How could we capture the drama, the power, the passion and the beauty of construction in 2002? Invite Engineering News-Record’s readers to submit photos taken anywhere in the world in the past year.

That’s how we conceived this week’s photo contest—ENR’s first. We advertised it in print, on enr.com, in McGraw-Hill Construction’s e-mail newsletter Constructionmail and through an alert to our Top List survey participants. About two weeks before the Dec. 2 deadline, we were pleased with the response. We had already received about 100 photos. A week later that had grown to 200 photos. Then in the last week, the steady flow of entries became a flood. In the end, more than 800 photos were judged.

More important than the quantity, of course, was the quality and diversity of the entries. The photos were taken on projects all over the world. They came from companies of all sizes and photographers who were professionals and amateurs. They depicted work in every sector of construction from buildings to highways to power. And they showed the human side—the people who make construction happen.

Associate Editor Tom Sawyer stepped in as photo contest coordinator, answering questions from participants and helping Assistant Art Director Maritza Hurtado in organizing the entries. Entries had to be assessed for reproduction quality and screened to make sure the projects were under construction.

Then came the judges. Business Week Deputy Photo Editor Scott Mlyn and Architectural Record Design Director Anna Egger-Schlesinger joined ENR Art Director Guy Lawrence and me in evaluating content, color, composition and clarity. The photos had to touch the judges artistically as well as tell the story of “This Year in Construction,” the photo essay we planned for this issue, written by Assistant Managing Editor William G. Krizan.

The winners are published in this issue, starting on p. 18. The cover collage, created by Lawrence, includes finalists as well as winners, who will receive a certificate for their accomplishment.

Our thanks to everyone who participated. And our best wishes to all for a healthy, safe and prosperous new year.

JANICE L. TUCHMAN
Editor-in-Chief

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