2017 Winners
The 2017 contest had two divisions. Adults were 18 years old or out of high school. Youth were 18 or under, or still in school. There were four categories: Photos for the Landscapes, Plants (included lichens and fungi), and Animals categories could come from anywhere in the world. Photos submitted in the fourth category called "Nature Center" had to be taken in the building or on the grounds of the sponsoring organization and communicate "the nature center experience."
Winner - Adult Landscape: "Pop the Top" by Lee Scott, Hanapepe, Hawaii
Winner - Adult Plant: "Lotus with Leaf" by Kathleen Furey, South Riding, Virginia
Winner - Adult Wildlife: "Baby Seal" by Gino Symus, Boortmeerbeek, Belgium
Winner - Adult Nature Center: "Two Birds on Perch" by Paul G. Barretta, Olean, New York
Winner - Youth Landscape: "Overlooking Grand Prismatic Spring" by Chloe Pinkston, London, England
Winner - Youth Plants: "Nature's Highway" by Tim Guiteras, Los Angeles, California
Winner - Youth Wildlife: "Singing Meadowlark" by Maddie Nolan, Richardson, Texas
Winner - Youth Nature Center: "Through the Bench" by Kyra Bettwy, Randolph, New York
Notes from the Judge
It was my pleasure to judge the entries in the 2017 Audubon Community Nature Center Photo Contest, although selecting the winners was not easy. Therefore, I selected some others that also showed merit.
In judging, I used the following professional criteria listed in no particular order:
A few tips to emerging photographers to make your images more competitive, again, in no particular order:
Michael Weishan
In judging, I used the following professional criteria listed in no particular order:
- Impact - a compelling emotion upon first viewing the photograph.
- Technical Excellence - quality of image including exposure, sharpness, etc.
- Creativity - using the photo to convey an idea, message or thought.
- Composition - bringing the visual elements together in concert to express the purpose of the image.
- Color Balance - how the tones work together, effectively supporting the image or enhancing its emotional appeal.
- Center of Interest - the point or points on the image where the photographer wants the viewer to stop as they view the image.
- Lighting -the use of light, which refers to how impact, dimension, shape and roundness are defined in an image.
- Subject Matter - appropriate for the category.
- Technique - the approach used to capture or create the image.
- Story Telling - the image’s ability to evoke imagination.
A few tips to emerging photographers to make your images more competitive, again, in no particular order:
- Learn to use photo editing software to adjust exposure and to “dodge” and “burn” to enhance the center of interest and overall image quality.
- Learn to use the histogram to achieve the best exposure – both in camera, and in your photo editing software.
- Keep a level horizon line, especially where a flat body of water is part of the image.
- Practice making images that are in sharp focus. Pay attention to your shutter speed. A tripod may also be helpful.
- Study up on composition. There are plenty of books and websites that give tips.
Michael Weishan
Photographs of Merit
2017 Judge - Michael Weishan
Michael maintains a part-time photography business specializing in nature, fine art and location/lifestyle portrait photography. He values the diversity in nature, seeing the patterns and textures in the chaos of nature, and observing interplay of wildlife.
His interest in nature photography developed in 1970 after reading In Wilderness is the Preservation of the World, a book of photographs by Eliot Porter accompanied by selected passages from Thoreau’s Walden Pond. He furthered that interest after military service through a correspondence course on photography. He has attended seminars by Leonard Lee Rue, John and Barbara Gerlach and other nature and wildlife photographers. While a member of the Professional Photographers of the State of New York, he attended workshops, conferences and worked behind the scenes during print competition judging. He continues developing his skills through workshops, seminars, publications and his association with other professionals. At the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, he volunteers as a photo archivist.
His interest in nature photography developed in 1970 after reading In Wilderness is the Preservation of the World, a book of photographs by Eliot Porter accompanied by selected passages from Thoreau’s Walden Pond. He furthered that interest after military service through a correspondence course on photography. He has attended seminars by Leonard Lee Rue, John and Barbara Gerlach and other nature and wildlife photographers. While a member of the Professional Photographers of the State of New York, he attended workshops, conferences and worked behind the scenes during print competition judging. He continues developing his skills through workshops, seminars, publications and his association with other professionals. At the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, he volunteers as a photo archivist.
