2018 Dith Pran Instagram Photo Shootout Competition

Cambodian photojournalist Dith Pran talks to a reporter after a press conference at the Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand in Bangkok, Aug. 25, 1989, after getting back from Cambodia. (AP Photo)
Cambodian photojournalist Dith Pran talks to a reporter after a press conference at the Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand in Bangkok, Aug. 25, 1989, after getting back from Cambodia. (AP Photo)

The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is proud to announce the 2018 Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition to take place at the AAJA National Convention in Houston, Texas, August 8-11. Texans say that “Everything is bigger in Texas,” so we are looking for the photograph that best depicts this slogan. This contest is open to ALL attendees at the AAJA 2018 convention in Houston. The winner will receive a convention registration for next year’s convention.

Instagram Photo Shootout Rules:

  • Submit photo entries using the Instagram hashtag #AAJAPhoto. Upload your photo submission(s) with caption information using any Instagram App with that hashtag and it should appear at aajaphoto.org/ig
  • Deadline: Photo submission(s) must be uploaded on Instagram by 5 p.m. CT on Friday, August 10, 2018.
  • Contestants can start shooting anytime beginning 12:01 a.m. CT Wednesday, August 8 and must be uploaded by the contest deadline stated above.
  • A professional grade camera is not required. Images submitted from mobile devices (cellphone or tablet) are acceptable.
  • Each entrant can submit up to three (3) images. Judging will be based on a single image and not a series of images.
  • Entries should be based on the theme. Photos will be judged on theme interpretation, artistic style, composition and technical execution. This year’s theme is a suggestion and photographs unrelated to the theme are acceptable.
  • Entrants also need to email aajaphoto@gmail.com with their entrant’s name, Instagram account name, cell phone number, email address and caption information of 100 words or less. Failure to email this information may disqualify an entry.
  • You must be a current registered AAJA 2018 National Convention attendee.
  • Only minor burning, dodging and slight color adjustment, sharpening and cropping are acceptable. NO INSTAGRAM FILTERS ALLOWED! Any significantly digitally modified or altered photograph will be disqualified. No special artistic app filters allowed. The only exception is the black and white filter.

There is no cost to enter the competition.

Winners will be posted on www.AAJAPhoto.org. The First Place winner will have their name engraved on the Annual Dith Pran Photo Shootout perpetual award. First, second and third place winners will be announced Saturday, August 11 at the AAJA Gala Scholarship & Awards Banquet. First place prize is the convention fee for next year’s convention, a $250 value.

Questions? Please contact AAJA photographer James Yee (317-640-1873) or Alex Wong (202-438-7050) or email questions to aajaphoto@gmail.com.

See the winners of the 2017 shootout here


The AAJA Photo Shootout was started in 2000 during the annual AAJA National Convention. The competition name was changed in 2008 to honor New York Times photographer Dith Pran, who risked his life in Cambodia during the genocide by the Khmer Rouge to help journalists tell the story of atrocities in his home country. His story inspired the film, “The Killing Fields.” Pran passed away in 2008.

Winners of the 2017 Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition

1st Place Salgu Wissmath for the 2017 Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition
1st Place Salgu Wissmath for the 2017 Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition
2nd Place Natalie Hee for the 2017 Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition.
2nd Place Natalie Hee for the 2017 Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition.
3rd Place Alex Wong for the 2017 Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition
3rd Place Alex Wong for the 2017 Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition

Philadelphia is known as the “City of Brotherly Love,” so judges were looking for the photograph that best depicts this slogan. The contest was open to all attendees at the AAJA 2017 convention in Philadelphia. Top prize was convention registration for the 2018 convention and an insta360 VR camera.

Pics or it didn’t happen. It happened! Photos from AAJA17

Photos from Day One

Photos from Day Two

Photos from Day Three

More photos on Facebook at: https://aajaphoto.org/fb/

Dim Sum in Philly Sunday (July 30)

Good Morning everyone.

Well, it’s the bottom of the 9th, the bases are loaded and the ball game is almost over. AAJA17 is officially over, but we have one last get together. We hope you all had a great experience in Philly. We hope you all travel safely to wherever your next destination will be, I encourage you all to post some photos on the AAJA Photo Affinity Group Facebook page.

Once again, it is late, I am tired, so I’ll write more later.

Please note that the meeting time for dim sum today has changed. We will meet in the lobby at 10 a.m. and then walk over to Ocean Harbor.

