AWARDS AND HONORS


“Ultra-solid composition and news sense. Corralling messy reality into a beautifully organized image is a real talent at which Mr. Pool excels.”  — Judge’s comment, 2020


2006 Pulizer Prize for Breaking News Photography

  • Contributed the aerial photography to staff portfolio awarded the prize for coverage of Hurricane Katrina


Texas Managing Editors Awards (Formerly Texas Associated Press Managing Editors Awards)

  • 2024 Star Photojournalist of the Year (large markets)
  • 2024 1st Place Photojournalism
  • 2024 2nd Place Sports Photograph
  • 2024 Honorable Mention Feature Photograph
  • 2023 Star Photojournalist of the Year (large markets)
  • 2023 3rd Place Sports Photograph
  • 2023 3rd Place Star Investigative Report of the Year (with Lauren Caruba and Ari Sen)
  • 2022 2nd Place Feature Photograph
  • 2022 Honorable Mention Photojournalism
  • 2021 Honorable Mention News Photograph
  • 2020 1st Place Sports Photograph
  • 2020 2nd Place Feature Photograph
  • 2020 3rd Place Online Presentation
  • 2019 2nd Place Spot News Photography
  • 2018 2nd Place Star Photojournalist (large markets)
  • 2017 1st Place Feature Photograph
  • 2016 Star Photojournalist of the Year (large markets)
  • 2016 Honorable Mention Sports Photograph
  • 2015 Star Photojournalist of the Year (large markets)
  • 2015 1st Place Spot News Photograph
  • 2015 2nd Place Feature Photograph
  • 2015 Honorable Mention General News Photograph
  • 2014 1st Place Team Effort (with Eric Berger)
  • 2014 3rd Place Photojournalism
  • 2013 Star Photojournalist of the Year (large markets)
  • 2012 Honorable Mention Star Photojournalist of the Year  (large markets)
  • 2012 3rd Place Sports Photograph
  • 2011 Star Photojournalist of the Year (large markets)
  • 2011 1st Place Photojournalism
  • 2011 2nd Place Spot News Photograph
  • 2011 3rd Place Star Online Package of the Year
  • 2010 Star Photojournalist of the Year (large markets)
  • 2010 Star Online Package of the Year (large markets)
  • 2010 1st Place Best Photo Gallery
  • 2010 1st Place General News Photograph
  • 2010 2nd Place Photojournalism
  • 2010 3rd Place General News Photograph
  • 2010 3rd Place Sports Photograph
  • 2009 1st Place Sports Photograph
  • 2009 3rd Place Sports Photograph
  • 2009 Honorable Mention Sports Photograph
  • 2008 Star Photojournalist of the Year (large markets)
  • 2008 2nd Place Sports Photograph
  • 2008 Honorable Mention Photojournalism
  • 2008 Honorable Mention Best Photo Gallery
  • 2008 Honorable Mention Spot News Photograph
  • 1999 2nd Place Sports Photograph
  • 1999 Honorable Mention Sports Photograph
  • 1998 1st Place Sports Photograph
  • 1997 Honorable Mention News Photograph
  • 1997 1st Place Feature Photograph
  • 1997 2nd Place News Photograph
  • 1997 2nd Place Sports Photograph
  • 1997 2nd Place Photojournalism
  • 1995 Honorable Mention Feature Photograph
  • 1995 Honorable Mention Photojournalism
  • 1994 1st Place Sports Photograph
  • 1994 Honorable Mention Photojournalism


Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE)

  • 2024  Sports Action Photo
  • 2024  Sports Feature Photo


National Headliners

  • 2024 1st Place Individual Portfolio
  • 2024 1st Place Sports Photography
  • 2024 2nd lace Single Day Photo Story (with Chitose Suzuki)
  • 2021 1st Place Single Day Photo Story
  • 2019 2nd Place Feature Photography
  • 2019 1st Place Single Day Photo Story
  • 2018 1st Place Sports Photography
  • 2018 2nd Place Photography Portfolio
  • 2017 2nd Place Photography Portfolio
  • 2017 2nd Place Sports Photography
  • 2004 1st Online Journalism *


