As far as the Pulitzer, .....
Leslie,
Your example has nothing to do with presentation as you use it but with composition of the story in the same way a writer constructs a novel. In a photo essay must tell the story and it can only do so by how the photographs are put together in relation to each other, that is, in how the story is composed.
This is not about the bells and whistles. It's about how the story is told. In this case it happens to be told with photographs.
I understand the competition to which your photo editor alluded. If people do indeed submit creative works for consideration by the Pulitzer committee, then one does need to give consideration to making one's submission stand out from the rest so the committee will be seduced to look at it. But, once they pick it up, the story must warrant the temptation.
I once tried to market my services to several of my church's colleges within 200 miles of my home. I made large poster images on watercolor paper with copy personalized to the recipient. These were mailed in cardboard stiffeners wrapped in brown paper tied with hemp twine and hand addressed. They were big and out of the ordinary. They were all opened and all responded to. They got the recipients' attention. My presentation of these photographs was at least very good. Unfortunately, because these were small colleges with small budgets, I got no jobs.
And I didn't use Flash. Would you say that was my mistake?
Peace! Sidney