SUNDAY, July 30, 2017
Meet in lobby at 10 a.m.
Meet at restaurant at 10:15 a.m.
Group Dim Sum (free for college photography major students)
Ocean Harbor (Opens at 10 a.m.)
1023 Race St., Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 574-1398

Got some photos to post? You can post them to the AAJAphoto facebook page at https://www.aajaphoto.org/fb/

Photojournalists Group Schedule for 2017 Philadelphia Convention

The Friendship Gate, produced by artisans in Chinatown’s “sister city” of Tianijn, China in 1983, was installed at the intersection of Tenth and Arch Street in 1984. Photo by James Yee taken Monday, July 24, 2017.
The Friendship Gate, produced by artisans in Chinatown’s “sister city” of Tianijn, China in 1983, was installed at the intersection of Tenth and Arch Street in 1984. Photo by James Yee taken Monday, July 24, 2017.

2017 AAJA Convention
July 26 – 29, 2017

Loews Philadelphia Hotel
1200 Market St. Philadelphia, PA 19107

Photojournalists Affinity Group Schedule

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017
12:01 a.m. Beginning of Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition
Rules: https://www.aaja17.org/dith-pran-photo-shootout/

11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Commonwealth Hall C
Workshop: Explore 360/VR Journalism – A New Frontier of Storytelling
Speakers: Michael Quan/Interactive Tactical Group, Gene Cao/Insta360, Chang Lee/The New York Times, Alex Wong/Getty Images

6 p.m. Regency Ballroom
Opening Reception

8:30 p.m. Bank & Bourbon Bar in the hotel lobby
Photo Group Networking Mixer
Meet w/ Susan Choi, James Yee, Alex Wong after Opening Reception

THURSDAY, July 27, 2017
9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Commonwealth Hall A2
Panel: Supercharge Your Photo/Video for Social Media
Moderator: Darrell Miho
Speakers: Michael Yamashita, National Geographic, Dion Lim, former news anchor/reporter at WTSP, St. Petersburg, (KGO-TV in San Francisco this fall)

8 p.m. Dinner
Banana Leaf Malaysian Cuisine
1009 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 592-8288
Group Dinner
(free for college photography major students)

FRIDAY, July 28, 2017
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Commonwealth Hall A2
Panel: Lessons From Photographing Standing Rock
Moderator: Ariel Zambelich, NPR
Speakers: Augus Mordant, Freelance, Josh Morgan, The Greenville News, Richard J. Tsong-Taatarii, Minneapolis Star Tribune

5 p.m. Deadline for Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition
Rules: https://www.aaja17.org/dith-pran-photo-shootout/

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.Regency A & B
Silent Auction www.aaja17.auction-bid.org

8:45 p.m. Dinner
Vietnam Palace
222 N 11th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 592-9596
Group Dinner Honoring Nick Ut’s Retirement (Nick will be there)
(free for college photography major students)

SATURDAY, July 29, 2017
1 p.m. Lunch
Jim’s Steaks South St.
400 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 928-1911
www.jimssouthstreet.com
Philly-Style Cheesesteak Group Lunch
(free for college photography major students)

After Lunch 
Tours to be discussed at lunch:

  • Liberty Bell
  • Independence Hall
  • Rocky Statue and Rocky Steps
  • Philadelphia Museum of Art
  • South Street Neighborhood
  • Museum of The American Revolution

7 p.m. Millennium Hall
Gala Scholarship & Awards Banquet
Dith Pran Photo Shootout winners announced

SUNDAY, July 30, 2017
UPDATED TIME
10:15 a.m. Lunch
Ocean Harbor (Opens at 10 a.m.)
1023 Race St., Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 574-1398
Group Dim Sum
(free for college photography major students)

For more information: James Yee (317) 640-1873
aajaphoto@gmail.com
www.aajaphoto.org
Facebook: AAJAPhoto.org/fb/
Instagram Photo Shootout tag: #aajaphoto

2017 Dith Pran Instagram Photo Shootout Competition

Cambodian photojournalist Dith Pran talks to a reporter after a press conference at the Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand in Bangkok, Aug. 25, 1989, after getting back from Cambodia. (AP Photo)
Cambodian photojournalist Dith Pran talks to a reporter after a press conference at the Foreign Correspondent Club of Thailand in Bangkok, Aug. 25, 1989, after getting back from Cambodia. (AP Photo)

AAJA is proud to announce the 2017 Dith Pran Photo Shootout Competition to take place at the AAJA National Convention in Philadelphia, July 26-29, 2017. Philadelphia is known as the “City of Brotherly Love”, so we are looking for the photograph that best depicts this slogan. This contest is open to ALL attendees at the AAJA 2017 convention in Philadelphia.