Best of the West

  • 2024 1st Place Sports Photography
  • 2024 2nd Place Sports Photography
  • 2024 3rd Place Feature Photography
  • 2023 1st Place Investigative Reporting (with Lauren Caruba and Ari Sen)
  • 2023 2nd Place Sports Photography
  • 2022 3rd Place News Slideshow (with Lola Gomez)
  • 2020 1st Place News Slideshow
  • 2020 3rd Place Sports Photography


NPPA/Best of Photojournalism (BOP)

  • 2024 Honorable Mention Science Single
  • 2009 2nd Place Environmental Picture Story
  • 2009 2nd Place Olympics Video
  • 2005 2nd Place Large Market Photojournalist of the Year
  • 2005 Honorable Mention Natural Disaster Single
  • 2005 Honorable Mention Natural Disaster Story
  • 2004 3rd Place Multimedia 


University of Missouri Pictures of the Year (POYi)

  • 2009 1st Place Sports Portfolio
  • 2005 Award of Excellence Natural Disaster Single (x2)
  • 2004 2nd Place Olympic Picture Story
  • 2004 3rd Place Single Page Editing


NPPA/University of Missouri Pictures of the Year

  • 2000 Award of Excellence Olympics Single
  • 1998 2nd Place General News Picture Story
  • 1996 Award of Excellence Sports Portfolio
  • 1995 Award of Excellence Sports Portfolio
  • 1995 Award of Excellence Sports Picture Story
  • 1989 2nd Place Newspaper Fashion Illustration


National Press Photographers Association Monthly News Clip Contest 

  • 2018 National Photographer of the Year
  • 2015 Region 8 Photographer of the Year
  • 2004 Region 8 Photographer of the Year
  • 2001 Region 8 Photographer of the Year
  • 2000 Region 8 Photographer of the Year
  • 1999 Region 8 Photographer of the Year
  • 1998 Region 8 Photographer of the Year
  • 1996 Region 8 Photographer of the Year 
  • 1994 Region 9 Photographer of the Year


Online News Association

  • 2024 1st Place Explanatory Reporting, Medium Newsrooms  (with Lauren Caruba and Ari Sen)


Texas Medical Association Anson Jones Awards

  • 2024 1st Place In-Depth Print/Online News  (with Lauren Caruba and Ari Sen)


Investigative Editor and Reporters

  • 2024 Third Place Philip Meyer Journalism Award  (with Lauren Caruba and Ari Sen)


Dao Prize 

  • 2024 First Place Local Journalism  (with Lauren Caruba and Ari Sen)


The Dallas Morning News

  • 2025 Visual Journalist of the Year
  • 2025 Team Effort of the Year (with Kevin Sherrington, Jamie Hancock and Kellen Bulger)
  • 2020 Photojournalist/Videographer of the Year
  • 2015 Photojournalist/Videographer of the Year


Scripps Howard National Journalism Awards

  • 2004 1st Web Reporting (With Karen Dee Davis and John Banks)


Southern Newspaper Publishers Association

  • 2005 3rd Place Photo of the Year


Malofiej International Infographics competition

  • 2004 Bronze: Multimedia (With Karen Dee Davis and John Banks)


Headliners Club of Texas — Charles E. Green Journalism Contest

  • 2004 Web Presentation (With Karen Dee Davis and John Banks)
  • 2001 News Photograph
  • 2000 Sports Photograph
  • 1999 Feature photograph


Pro Football Hall of Fame Photo Contest 

  • 1996 2nd Place Feature Photograph
  • 1995 1st Place Feature Photograph
  • 1989 1st Place Black and White Photograph


National Association of Black Journalists

  • 1998 1st Place Picture Story
  • 1996 1st Place Feature Photograph


Atrium Awards for Excellence on Reporting in the American Garment Industry 

  • 1994 Award for Fashion Photography


Houston Press Club

  • Over a dozen awards including four-time photojournalist of the year


Colorado Associated Press Editors and Reporters

  • Over a dozen individual awards


Hearst Corporation “Best of Hearst” Contest

  • Over a dozen awards in monthly and annual competitions


Hearst Corporation Eagle Award

  • 1997 The Hearst Eagle Award “for outstanding performance and an unwavering pursuit of organizational goals and objectives”


Baylor College of Medicine

  • 2001 1st Annual Matthew A. Carter Memorial Lecture on the Compassion and Art of Medicine