Winners have been unveiled from the Orcas Island Photo Contest, started in late 2009 to bring together photographs for an annual Orcas Island Photo Book. The contests received 176 photograph submissions. All winning and ‘honorable mention’ photographs will be printed in an archival quality hardcover book, “Through the Eyes of Islanders,” due out in May 2011.
Overall first prize went to Natasha Ryder for her photo, “Dock.”
“I had been interested in photography for years, but never had the means to pursue [it] until my mother gave me my first camera, a Polaroid iZone 300 3.2MP, for my seventeenth birthday,” said Ryder. “I sought out subject matter wherever I went, photographing the same, inanimate object(s) nigh fifty times, striving for the perfect composition. I would later retire to my room for hours of juxtaposing each candidate against another … until I found the picture that contained the most of what I considered to be good attributes … elements like corresponding angles, points of focus, color, shadows, and balance.”
Ryder entered the contest as part of an independent study photography class through Orcas High School’s OASIS program. She now owns a Nikon DX NIKKOR 18-55 mm. More of her work is posted on Facebook.
Winners in each category
People: “Chapman Fire,” by Bob Phalan.
Places: “Sunset Ride,” by Rod Magner.
Nature: “ZAP!” by Martin Taylor.
Honorable mention
Photographs submitted by Randal Dean Monge, Adam Farish, Jerry D Eisner, Dennis DeHart, Russell Lee Post, Alita Humphrey, Dyan Holmes, Anthony Martinez, Kevin Page, Philomena Robinson, Keri Lago, Martin Taylor, Rod Magner and Bob Phalan all recieved honorable mention.
Contest organizer Alex Huppenthal asked professional photographers living in the Aspen, Colorado area to select the top photograph.
“All three have unique and well established professional qualifications in photography. I’m very thankful for their participation,” said Huppenthal.
Judges
David Hiser is a long time National Geographic and stock photographer, photojournalist and photo educator who has led workshops and seminars throughout North America, twice a first place winner in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition.
Andrea Wallace, MFA, is Artistic Director of Photography and Digital Media at Anderson Ranch Arts Center. Her film, Rochell and Brian, premiered at the New York International Independent Film Festival in 2006. Wallace has exhibited throughout the Americas, Europe, China and the Middle East.
George Stranahan has several books published, as well as a ground-breaking photoblog. His friendship with Gonzo Journalist Hunter S. Thompson is well known.
