We received 8,461 entries this year, a 10% drop from the previous year. Despite fewer entries, we have a strong show—dominated by scenes of devastation from Hurricane Katrina. We also added a cinematography category to the Annual and registered a couple of winners the first time out “Most work was much better than I thought it would be,” said juror Lars Topelmann. “Being a photographer myself, I know what goes into making a photograph and how difficult it can be technically. It inspired me to make better photographs.” Several jurors commented on the lack of subtlety in the retouching of images. “I was taken aback by the digital enhancing of most of the portraits,” juror Zana Woods said. “It appears that the post-production and manipulation of images is overpowering what’s seen in camera.” “Photo-retouching played too heavy-handed a role,” said JP Williams. “Maybe I’m old fashioned, but a photograph with the hand of illustration did not cut it with me.”