New York Times Photographer Wins Pulitzer Prize for Obama Pics (Includes interview)

Damon Winter won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography for his pictures capturing President Obama’s campaign. The New York Times photographer also takes home $10,000.

“I was shocked, amazed, surprised and happy.” That’s how Damon Winter describes his reaction to learning about his Pulitzer Prize for feature photography, an award given to the top photo series in the U.S. A New York Times photographer, Winter won a Pulitzer for a collection of photos he shot while he covered Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

“It means so much to win this award,” Winter says in a phone interview with DigitalJournal.com. “It’s great to see the Pulitzer Prize honour material that’s uplifting and inspiring.”

Winter’s photos cover various facets of Obama’s historic campaign: one stark photo shows Obama drenched in rain during a rally in Widener University in Chester, Pa; another displays a crying man during election night in Chicago’s Grant Park. Winter focused not only on the politician but also on the people surrounding him, from supports to family members.

“I wanted to look for interesting moments during the campaign,” Winter notes.

Damon Winter, a Pultizer Prize winner, speaks to the newsroom of the New York times as Bill Keller, the executive editor, looks on at right.

Ruby Washington/The New York Times

Winter joined the Times in 2007 after working for the previous three years as a staff photographer at the Los Angeles Times. He has won numerous awards for his photo work, including the NPPA Region 8 Photographer of the Year in 2002 and the California Press Photographer of the year in 2006. His photo essay on sexual abuse victims in western Alaska was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography.

So will the Pulitzer Prize vault him to an elevated status at the Times? Perhaps photo editor? “No, that’s the last thing I want to do,” he replies, laughing. “I’m happy right now shooting for the Times. It’s a dream job.”