Top prize is convention registration for next year’s convention.

Instagram PhotoShootOut Rules:

  • Submit photo entries using the Instagram hashtag #AAJAPhoto. Upload your photo submission(s) with caption information using any Instagram App.
  • Deadline: Photo submission(s) must be uploaded on Instagram by 5 p.m. EST on Friday, July 28, 2017.
  • Contestants can start shooting anytime beginning 12:01am EST Wednesday, July 26 and must be uploaded by the contest deadline stated above.
  • A professional grade camera is not required. Images submitted from mobile devices (cellphone or tablet) are acceptable.
  • Each entrant can submit up to three (3) images. Judging will be based on a single image and not a series of images.
  • Entries should be based on the theme. Photos will be judged on theme interpretation, artistic style, composition & technical execution. This year’s theme is a suggestion and photographs unrelated to the theme are acceptable.
  • Entrants also need to email aajaphoto@gmail.com with their entrant’s name, Instagram account name, cell phone number, email address and caption information of 100 words or less. Failure to email this information may disqualify an entry.
  • You must be a current registered AAJA National Convention attendee.
  • Only minor burning, dodging and slight color adjustment, sharpening and cropping are acceptable. NO INSTAGRAM FILTERS ALLOWED! Any significantly digitally modified or altered photograph will be disqualified. No special artistic app filters allowed. Exception only is the black and white filter.
  • There is no cost to enter the competition.
  • Winners will be posted on www.AAJAPhoto.org The First Place winner will have their name engraved on the Annual Dith Pran Photo Shootout perpetual award. First, second, and third place winners will be announced on Saturday, July 29, 2017 at the AAJA Gala Scholarship & Awards Banquet. First place prize is the convention fee for next year’s convention, a $250 value. Other prizes will be announced a later date.
  • For any questions, please contact AAJA photographer James Yee (317-640-1873) or Alex Wong (202-438-7050) or email questions to aajaphoto@gmail.com

History: The AAJA Photo Shootout was started in 2000 during the annual AAJA National Convention. The competition was changed in 2008 to honor New York Times photographer Dith Pran, who risked his life in Cambodia during the genocide by the Khmer Rouge to help journalists tell the story of atrocities in his home country. His story inspired the film, “The Killing Fields.” Pran passed away in 2008

2016 Dith Pran Instagram Photo Shootout is on!

The Dith Pran Instagram Photo Shootout has officially started. The competition is open to all AAJA 2016 attendees. The unofficial theme of Las Vegas is “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” so we are looking for the photograph that best depicts what happens in Las Vegas.

You may enter up to three (3) photos. Photos must be uploaded to instagram by 5 p.m. PST, Friday, August 12, 2016 and must include the hashtag ‪#‎aajaphoto‬. No filters of any kind may be used, except the black and white filter. Standard dodging, burning, color correcting is allowed. Standard photo ethic rules apply.

For a complete list of rules and guidelines, please follow this link:

Thank you for participating and good luck!

‘Official’ Unoffical Schedule for AAJA Photographers at Las Vegas convention

Hello all…

This is the official unofficial schedule for AAJA Photo. If you are attending the 2016 convention in Las Vegas and did NOT receive this in an email, please send me your email address. miho@darrellmiho.com

Unofficial programming has been added to provide more photo related topics. Unofficial programs are scheduled and will take place. They are only marked “unofficial” because they are not part of the “official” AAJA convention. They are official, yet, unofficial…
unofficial sessions will be held in a suite at Caesar’s Palace Room # TBA Wednesday.
We have left Wednesday and Thursday night open so that you can go do your own thing like gamble, see a show, walk around the strip or go take your Dith Pran photo entry! or whatever else your heart desires.

