News fotogs snap up awards

PICTURE THIS: The Daily News’ ace team of photographers won numerous awards for gripping images captured on the streets of New York City.

Newsers Marcus Santos Keivom each scored first-place honors from the New York Press Photographers Association.

Santos won in the spot news category for his shot of disturbed GQ cover boy Krit McClean, 21, who took off his clothes and had a surreal standoff with cops in June. Santos’ image captured the buck-naked model with his hands in the air as he stood atop the red staircase in the center of Times Square. A large ad for the musical “Kinky Boots” appears in the background.

Keivom was recognized in general news for his photograph in August capturing the emotional scene at the funeral for Queens Imam Maulama Akonjee, 55, who had been shot in the street. The intense image shows the anguish and anger among New Yorkers and James who suspected the shooting was a hate crime motivated by anti-Muslim sentiment.

Todd Maisel won second place in the animals category for his moving photo of NYPD Detective William Hernandez, 46, carrying his canine partner, Duke, 13, into a Staten Island veterinarian’s office in May to be euthanized. Other K-9 unit officers saluted, with their German shepherds at their sides, as Hernandez walked past them carrying Duke.

Debbie Egan-Chin won second place in the pictorial category for her sexy photo of a dancer in an underground strip club run out of an apartment in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The pic, for which the dancer requested anonymity, captured the secretive, psychedelic scene run entirely by women.

Photos by Anthony DelMundo, Susan Watts and Robert Sabo were also honored by the association. Former Newser Julia Xanthos-Liddy was lauded as well. In all, the organization cited a whopping 31 News photographs.

The New York Press Photographers Association was founded in 1915.