Looking at 'The Bottom Line': Lessons from a Photo Essay

Mona Reeder, a photographer with the Dallas Morning News, has won a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for domestic photography for her photo essay “The Bottom Line.” Through pictures, Reeder explored Texas’ poor rankings in a number of categories ranging from the poorest counties in the U.S. to environmental protection.

Earlier this year, the project won the Community Service Photojournalism Award from the American Society of Newspaper Editors. It also was a Pulitzer finalist.

Kenny Irby interviewed Reeder about the project for “Best Newspaper Writing 2008-2009.” In this excerpt, Reeder discusses the value of in-depth photo essays and how she developed this one.

Check it out here.