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

I’m going to nail down the locations for the lunch and dinner…stay tuned…

Wednesday, August 10, 2016
14:00 – 16:00 Registration, Promenade
18:00 – 20:00 Opening Reception, Pompeian Ballroom

Thursday, August 11, 2016
09:00 – 10:30 Virtual Reality, Livorno
10:30 – 11:30 (unofficial) Using Social Media: Publishing and Marketing, room TBA
11:45 – 12:45 (unofficial) Photo Student Lunch, location TBA
13:00 – 14:00 Plenary Session: Diversity in Political Journalism, Pompeiian I & II
14:15 – 16:15 (unofficial) Personal Projects. we invite YOU to talk about YOUR personal projects. (10 minutes/person)
16:30 – 18:00 Documentary vs Cause Driven Filmmaking, Trevi

Friday, August 12, 2016
10:00 – 11:30 Chasing Political Candidates, Genoa
13:00 – 14:00 (unofficial) Moving Pictures: Shooting Video for still photographers
12:00 – 17:00 Town Hall Meeting, location TBA
18:00 – 20:00 Silent Auction, Pompeian I-IV
20:30 – 22:30 (unofficial) Photo Dinner, meet at 20:30 after Silent Auction, location TBA

Saturday, August 13, 2016
10:30 – 12:00 Nick Ut: 50 years with AP, Trevi
12:00 – 13:00 Plenary Session: Oscars So White, Pompeian I & II
12:00 – 13:45 (unofficial) Lunch with Nick, location TBA
14:00 – 15:30 New World of Visual Storytelling
15:30 – 16:30 Lightning Talks, Pompeian I & II
16:00 – 18:00 (unofficial) portfolio reviews, room TBA
18:30 – 19:00 Networking (pre Gala)
19:00 – 21:00 Gala Scholarship and Awards Dinner
21:30 – 24:00 AAJA Karaoke Night, Florentine I – III

Sunday, August 14, 2016
11:00 – 13:00 (unofficial) Brunch at Hash House A Go Go, inside the Linq Hotel (across the street from Caesar’s). meet in the Caesar’s lobby after check-out.

Who’s going to the 2016 AAJA Convention in Las Vegas?

2016 AAJA National Convention
Las Vegas, August 10-13, 2016 at Caesar’s Palace

Giving a shout-out to all AAJA photographers. Leave a comment to indicate if you’re attending at drop and email to Darrell Miho at miho@darrellmiho.com

We have some additional events and programming that are not on the official schedule as of yet. We are working out logistics, but we hope to have an updated tentative schedule out by Monday night.

Perhaps the new schedule will get a few more of you to come out. come on, it’s Vegas!!!

Winners announced for the 2015 Dith Pran Instagram PhotoShootOut Competition

AAJA announces the winners of the 2015 Dith Pran Instagram PhotoShootOut Competition at the AAJA National Convention in San Francisco August 15. The theme of this year competition is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

Winners of the Dith Pran Instagram Photo Shootout Awards. Photography by Greg Yamamoto
Contest directors Susan Choi, and James Yee, far left, read the winners of the Dith Pran Instagram Photo Shootout Awards. Winners from far right are James Tensuan (honorable mention), Tam Duong (third place), Kent Nishimura (second place), and Brandon Chew (first place). Photography by Greg Yamamoto

AAJA announces the winners of the 2015 Dith Pran Instagram PhotoShootOut Competition at the AAJA National Convention in San Francisco August 15. The theme of this year competition is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

 

First place winner

1st place – Brandon Chew, San Jose State University, “Ferry Nice Selfie”. He wins registration for next year’s AAJA Convention and a perpetual trophy cup.

 

Second place winner

2nd place – Kent Nishimura, University of Hawaii, “Playing with Fire”. He wins FitBit watch.

 

Third place winner

3rd place – Tam Duong, California State University East Bay, “Companions”. He wins backpack and seat from the White House News Photographers Association and a photography book.

 

honorable mention winner

Honorable Mention – James Tensuan, San Jose State University, “A Suite Silhouette”. He wins backpack and seat from the White House News Photographers Association and a photography book.

 

Judges:
Stan Honda, New York freelance
Paul Kitagaki, Jr., Sacramento Bee
Kii Sato, Associated Press
Alex Wong, Getty Images
Greg Yamamoto, Hawaii freelance

For any questions, please aajaphoto@gmail.com

History: The AAJA PhotoShootOut was started in 2000 during the annual AAJA National Convention. The competition was changed in 2008 to honor New York Times photographer Dith Pran, who risked his life in Cambodia during the genocide by the Khmer Rouge to help journalists tell the story of atrocities in his home country. His story inspired the film, “The Killing Fields.” Pran passed away in 2008.