Scripps graduate student wins ONPA Student Photographer of the Year

For the second year in a row, a graduate student from the Ohio University Scripps College of Communication has won the Ohio News Photographers Association (ONPA) Chuck Scott Student Photographer of the Year Award. Loriene Perera, a second-year student in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Communication Media Arts program, won the 2023 award by submitting photos that showcased the everyday lives of people living in southeast Ohio.

“Students in the Scripps MFA program have won this award two years running,” said MFA in Communication Media Arts Director Eric Williams. “I couldn’t be more proud of Loriene and Akash Pamarthy, who won last year!”

ONPA is a non-profit organization that has brought together professional newspaper, magazine, and television photographers to advance photojournalism for nearly 75 years. The Student Photographer of the Year award is high praise for up-and-coming photojournalists.

“Winning this award makes me feel relieved,” said Perera with a laugh. “It makes me feel like I finally caught up. This whole journey has been really difficult for me.” 

Perera came to Ohio University from Singapore. Her award-winning work includes photographs of the restoration of stained-glass windows at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Athens, as well as images of rural artists and farmers living their daily lives. But getting to the remote locations to capture some of the images proved quite challenging for Perera. 

“I felt like I fell behind in the photojournalism part of the graduate program because I didn’t have a driver’s license and couldn’t travel on my own,” said Perera. “Getting a driver’s license was difficult for me. But the graduate program director, Eric Williams, and his wife spent their Sundays teaching me how to drive. They took me through the whole process of getting my driver’s license. It would not have been possible without them helping me.”

Perera has a history of taking on challenges to get where she wants to go. She is a self-taught photographer, who worked for Reuters as a photo editor for ten years. During her time at the news wire agency, photos that she edited were circulated among major news outlets including the BBC, the Economist, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Loriene’s approach to photography stems from her desire to capture life’s ephemeral and spontaneous moments.

“Most of the photos I submitted for the ONPA award were taken as part of an independent study and an editorial photography class,” said Perera. “The independent study was important for me because it allowed me to pursue photo projects without the constraints of a traditional Visual Communication class where I would have had to travel independently by car. My biggest take away from it was learning how to build relationships with local organizations and through them a network of contacts that vastly expanded my visual exploration of Southeast Ohio for subsequent photo classes. A traditional class would not have the same impact.”

“Loriene is a true professional,” said Williams. “Her background in newspaper layout informs her emerging expertise in photojournalism. She tells stories with her eyes and her lens.” 

In addition to learning how to drive, Perera’s journey in southeast Ohio has also exposed her to a different way of life. It’s a way of life she has come to appreciate and value.

“Loriene has really transformed herself over the last two years. When she started our program, she knew nothing about rural Ohio. Now she knows every back road and blue highway out there,” said Williams. “She’s formed bonds and connections in the community. She’s an embedded photojournalist, and I couldn’t be more proud of her.”

“I’m a city person,” said Perera. “Athens County and this part of Ohio is the opposite of my home. It’s been quite an adjustment. But I really appreciate the sense of community. People are really nice. Whether they are Republican or Democrat, there is kindness in their heart. When people think of Appalachia, they think of poverty, crime, and drugs. But it’s not all negative. There is a lot of positivity. The resilience here is special. The people who live here are not in any way less than us city folks, and I want to do my best to tell their stories as much as I can.”

Learn more about the MFA in Communication Media Arts.