Winning photographs in TREES Inc. contest to be on display in January

Judging has been completed in the yearly photo contest organized by TREES Inc. and co-sponsored by the Tribune-Star and the Vigo County Public Library. This is the fourth-annual contest. The topic of fall foliage brought out the highest numbers of entries, and the quality of the photographs was exceptional.

The winning photographs in each of the three contest divisions — Professional, Adult Amateur and Youth — have been selected and will be on display in the Vigo County Public Library, Seventh and Poplar streets, after the holidays. The exhibit will open Jan. 5 and continue through the month. The contest winners include the first-, second- and third-place awards in each division along with honorable mention photographs singled out for special recognition. Additional outstanding photographs also have been chosen from the 275 contest entries for the January exhibit.

There were 30 entries in the Youth Division by young people ranging from third grade through high school. They were outstanding in both photographic technique and in composition. The judges selected 10 to be included in the exhibit.

The Youth Division winners are Emma Bilyeu with her photograph titled “A Touch of Sunshine,” first place; Emily Padgett with her entry “Structure of Pastel Leaves,” second place; and Abi Harden with her picture “God’s Golden Carpet,” third place.

Honorable Mention winners in the Youth Division were Laura Draper, Kaleb Hauptli, MacKenzi Gruenert, Emily Padgett and Ysabel Tio.

Two additional photographs considered among the best entries, by Elizabeth Biggs and a second entry by Laura Draper, also will be included in the exhibit.

The strongest competition was among the 230 entries in the Adult Amateur Division. Lauren Eggleston, a senior at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, won first place with her photograph titled “Roots.” Rob Hasbrouck won second-place honors with his photograph “Memories”; and Diana Mathis won the third-place award with her photograph titled “Red Cloud.”

Five photographs were named Honorable Mention winners in the Adult Amateur Division. They were submitted by Rhonda Jean Harden, Kris Bilyeu, Jodi Farrell Sparks, Brad Barton and Cathy McGregor Foster.

An additional 19 outstanding photographs were selected to be included in the contest exhibit. Each of the following entrants will have one photograph in the exhibit: Melinda Stanley Bonnett, William Davis, Rob Hasbrouck, Beth Hoke, Amy Hopp, Brian Hopp, Bruce McClaren, Lori Naanes, Jeff Paitson, Judy Swez and Teresa Vidrine. Marilyn Howerton, Jean Mausel, James Plew and Melinda Wall will each have two of their photographs on exhibit.

There were 15 entries in the Professional Division, each one rivaling National Geographic photographic quality. They included one photo taken from a mountain top and one taken under water. Dr. James Pickerell won first place with his photograph titled “Aspens in Snow.” LaRysa Marietta was awarded second place with her picture “Barn One.” Third place was awarded to Brendan Kearns for his unusual photograph “From Under the Water.”

Brendan Kearns also won Honorable Mention for two additional entries and LaRysa Marietta won honors with “Fall Panorama,” a vista shot of Brown County at its peak of autumn color. Michelle Wetnight, also in the professional Division, had an entry selected for exhibit.

Once these photographs are placed in the exhibit, additional photographs entered in both the Youth competition and the Professional competition will be included as space permits.

All these winners will be recognized at the contest Awards Ceremony, which will be conducted in the rotunda of the main library at Seventh and Poplar streets at 7 p.m. Jan. 21. First-place winners in each division, along with the People’s Choice winner, will receive ribbons and $100 awards. Second-place winners will receive ribbons and $75 prizes. Third-place awards include ribbons and $50 checks. Ribbons and $25 checks will be awarded to all the entrants earning Honorable Mention.

Judges for the contest were Jim Avelis, a photojournalist at the Tribune-Star; Fran Lattanzio, professor of photography in the Fine Arts Department of Indiana State University; David Stapp and Samantha McGranahan, both of whom have their own photography studios; Kevin Runion, assistant vice president of ISU and an architect and landscape architect; Kristine Knoblock, local photographer and artist; and Dr. Marion Jackson, the recognized expert on trees of Indiana.

The co-sponsors invite everyone to visit the exhibit during January to see these amazing photographs and to draw inspiration and appreciation for photography, for trees, and for the natural beauty of Indiana.

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