2025 Eyes of History®: Student Contest Information and Rules

About

The Eyes of History®’ contests are held annually to select the best in visual journalism across still, video, and multimedia disciplines. The Eyes of History® student contest division is exclusively for still photojournalism and video students, showcasing the work of the next generation of WHNPA members. Students do not need to be members of the WHNPA to participate in the contest, but they must be enrolled at a U.S. university or college to be eligible.

What winners receive

The 2025 student ‘Eyes of History®’ contest winners include:

• Gift from Nikon, the exclusive camera sponsor of the WHNPA.
• Invitation to the 2025 ‘Eyes of History®’ Awards Gala, to be held in Washington, D.C. on September 6, 2025. This is an excellent opportunity to meet top industry professionals, photographers, and editors. The winner is also expected to produce a video about their winning work to be shown at the gala.
• Your portfolio is displayed in the WHNPA traveling exhibition, a spread in the 2025 ‘Eyes of History®’ book, and a feature on the WHNPA website.
• Your winning portfolio highlighted in the WHNPA traveling exhibit.

About WHNPA

The White House News Photographers Association (WHNPA) is dedicated to promoting, protecting and advancing the interests and intellectual property rights of its members, which still consists of still and video photographers assigned to cover the White House and other news events in Washington and beyond.

We strongly believe in the public’s natural and legal right to freedom in searching for the truth and the right to be accurately and completely informed about the world in which we live.

How to enter

While WHNPA membership is not required to enter the student contest, it is highly encouraged. If you choose to apply for membership after entering the contest, WHNPA will apply your entry fee towards 2024 membership dues. Simply note on your application form that you entered the student contest.

Help us reach you on social media by adding your social media details at “on the web”.

Video Contest Rules

• There is a limit of two entries per category per student.
• Any video or elements not created by the entrant (such as file video and graphics) must be clearly labeled in the description if it won’t be clearly obvious to the judges.
• Team projects should be clearly labeled for judges in the description with the entry.
• Judges can move or eliminate entries that don’t fit the categories or meet the qualifications.
• Please take a reasonable effort to remove references to the school/program for which the work was created.
• Judges may also consider work from the other categories for the Student Video Photographer of the Year award.
• Work should be created or published from January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024.
• Please upload your entry through the Picter site.
• We accept mp4 file formats. The minimum dimension for horizontal video is 1080p and for vertical video, the shortest dimension should be 1080.

Still Contest Rules

• Each student will submit a portfolio with a minimum of 10 images and a maximum of 30 images.
• Committee suggestion: A well-rounded portfolio should include a selection of strong single images and at least one photo story of a compelling news topic.
• The work can be from any year as long as the entrant was enrolled as a student.
• Absolutely NO images may be entered from a previous winning WHNPA student portfolio.
• Student still photographer winners may re-enter with new work.
• Students may enter no more than 5 title slides to separate sections of his or her portfolio.
• Title slides may only contain the story or section’s name and no personal information at all.
• All photo stories should include a title slide. Please include a story description of no more than 50 words in the caption IPTC/File Info metadata field only. Do not put it on the title slide.

Still Photography Portfolio IPTC/File Info & Naming Requirements

• IPTC: Please provide the following IPTC/File Info category information with every image.
• Captions must be written with who/what/where/why/when information.
• DO NOT include your name in the caption or you will be disqualified.
• Photographer: Put your first and last name and school name. (ex: John Public/Syracuse University)
• Contact: Please put your telephone number, home address and email address in this section. This is how we know how to alert the winners.
• Saving Your Files: Images must be saved as RGB jpegs sized to 3000 pixels on the longest side @ 300 dpi.

Judging Criteria

Judges look for well-rounded still portfolio with a selection of strong single images and at least one photo story of a compelling news topic. In the video category, judges look for smart and tightly edited packages and portfolios.

