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Perfect 10 

New Times' annual photo contest celebrates a decade of beautiful images

On Monday, Oct. 17, New Times' general manager looked at the sparse number of entries for this year's photography contest and was a little worried.

"Is this usual?" he asked.

I myself was beginning to sweat a bit. Could this be the year the photo contest "jumped the shark"? Michael, the office receptionist and a vital member of the contest team, assured me that the photo entries were going to start pouring in. Throughout the rest of the week, and especially on Friday afternoon as deadline approached, the photos did indeed stream in - 556 by closing time, setting an all-time record.

Once again the great eyes of this county swept out over hill and dale to bring back riveting accounts to share with our readers. Each year we are amazed by the beautiful imagery discovered and created by the talented community of photographers.

True to tradition we changed up the categories and divisions to keep the photographers on their toes; this year we brought back the Professional and Amateur divisions and added the category of Morro Rock.

The judging duties were performed by the gifted group of Forrest Doud (last year's Best of Show winner), Marta Peluso (photography instructor at Cuesta College), Frank Scotti (partner and Chief Idea Officer at the Advertise Here agency), and Colleen Rosenthal (award-winning local photographer).

The tired cliché of "a picture is worth a thousand blah-blah-blahs" still holds true, so to save space and get to the good stuff, let's look at the images!

 

 AMATEUR - Open




click to enlarge FLAG:  First Place - ANASTASIA KONTAXAKI
  • Anastasia Kontaxaki
  • FLAG: First Place
#
click to enlarge AGED FEET:  Second Place - PREM ANANDA
  • Prem Ananda
  • AGED FEET: Second Place
#
click to enlarge HIGHWAY 101 PUBLIC RESTROOM:  Third Place - MATTHEW REED
  • Matthew Reed
  • HIGHWAY 101 PUBLIC RESTROOM: Third Place
#
click to enlarge THE TRAIN:  Honorable Mention - DAVE CORONEL
  • Dave Coronel
  • THE TRAIN: Honorable Mention
#


AMATEUR - Flora






click to enlarge SLO ESPALIER: - JUDITH HILDINGER
  • Judith Hildinger
  • SLO ESPALIER:
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click to enlarge KISSING PODS:  Second Place - CATHERINE A. SHEEL
  • Catherine A. Sheel
  • KISSING PODS: Second Place
#
click to enlarge EPIPHYLLUM ILLUMINATED:  Third Place - SUSAN MORASCA
  • Susan Morasca
  • EPIPHYLLUM ILLUMINATED: Third Place
#
click to enlarge THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS:  Honorable Mention - KARAN PETERSON
  • Karan Peterson
  • THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS: Honorable Mention
#


AMATEUR - Animals






click to enlarge UNTITLED:  First Place - CARL SEPULVEDA
  • Carl Sepulveda
  • UNTITLED: First Place
#
click to enlarge SEASCAPE:  Second Place - SAMSON PINTO
  • Samson Pinto
  • SEASCAPE: Second Place
#
click to enlarge UNTITLED:  Third Place - SAMSON PINTO
  • Samson Pinto
  • UNTITLED: Third Place
#
click to enlarge ARACHNOPHOBIA:  Honorable Mention 1 - WES WEEMS
  • Wes Weems
  • ARACHNOPHOBIA: Honorable Mention 1
#
click to enlarge HOVERING GULLS:  Honorable Mention 2 - JAMES LITTLE
  • James Little
  • HOVERING GULLS: Honorable Mention 2
#


AMATEUR - Kids






click to enlarge CALEB:  First Place - LISA MAKSOUDIAN
  • Lisa Maksoudian
  • CALEB: First Place
#
click to enlarge JOEL:  Second Place - ANASTASIA KONTAXAKI
  • Anastasia Kontaxaki
  • JOEL: Second Place
#
click to enlarge JACOB:  Third Place - LISA MAKSOUDIAN
  • Lisa Maksoudian
  • JACOB: Third Place
#
click to enlarge EMILY: - LESLIE RUGEBREGT
  • Leslie Rugebregt
  • EMILY:
#
click to enlarge DES PETITS MIROIRS:  Honorable Mention 2 - ANGELA HENDERSON
  • Angela Henderson
  • DES PETITS MIROIRS: Honorable Mention 2
#


AMATEUR - Land/Seascapes






click to enlarge YOUVE GOT MAIL:  First Place - ANGELA HENDERSON
  • Angela Henderson
  • YOUVE GOT MAIL: First Place
#
click to enlarge SAND DUNES:  Second Place - ANASTASIA KONTAXAKI
  • Anastasia Kontaxaki
  • SAND DUNES: Second Place
#
click to enlarge SUNDAY MORNING SUNRISE:  Third Place - WILLI FIGG
  • Willi Figg
  • SUNDAY MORNING SUNRISE: Third Place
#
click to enlarge HIGHWAY 46:  Honorable Mention - SUSAN PYBURN
  • Susan Pyburn
  • HIGHWAY 46: Honorable Mention
#


