A Record Number of Entries Makes the Judging Hard and the Show Spectacular
We were sweating. Just eight days remained before the deadline for New Times’ fourth annual photo contest and we had in hand exactly eight entries.
We fretted, discussed delaying the show, and tried to figure out what we had done wrong. We needn’t have bothered. That day the entries started pouring in and didn’t stop until we had a record 410 submissions for the 1999 Winning Images Contest. This surpassed last year's record total of 271 by a healthy margin.
And when the judges assembled the next day they found that the competition has grown not just in size, but in the overall quality of entries as well.
That, of course, meant the judging of these fine images would be all the more difficult, but it was a welcome task for the judges who met at the Photo Shop in San Luis Obispo. They were:
Peggy Mesler, the owner of the Photo Shop camera store and photo gallery in San Luis Obispo. She's a lifelong San Luis Obispo resident and a Cal Poly photojournalism graduate;
Tom Meinhold of Tom Meinhold Photography, a San Luis Obispo native and a1987 graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography. For nearly 10 years he's operated his own studio specializing in fine portraiture, weddings, and commercial photography;
Richard Jackoway, managing editor of New Times; and,
Jeff Greene, New Times staff photographer.
With increased entry fees and the generous support of the contest’s sponsor, First Bank of San Luis Obispo, the prize pool was significantly increased to the point that we are proud to offer this year’s Grand Prize winner, Steven Gould of Shell Beach, $500 cash and a commemorative plaque.
Gould's photo of longboard surfer Andy Farmer at the Avila Caves was an early favorite of the judges based on his use of color, composition, and overall visual impact.
"Avila Caves" is an excellent example of blending ingenuity and determination with strong photography skills to create an award-winning image. By kayaking out to the caves with his Canon Elan II and lenses protected in a waterproof case, and using a sturdy tripod, Gould took the time to find the precise spot in the back reaches of the cave to achieve his desired composition.
While his friend Andy stood shivering on the rock and holding the heavy 10-foot, 6-inch surfboard for "just one more," Gould took numerous exposures using a 24 mm wide-angle lens and a split neutral-density filter to balance the exposure of the sky and foreground. His winning exposure was 1/8 of a second at f/8 on Kodak ISO 100 print film. Sounds like a bit of that prize money should be earmarked for Andy at his favorite watering hole.
Gould is a 28-year-old Cal Poly graduate (forestry, ’95) and currently teaches math and science at El Camino Junior High School in Santa Maria. He entered "Avila Caves" in the Amateur Color, Places category. He also took home a third-place in Color, Open, for a stunning picture of elephant seals.
While he didn’t win the Grand Prize, Dirk Kenyon was one of the big winners of the competition. He walked away with a record six awards, including four first-place finishes. Another professional, James A. Crawford, came away with five awards, including three second places.
In the interest of full disclosure, another multiple winner, Marie Hernandez, is judge Greene’s assistant in his photography studio. The judges did not know whose work they were judging, but Greene recused himself from commenting when he recognized Hernandez’s work.
The prizes for the other categories were $100 for first place, $50 for second, and $25 for third. Prize winners, plus the images selected for honorable mentions, will receive certificates acknowledging their achievements.
Click here to see the images online. Enjoy the show! Æ