BINGHAMTON, NY – Binghamton University Photographer Jonathan Cohen, was awarded first prize in the photo-essay category of the University Photographer’s Association of America’s (UPAA) annual photos of the year competition. Cohen’s submission, titled “Forced to Flee,” portrays the flood evacuation at the University Events Center in September 2011.

The highly competitive contest receives entries from hundreds of university staff photographers across the country and is judged by the members of the organization during their annual symposium. Cohen also took home two honorable mentions for a portrait of alumna farmer Shannon Hayes, and the image of the lightning bolt over campus. See Cohen’s winning entries at http://www.upaa.org/annual-print-competition/2012-0.

The University Photographers Association of America is an international organization of college and university photographers concerned with the application and practice of photography as it relates to the higher education setting. UPAA is committed to photographic excellence through continuing education and networking with their professional colleagues.

Cohen has been the University photographer at Binghamton University since August 2005. Prior to that, he worked as a staff photographer for The Courier, in Houma, Louisiana and has freelanced for The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Associated Press.