Video Categories

• 1. – Stills – Photographer of the Year A well-rounded portfolio should include a selection of strong single images and at least one photo story of a compelling news topic. Each student will submit a portfolio with a minimum of 10 images and a maximum of 30 images. The work can be from any year as long as the entrant was enrolled as a student. Absolutely NO images may be entered from a previous winning WHNPA student portfolio. Student still photographer winners having previously entered the student contest, may re-enter with new work so long as they are still a student. All photo stories should include a title slide. Students may enter no more than 5 title slides to separate sections of his or her portfolio. Title slides may only contain the story or section’s name and no personal information at all. Please include a story description of no more than 50 words in the caption IPTC/File Info metadata field only. Do not put it on the title slide.
• 2. – Videos – Sports Sports coverage, analysis or preparation of or for a sports event or activity.
• 3. – Videos – General News or Feature with Narration News story with reporter narration. It may have a standup, but not required. This category aims to highlight work traditionally done for broadcast TV.
• 4. – Videos – General News or Feature, Natural Sound Package Natural sound piece; a news story without reporter narration. And “in their own words” style story should be less than 4 minutes. This category will honor short form news stories typically created for online distribution.
• 5. – Videos – Feature: Long Form A carefully crafted, in-depth story over 4 minutes long. Can have added reporter narration, but not required. Short films or documentaries should go in this category. Team projects should be noted on the submission form.
• 6. – Videos – Student Video Photographer of the Year Students submit a portfolio (highlight reel) of their favorite stories, including up to three pieces. These individual pieces may be entered in other categories.
• 7. – Videos – Vertical Social Video Video crafted to watch vertically on mobile. Focus on creativity, execution. Please make sure there is an active link to watch video.
• 8. – Videos – Vertical Social Video, Portfolio 3-8 videos crafted to watch vertically on mobile. Focus on creativity, execution. Please make sure there is an active link to watch videos and note what platform they were created for.

Submitting payment via Picter serves as a digital signature to the contest, I agree to the following terms and conditions:

• I am the sole owner of copyright in the Content submitted, (hereinafter the “Content”) and I have, or if I am not the sole owner of copyright in the Content that I shall obtain (prior to any WHNPA award and upon notification of a pending award by WHNPA) the authority and legal capacity to enter into this agreement and to grant the rights herein stated in and to the Content.
• The Content originates with me and is not copied from another person or work.
• The Content when used by WHNPA in accordance with this agreement will not violate the rights, (including but not limited rights of copyright, moral right, publicity, privacy, trademark, or any other rights) of any person or party.
• I am an active or life WHNPA member in good standing, or I have submitted an application for active membership and have never been a WHNPA member in the past.
• The Content was not previously entered in this contest.
• I shall retain copyright in the Content, or my employer shall retain copyright in the Content if it is work made for hire.
• I hereby grant to WHNPA and those acting under WHNPA’s permission only the non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty free, fully paid up, irrevocable, sub-licensable, assignable, permission, in all existing and future media (including, without limitation, WHNPA authorized Internet and or social media), to use the Content for and in connection with the WHNPA Awards or other WHNPA Book, WHNPA Exhibitions, WHNPA Educational and Editorial Activities, WHNPA Advertising and WHNPA Promotions, WHNPA Sponsored or Authored Publications and Activities, and for all purposes that are ancillary to, related to, or that directly arise out of the foregoing.
• As a condition precedent to my being offered, and to my receipt of, any WHNPA award I warrant and represent that I shall disclose to WHNPA any rights granted by me herein which may be owned by my employer or another party and that I will provide to WHNPA, in writing, and within seven (7) days of WHNPA’s request, TIME BEING OF THE ESSENCE, and at my own expense, such further assurances and documentation as may be legally required, and any that may be requested of WHNPA, to give full force and effect to the permissions granted by me herein, including without limitation any affirmation, confirmation, and verification of such grant as WHNPA may require or request of my employer or any other rights owner.
• In default of my identification of the rights owner and or my provision of such affirmation, confirmation, and verification in a form acceptable to WHNPA, such acceptability to be determined solely by WHNPA in its sole and absolute discretion, WHNPA may without waiver of any other or additional remedy, decline to make an award, cancel an award, or retract an award without any obligation to or liability to the proposed award recipient.
• I agree to indemnify, protect defend and hold harmless, WHNPA and its officers, directors, members, employees, and agents) for and from any and all actions, claims, demands, and proceedings, and for any and all costs (including legal fees, investigatory fees, and court costs) that arise out of or in connection with any actual breach by me, default by me, or non-frivolous claim that there is a breach or default by me, of the warranties and representations and agreements I have made herein.

All entries will be accepted via Picter.

Please direct questions to Bethany Swain (video) or Anna Moneymaker (Photo) at [email protected]