AMATEUR - Rock






click to enlarge UNTITLED:  First Place - SAMSON PINTO
  • Samson Pinto
  • UNTITLED: First Place
#
click to enlarge MORRO MIST:  Second Place 1 - SUSAN PYBURN
  • Susan Pyburn
  • MORRO MIST: Second Place 1
#
click to enlarge MORRO LIPS:  Second Place 2 - DAVID PHILLIPS
  • David Phillips
  • MORRO LIPS: Second Place 2
#
click to enlarge THE ROCK:  Third Place - TROY BOYNTON
  • Troy Boynton
  • THE ROCK: Third Place

#

 


Professional - Rock






click to enlarge MISTICAL MORRO VISTA:  First Place - DONNA JOHNSON
  • Donna Johnson
  • MISTICAL MORRO VISTA: First Place
#
click to enlarge CLOUD RAINBOW:  Second Place - JANICE PETERS
  • Janice Peters
  • CLOUD RAINBOW: Second Place
#
click to enlarge STORM MORNING:  Third Place - MARLIN HARMS
  • Marlin Harms
  • STORM MORNING: Third Place
#
click to enlarge UNTITLED:  Honorable Mention - TREVOR POVAH
  • Trevor Povah
  • UNTITLED: Honorable Mention

#

 


Professional - Land/Seascapes






click to enlarge SA REAL COW:  First Place - DONNA JOHNSON
  • Donna Johnson
  • SA REAL COW: First Place
#
click to enlarge BETWEEN LIGHT & SHADOW:  Second Place - CRIS MITCHELL
  • Cris Mitchell
  • BETWEEN LIGHT & SHADOW: Second Place
#
click to enlarge THE GRAND STAIRCASE:  Third Place - ERIC MEADER
  • Eric Meader
  • THE GRAND STAIRCASE: Third Place

#

 


Professional - Flora






click to enlarge EDGE OF THE WOODS:  First Place - MARLIN HARMS
  • Marlin Harms
  • EDGE OF THE WOODS: First Place
#
click to enlarge AGAVE:  Second Place - DOROTHY CUTTER
  • Dorothy Cutter
  • AGAVE: Second Place
#
click to enlarge SEAWEED #2:  Third Place 1 - MARCY A. ISRAEL
  • Marcy A. Israel
  • SEAWEED #2: Third Place 1
#
click to enlarge WET CACTUS:  Third Place 2 - NANCY KOREN
  • Nancy Koren
  • WET CACTUS: Third Place 2
#
click to enlarge MARCY A. ISRAEL:  Honorable Mention - OAK
  • Oak
  • MARCY A. ISRAEL: Honorable Mention
#


Professional - Animals






click to enlarge PHALAROPE & REFLECTIONS:  First Place - MARLIN HARMS
  • Marlin Harms
  • PHALAROPE & REFLECTIONS: First Place
#
HORSE SILHOUETTE:  Second Place - LYNDA ROELLER
  • Lynda Roeller
  • HORSE SILHOUETTE: Second Place
#
click to enlarge BEST FRIENDS:  Third Place - JANICE PETERS
  • Janice Peters
  • BEST FRIENDS: Third Place

#

 


Professional - Kids






click to enlarge BRANCHING OUT:  First Place & Judges Pick - DONNA JOHNSON
  • Donna Johnson
  • BRANCHING OUT: First Place & Judges Pick
#
click to enlarge LOGAN:  Second Place - JEFF NEWSOM
  • Jeff Newsom
  • LOGAN: Second Place
#
click to enlarge MARK:  Third Place - MARCY A. ISRAEL
  • Marcy A. Israel
  • MARK: Third Place
#
click to enlarge MY SECRET GARDEN:  Honorable Mention - MISS LINDY
  • Miss Lindy
  • MY SECRET GARDEN: Honorable Mention
#


Professional - People






click to enlarge BECKY:  First Place - BARRY GOYETTE
  • Barry Goyette
  • BECKY: First Place
#
click to enlarge NOPE TO DOPE:  Second Place - JEFF NEWSOM
  • Jeff Newsom
  • NOPE TO DOPE: Second Place
#
click to enlarge NANA:  Third Place - MARCY A. ISRAEL
  • Marcy A. Israel
  • NANA: Third Place
#
click to enlarge DAVID:  Judges Pick - JEFF NEWSOM
  • Jeff Newsom
  • DAVID: Judges Pick
#
click to enlarge WOMAN:  Honorable Mention 1 - MARCY A. ISRAEL
  • Marcy A. Israel
  • WOMAN: Honorable Mention 1
#
click to enlarge ROCK LOBSTER:  Honorable Mention 2 - JEFF NEWSOM
  • Jeff Newsom
  • ROCK LOBSTER: Honorable Mention 2
#


Professional - Open






click to enlarge UNTITLED:  Professional, First Place and Best in Show - DEBORAH DENKER
  • Deborah Denker
  • UNTITLED: Professional, First Place and Best in Show
#
click to enlarge HANDS #1:  Second Place - MARCY A. ISRAEL
  • Marcy A. Israel
  • HANDS #1: Second Place
#
click to enlarge UNTITLED:  Third Place - BARRY GOYETTE
  • Barry Goyette
  • UNTITLED: Third Place
#
click to enlarge BARN OWL ON DUTY:  Honorable Mention - MICHAEL UTIN
  • Michael Utin
  • BARN OWL ON DUTY: Honorable Mention
#

New Times Photographer Christopher Gardner is a good judge of character but not a judge of the contest. He can be reached at [email protected].

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