Long Beach Post Visuals Editor Thomas Cordova received high honors in a national competition over the weekend, earning second place in the breaking news category of awards hosted by the National Press Photographers Association.

Cordova’s haunting image of Long Beach firefighters embracing after the June 2018 death of Capt. David Rosa was honored with second place in the Breaking News category in the Best in Photojournalism contest. Of thousands of images from across the country last year, 273 images were chosen to advance for national judging, with Cordova’s photo among those selected.

The first place image came from Cory Morse of the Grand Rapids Press for a picture of a father lunging at Larry Nassar, the USA Gymnastics national team doctor who was convicted of child molestation.

Last month, Cordova was honored by his colleagues as one of the best photojournalists in the western United States, placing ninth among the top 10 photojournalists of the year by the NPPA, Region 10, which covers publications across California, Arizona, Nevada, and Hawaii.