cradling children and whispering prayers in the evening downpours. In the same rain stood a small group of animal advocates who oppose the ritual.

Carol Guzy / The Washington Post

Picture Story/Feature: Award of Excellence

One of a series of photos on the drawn-out wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. "No one wants to be involved in a long war," said a senior officer at the Pentagon five years ago, describing the U.S. actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Few can feel that toll of time and war more than U.S. troops on their third and fourth deployment. In 2010, NATO forces pushed into the Helmand and Kandahar provinces of Afghanistan in an attempt to squash Taliban efforts in the region located close to the Pakistani border.

Andrea Bruce / The Washington Post

Picture Story/Feature: Award of Excellence

Ken Diviney embraces his son Ryan, who remains in a persistent vegetative state after a brutal beating in 2009. The photo is part of series exploring the unconditional love displayed by Ryan Diviney's family and the toll it has taken on his father, in particular.

Carol Guzy / The Washington Post

Picture Story/Feature: Award of Excellence

Spec. Robert Lewis Warren and three others in his platoon were seriously injured when members from Taliban members ambushed the 1037th Route Clearance Company in Afghanistan on May 20, 2010. This photo is one in a series chronicling Warren's life after a traumatic brain injury. Pieces of metallic fragments riddled Warren’s body, including his brain, where one piece stopped just shy of his carotid artery. It remains there because doctors say it would do more harm than good to remove it.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

Picture Story/News: Third place

Jack Pauley, waiting to get some dental work done, dozes with his son Gabriel in his lap while Jacob and Anna, his other children, also rest. The photo is part of a series documenting the thousands of poor and uninsured people who flock to the Wise County Fairgrounds in Virginia in hopes of getting free medical and dental attention at the annual Remote Area Medical event. For many, who often come a full day before the event and sleep in their cars, it's the only medical attention they will get all year.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Picture Story/News: Award of Excellence

For a few seconds, the ground trembled during the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti and countless lives were shattered. In this photo, part of a series, Cindy Tersme throws herself amid the rubble of Ecole St. Gerard, Haiti, screaming in anguish as she searches for her brother Jean Gaelle Dersmorne, 14. "I can see my brother's feet but can't pull him out," she said, weeping.

Carol Guzy / The Washington Post

Picture Story/Sports: Second place

This photo is part of a series on Dayton Webber, 11, who wrestles even though he has no arms or legs. He had a bacterial infection as an infant that led to his limbs being cut off.

Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post

Picture Story/Sports: Third place

The nondescript metal barn of NoXcuse Gym gives a fighting chance to delinquent teenagers hoping to use boxing as a way out of their crime-ridden Southeast Washington neighborhood. In this photo, part of a series, stands one of the youths in the program, Jerry.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

Portrait: Award of Excellence

Robert Morris, 64, needs back surgery before he can return to work. Because he does not have health benefits, he will have to remain in pain, unable to get a job.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Portrait: Award of Excellence

Mark Fisher, 46, of Binghamton, N.Y., has been homeless for about a year. After losing his job in the economic downturn, he began drifting between temp jobs until even those jobs were hard to get. His savings were quickly gone, and eventually he couldn't keep up with paying his monthly bills and was kicked out of his home.

Astrid Riecken / The Washington Post

Portfolio: Third Place

Janeia Prentiss was among hundreds of people attending the 2010 Capital Pride Festival in Washington. The photo is part of Post photographer Marvin Joseph's portfolio, which won third place in that division.

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

Featured Photo Galleries

Pranav Sivakumar, 12, of Tower Lakes, Ill., spells his word during the National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md.

National Spelling Bee, Buckingham Palace garden party, the ‘Soup Nazi’ and more in the day in photos

National Spelling Bee, Buckingham Palace garden party, the “Soup Nazi” and more.

U.S. actress and director Angelina Jolie speaks ahead of a screening of her new film 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' at the Foreign Commonwealth Office in central London, May 29, 2012. Angelina Jolie spoke on the Foreign Secretary's initiative on preventing sexual violence in conflict, ahead of the screening. REUTERS/Pool/Dan Kitwood

Eye on entertainment

Angelina Jolie, will.i.am, Larry Thomas, Nick Jonas, Adam Lambert, Bob Dylan and other celebrities.

Editor’s choice: Reader-submitted photos

Some of the Post’s top picks of snapshots taken and submitted by readers.

Novelist Toni Morrison laughs with U.S. President Barack Obama before being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, May 29, 2012. The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg *** Local Caption *** Toni Morrison; Barack Obama

Obama Honors Medal of Freedom Recipients

President Obama honored a diverse group of political and cultural icons.

Switzerland's Roger Federer returns the ball to Romania's Adrian Ungur during their second round match in the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Wednesday, May 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

French Open 2012: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Victoria Azarenka advance to third round

The American tennis star lost in the first round of a Grand Slam event.

Camels rest at a watering hole outside the town of Aleg May 25, 2012. REUTERS/Joe Penney (MAURITANIA - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY)

Camels, tigers, turtles, a giant stag beetle and more in animal views

Camels, tigers, turtles, a giant stag beetle and more.

Henry, a calf, sustained a head wound and required stitches after being slashed over the weekend.

Farm animals attacked in Fairfax

A calf, two goats and a chicken were slashed over the weekend at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon.

ANNAPOLIS, MD- MAY 29: Graduates cheer as the Blue Angels fly over during the 100th anniversary of the United States Naval Academy Graduation and Commissioning Ceremonies in Annapolis, Maryland, on Tuesday, May 29, 2012. U.S Sec. of Defense Leon Edward Panetta gave the graduation address. (Photo by Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post)

U.S. Naval Academy graduation

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta gave the commencement address at the ceremony.

Back to Previous Gallery

Discussion Policy | FAQ | About Discussions

Comments

Add your comment

Read what others are saying About Badges

SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.

More about badges | Request a badge

Culture Connoisseur Badge

Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.

More about badges | Request a badge

Fact Checker Badge

Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.

More about badges | Request a badge

Washingtologist Badge

Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Writer Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.

Post Forum Badge

Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Weather Watcher Badge

Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.

More about badges | Request a badge

World Watcher Badge

World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Contributor Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

You must be logged in to report a comment.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.

More about badges

Get a badge

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.