Winquist wins 2022 Photographer of the Year

On Friday, May 12th, the winners of the 2023 Better Newspapers Competition were announced. Publisher Kate Winquist received the highest honour in the photography category, capturing Photographer of the Year.

This photo taken at last years’ Kindersley Indoor Rodeo by Kate Winquist, received high praise from the judges for the Better Newspapers Competition.

The following are the judges comments:

“As judges deciding who will be deemed the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association’s Photographer of the Year, and receive the coveted top shooter’s accolades for 2022, we can honestly say the task has demanded some significant and serious attention to detail considerations. Pouring through the 40-plus tear sheet entries we were challenged over and over again to reflect on the importance of quality composed, visually eye-popping camera shots capable of drawing both reader’s and advertising client’s into today’s print media week after week. Saskatchewan’s prairie life, after viewing the entries, is obviously a shooter’s paradise.

The Photographer of the Year Award goes to top shooter Kate Winquist with 95-points, although the moniker ‘shooter’ should be politely preceded by ‘owner, publisher, photographer’ Winquist. This talent fills a handful of roles at Your West Central Voice in Kindersley and at her additional operations. Winquist’s top-scoring entry garnered 95-points, interestingly enough included only one front page photo and several from inside pages, understood as equally important. All were consistently interesting, eye-grabbing, shot from very good angles, and very well edited and cropped. In particular, Kate scored her top prize winning numbers on her page 8 shot titled ‘Wanna wrestle?’, depicting a cowboy labouring to wrestle a young steer to the ground. The photo, could just as well represent any community newspaper guide as to how photos work best, and was captured at the Kindersley Indoor Rodeo.”

This is the third time that Winquist has won the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association’ s Photographer of the Year award.

Your West Central Voice also won first place accolades for Best Editorial Page and their Salute to Veterans feature; second place finished for Best BW Photo, Best Advertisement and Special Section. The Kerrobert Chronicle won third place for Editorial Page.