To make sure we get new eyes and different artistic sensibilities evaluating photo contest entries, ENR rotates new judges onto the panel every year. I had not participated since the first contest in 2002, and what a difference a few years make. We’ve taken giant steps forward in the technology of gathering, storing and sorting photos.

All but about 50 of the 650 photos submitted came in through a new interactive entry system on ENR.com, created by web developer Brett Lyon. It lets users fill out the entry form information online, attach a digital file and upload it to our server—a great improvement over previous years when files came in attached to e-mail, or as disks in the mail, with forms faxed in separately.

Photo contest coordinator Tom Sawyer stored all of the images in a folder on a laptop and used Adobe Photoshop’s Bridge imaging browsing software to run a slide show. As each image was shown, any judge who thought it worthy gave it a vote. Votes were recorded in Bridge as a rating (one star per vote). At the end of each round a quick sort of the images by the number of stars indicated which images in the entire collection had the most votes. It worked like a charm.

Almost all the entries were taken with digital cameras, although a few were shot with film and scanned. Several of the pros say they continue to shoot film, or film and digital together. Some have only recently switched to digital, but even they say digital clearly is taking over.

Portraying people working safely had a high emphasis again this year among judges and among the submitting photographers as well. Many of the winners, when called by an editor to discuss their shots, brought it up and pointed out how pleased they are when they get a good photo that also demonstrates safe work practices.

December 28, 2006

As for the shoes, no he is not wearing an athletic shoe, he is wearing work boots. Anyone on our job sites is required to wear appropriate PPEs which include, hard hats, safety glasses and work boots. The boot is a Sears DieHard Work boot.

Shelly P. Anderson P.E.
Project Manager, DYK Inc., El Cajon, Calif.

December 22, 2006

Great Photos! Even though one of the themes for this year's crop of photos is safety on the work site, the worker in Photo 20 doesn't appear to have suitable boots, i.e., personal safety equipment, for the work site. They appear to be more like athletic shoes. I would never be able to go on many of my sites wearing shoes like that.

Florian Bechtold
GAI Consultants

The tread on the bottom is deceptive. These workers are wearing steel-toed safety boots.

Andrew G. Wright
Managing Senior Editor, enr.com

December 22, 2006

I enjoyed the pictures and the variety of scenery captured. I wish I had known because I would have loved to submit some photos as well. When do you usually ask that photos be submitted? I would like to make sure it is on my calendar for next year. Thanks again for sharing the photos with us. Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.

Donnell Field

Donnell,

See below. We usually start in August. See your shots in 2007! Thanks.

AGW

December 22, 2006

When does this contest run and when and how do you submit images.

John Mullis

The Year in Construction contest runs every year. ENR posts notices online and in the print edition of the magazine, between August and November. We give guidelines and submission instructions. The images are collected and reviewed by a jury selected by the magazine's editor in chief and art director. The best are displayed in the magazine's last print issue of the year and online. Images from past years can be accessed through the Slideshows portal on our homepage. Hope to see your entry next year.

Andrew G. Wright
Managing Senior Editor, enr.com