Snap decisions

Feast your eyes on the best reader submissions to the ‘New Times’ Winning Images 2001 photo contest

It is said that the greatest journey begins with a single step. On a mission seeking the best photographs by readers of New Times, our intrepid group of judges took precisely 319 of those steps, one for each entry submitted in 13 different categories. The number of entries was nearly double the total of last year’s and the judging was exponentially more difficult.

Selecting the Best of Show was a ordeal that took over four hours and required a great deal of thought, debate and negotiation. In the end "Quiet Thoughts" by Robin Cole of San Luis Obispo emerged as the judges choice for the Best of Show for Winning Images 2001.

Robin Coles has been creating images professionally for nine years through her business, Remember When Storybook Photography. Her photos are dreamlike, poetic and whimsical and Coles strives to tell a story and transports her clients back to a timeless era. Inspired by the work of local photographer and hand-tinting specialist Nora Hernandez, Coles set out to learn all she could about the craft and is constantly evolving and developing her own unique style.

"Quiet Moments" was created specifically for the New Times competition and was an image that Coles had been visualizing for some time. It was shot on a Pentax K1000 on Kodak TMax 100 and utilized available window light to create a subdued mood and feel that reminded her of her childhood. It reminded us of previous Best of Show winners and we welcome Coles to that exclusive fraternity of photographic artists.

This year’s judging took place at the studio of Tom Meinhold Photography. Meinhold, who also served as a judge, is a San Luis Obispo native and a 1987 graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography. For over ten years, he has operated his own studio specializing in fine portraiture, weddings and commercial photography.

Another judge, Peggy Mesler is the owner of The Photo Shop camera store and photo gallery in San Luis Obispo. She also is a SLO native and a Cal Poly graduate with a degree in photojournalism.

Joining Meinhold and Mesler was Larissa Collins, associate art director of the New Times Media Group and a graduate of the Corcoran School of Art and Design in Washington DC. She has worked as a designer for the Washington Post Sunday Magazine and National Geographic Traveler Magazine.

Overseeing the whole judging process and lending his seasoned eye to the proceedings was Jeff Greene, New Times staff photographer since 1999. His photography has won awards (Los Angeles Exposition of Photography, United Nations International Photographic Council) and he operates ImageWest Photography with his wife, Chris.

Each year we receive numerous comments regarding the number of multiple winners the competition produces. The fact is that many photographers submit a large amount of entries. Since each entry requires an entry fee in addition to the expense of printing and mounting, it is our philosophy that each entry deserves an equal chance at winning.

That being said, this year there were 15 multiple winners. Six of those individuals placed first in at least one category. Steve Miller placed first in both the "Digital" and the "Professional, Black and White, Open" divisions, James Crawford took first and second in "Professional, Black and White, Faces" division and Jerome Ross took both first and second in the "Professional, Color, Open" division. Rest assured that the judging is blind and that the panel has no indication of the photographers’ identities.

Finally, we would like to thank our generous sponsor, First Bank of San Luis Obispo for its generous donation to the prize fund and to the Art Center of San Luis Obispo for again hosting the winner’s gallery and opening reception.

We hope that you enjoy this year's collection and welcome your comments and suggestions. Send your emails to [email protected]. Æ