PRESS RELEASE
New York Times Photographer Wins the i-shot-it.com Photo Competition
Santa Monica, California (July 12, 2013) – Damon Winter is the winner of the 2013 Black-And-White Photo Competition organized by the online photography platform www.i-shot-it.com. The independent jury, who knew nothing about the photographer or the equipment used, chose the image captured by the 38-year-old New York Times photographer as the winning photo. Damon Winter will receive a sensational cash prize of around $20,000 and a Leica M Monochrom rangefinder camera, valued at $8,000.
The winning image depicts a group of US soldiers in Afghanistan, in September 2010. Huddled around in full kit, the group shields an injured soldier from a dust storm caused by the rotor wash of a nearby helicopter. Prominent international photographers Birgit Krippner and Thorsten Overgaard comprised the jury for the competition. The two acclaimed experts praised the depth of the winning image and described its composition as a “symphony for the eye.” The jury was also impressed by the technical perfection with which the photo was shot. Another image submitted by Winter – an image of President Barack Obama in the rain – was awarded a “Mark of Excellence.”
Winter, winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 2009, expressed his delight at the jury’s decision. A fan of the website, he said of i-shot-it.com: “I love the site and the contest. When I first came across it, I thought it was such a brilliant concept. I’m so glad they chose that photo. It was one of my toughest days as a photographer and it must be one of my favorite photos that I have ever taken.”
About i-shot-it.com:
i-shot-it.com was created in 2011 in the United States of America, and since then has developed into one of the most popular photo platforms on the Internet. The Web-based platform allows both professional and amateur photography enthusiasts to enter what they describe as “The Best Photo Competition” in currently 17 categories for a small fee – the winners are then chosen by an independent jury composed of internationally renowned photographers. There are also free competitions, where the members of the i-shot-it community choose the winners themselves via online voting. The prize money is financed using the fees charged for the uploading of pictures. The winners then each receive a high-quality Leica camera in addition to the cash prize. The Internet click rates and growing number of users demonstrate the increasing popularity of the platform. Up to now, i-shot-it.com has recorded nearly 200,000 visits and 3.0 million page views per month, and has around 72,000 registered users. The Web site also has more than 218,000 Facebook fans. The site works in cooperation with Leica Camera AG in Solms, Germany.Damon Winter: US Soldiers on September 17, 2010, in Kunduz, Afghanistan, shielding an injured soldier from rotor wash of landing helicopter (winning photo I SHOT IT Black-And-White Competition July 2013).
