Feature Photography Winner for the Ontario Newspaper Awards

Photographers Dax Melmer, Dan Janisse and Nick Brancaccio, who retired in May 2021, won for feature, sports and spot news photography (over 25,000 circulation) respectively.

“The Windsor Star’s Ontario Newspaper Award wins illustrate the quality of journalism our paper puts out on a regular basis,” Windsor Star managing editor Craig Pearson said. “To have all three of our photographers win is fabulous. Dan Janisse, Dax Melmer and Nick Brancaccio did great work last year, which the judges clearly saw. And reporter Trevor Wilhelm’s two runner-up pieces help show how well-rounded the Star is — something we intend to continue.”

Melmer won for his series of photos depicting unused sports fields during a pandemic lockdown in April.

“With abstraction worthy of a Mondrian, these three photographs of empty playing fields are utterly captivating,” the competition judges stated in their written commentary.

“The colour and symmetry are pleasing to the eye, but when Dax Melmer used a drone to take these geometric images during yet another COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in April 2021, they also captured hope that life would return to normal, and despair that it wouldn’t. Melmer’s photos are a poignant reminder that beauty is all around us, and art can lighten dark days.”