Ken Geiger and William Snyder

portrait of Ken Geiger

Ken Geiger

Class of 2011

Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Ken Geiger has been a visual and technology leader in global media organizations, serving nearly 12 years with National Geographic magazine as deputy director of photography. Before that, he was director of photography for The Dallas Morning News and more recently was director of photography for the Nature Conservancy. Geiger's career as a photojournalist has ranged from China to Mexico, war in Burma and Bosnia, terrorism in the Punjab, the 1990 post-Sandinista election in Nicaragua, four Olympic Games and numerous American political conventions. He has earned awards from the Society of Newspaper Design and National Headliners, and he has been named picture editor of the year by the National Press Photographers Association and Pictures of the Year International.

Biography text taken from Geiger's portfolio website.

portrait of William Snyder

William Snyder

Class of 1981

William Snyder is a four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and editor, has been The Who's official photographer for many years, and is a professor of photojournalism at his alma mater, Rochester Institute of Technology.

After graduating from RIT with Highest Honors in 1981, Snyder joined The Miami News and two years later moved to the photography staff of The Dallas Morning News. During his 15 years as a staff photographer, Snyder won three Pulitzers Prizes.

In 1998, Snyder changed roles and became a picture editor/manager. He served as the night photo editor, assignments editor, metro/suburban photo editor, and, as assistant director of photography, built and managed an eight-person photo staff in The Dallas Morning News' aggressive Collin County bureau.

In early 2005 he was named The Morning News' director of photography and guided the photography staff to the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News for its coverage of Hurricane Katrina. He also produced "Eyes of The Storm," a 256-page book featuring The Dallas Morning News photo staff's images from hurricanes Katrina and Rita that sold over 14,000 copies. Profits from those sales were donated to various hurricane relief agencies and the Pulitzer Center for Journalists. In September of 2006, Snyder took a buyout from The Morning News after 23 years.

Snyder moved to RIT in 2008. Since arriving, Snyder has been chosen as an RIT Outstanding Alumni, selected for the The Isaiah Thomas Award in Publishing, and won the Frank J. Romano Endowed Prize for Publishing Entrepreneurship. He also serves on the Alumni Association Board of Directors and is an advisor to The Reporter magazine.

Biography text taken from Snyder's portfolio website.

1993 Winner

Someone jumps high in the air, with a city landscape in the background.

Spot News Photography

"For their dramatic photographs of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona." - Pulitzer Board


U.S. platform diver Mary Ellen Clark launches herself to an unexpected bronze medal during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

A pole vaulter with an expressive face.

Sergei Bubka of the Unified Team misses his second attempt during pole vault competition. Bubka, the world-record holder and two-time defending Olympic champion at the time, was eliminated from the final after missing his third attempt.

Michael Jordan dunks a basketball.

Team USA's Michael Jordan dunks during his team's gold-medal run.

A runner holds the American flag.

Gwen Torrence celebrates her victory in the women's 200-meter run.

A gymnast performs on the balance beam.

USA's Kim Zmeskal had four scores of 9.9 or better in the balance beam and other events to lead the women's team to a bronze medal.

A swimmer raises his hands up high in the pool.

Nelson Diebel exults in his gold medal win in the 100-meter breaststroke. Deibel's time of 1:01.50 was an Olympic record.

A silhouette of a group of hurdlers during an Olympic race.

Runners dash through the shadows in the men's 110-meter hurdles at Olympic Stadium.

Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson celebrate together.

Magic Johnson, right, and Charles Barkley celebrate the USA's gold-medal victory in men's basketball.

A pair of wrestlers stand at the podium, where the second-place finisher is keeled over.

U.S. gold medalist Kevin Jackson listens to the Star Spangled Banner as silver medalist Elmadi Zhabrailov cries after Jackson won a controversial decision in the 180.5-pound division of freestyle wrestling. Zhrabailov refused to have the silver hung around his neck.

Two hands lock together in unison in the water.

American Pablo Morales leans back and clasps his hands after winning the gold medal in the 100-meter butterfly.

A Nigerian women's track relay team of four celebrates.

The Nigerian women's relay team celebrates a third-place finish.

A runner is helped to the finish line by his father after slipping.

Derek Redmond of Britain is aided to the finish line by his father, Jim Redmond, in Barcelona, Spain, after slipping in the 400-meter semifinals.

Two soccer players jostle for position as the ball nears them.

Cobi Jones, left, of the U. S. tries to head the ball into the goal while Italy's Mauro Bonomi defends. Italy defeated the U. S., 2-1.

One runner steps on the arm of a competitor.

Maria Akraka of Sweden steps on the arm of Britain's Ann Margaret Williams after Williams fell in a 1,500-meter qualifier.

A close up face shot of a swimmer during a race.

USA's Lawrence Frostad powers through a heat in the 1,500-meter freestyle.

A weight lifter throws 484 pounds behind his head during  a clean-and-jerk.

Auduche Ojadi of Nigeria drops 220 kilograms (484 pounds) behind his head during a clean and jerk. Ojadi was not injured.

A wrestler celebrates a victory over an opponent by doing a headstand.

USA's John Smith celebrates his victory over Iran's Asgai Mohammadin.

A platform diver in the middle of a dive, tumbling in the air.

Matt Scoggin, a 28-year-old University of Texas graduate, loses control on a reverse 3 1/2 somersault tuck. Scoggin slammed into the water on his back and was credited no points. He finished 10th out of 12 platform divers.

track stars compete in a race.

The USA's Dennis Mitchell hands off to Carl Lewis for the final leg of the Men's 4x100 relay during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. The U.S. won the gold medal and set a world record of 37.40 seconds. 

A runner celebrates with the American flag.

The USA's Jackie Joyner Kersee, of Canoga Park, Calif., walks the track at Olympic Stadium in Barcelona Sunday night after winning the gold medal in the Heptathlon competition during the XXV Summer Olympic Games.

Behind the Scenes

Ken Geiger and William Snyder celebrate their Pulitzer Prize.

Geiger, left, and Snyder celebrate their shared Pulitzer Prize in Spot News Photography for their coverage of the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Photo by Tom Fox

Side by side photos of Ken Geiger and William Snyder working at the 1992 Olympics.

Left image: Geiger, left, and Snyder work during the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

Right image: Snyder, left, and Geiger at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.