by Tammy Cash | May 16, 2022 | Competitions, WHATS HOT
Oatland Island Wildlife Center will host a Photography Competition and Exhibit organized by the Coastal Chapter of Georgia Nature Photographer’s Association (GNPA) to help further the mission of the Oatland Island Wildlife Center of Savannah to provide guests with memorable experiences to help them make stronger connections to the natural world.
In partnership with the Oatland Island Wildlife Center in Savannah, Georgia, the Georgia Nature Photography Association – Coastal Chapter is organizing a 4th Annual Nature Photography Competition and Exhibit. The categories for this competition will be Coastal Landscapes, Coastal Wildlife, Macro, and ‘Found at Oatland Island Wildlife Center’. This Competition will be open to GNPA members only. In addition to 1st, 2nd, 3rd Place and Honorable Mention Ribbons, winners will be able to display their framed winning photos in a gallery at Oatland Island Wildlife Center. Additionally, the Best in Show will receive a $150 Gift Card and all other 1st place winners will receive a $50 Gift Card for Hunt’s Photo and Video.
This exhibit will highlight nature and wildlife and therefore supplement Oatland Island’s mission to educate people about wildlife. All images must be taken in the Southeast United States by the participant / photographer.
We are honored to have as this year’s judges… Lisa Langell and David Akoubian!
Lisa Langell
Scottsdale, Arizona
A nature photographer and birder from the age of eight, Lisa is the founder of Langell Photography,Inc.(http://www.langellphotography.com) and more recently, Focus Your Art,LLC (http://www.focusyourart.com). She began her own business in 2010 after long vibrant careers as a floral designer, educational psychologist, consultant and in helping launch and manage two startups that grew into leading companies in the Ed-Tech space. Since then, she has earned numerous awards and has been published in Outdoor Photographer, Arizona Highways, Ranger Rick, Images Arizona and more. She is a board of Directors member for the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA), is an ambassador for Tamron, Fotopro and H&Y, and is a judge for Viewbug.
Lisa loves creating nature photography and art that inspired by her background in psychology and design. When Lisa isn’t having fun making photographs, she’s thriving on teaching photography. Her humility and passion for both shines through in how she provides memorable, fun and educational experiences that enrich, invigorate and expand photographers’ minds in wonderful ways.
David Akoubian
Jasper, Georgia
David has been a photographer since 1972 when his father presented him with his first camera, but his career in photography started in 1992. David learned his craft originally as a painter and from his father who shares his love of nature and photography. Early in his career he traveled with, learned from and taught beside some of the masters of nature photography including John Shaw, Art Wolfe, Galen Rowell, Bryan Peterson, Pat O’Hara and Rod Planck. David has been teaching photography since 1994 in the classroom and leading workshops around the United States. David presents and leads workshops at many of the country’s top photographic conferences such as the Photographic Society of America Annual Conference, as well as many camera clubs across the United States.
David’s clients include, but are not limited to, Coca Cola, PNC Bank, Tamron, Sirui, the Mountain Conservation Trust of Georgia, Lensbaby, The Nature Conservancy, Scholastic Books, and Gibbs Garden. His photographs and articles have appeared in publications such as Nature Photographer, Audubon Magazine, Blue Ridge Country, Birder’s World, Outdoor Photographer, Backpacker Magazine, and many local publications. His work has appeared in several feature books, calendars, as well as in instructional guides. David is a Tamron Image Master
To Download the Complete Rules for the Contest: CLICK HERE
To Download the Additional Framing Requirements for Winning Photos: CLICK HERE
To Enter the Contest, Log In to your Member Portal and Look for a Link to “4th Annual OIWC-GNPA Photo Contest”.
The contest Call for Entries will start June 1st, 2022
Deadline to Enter the Contest is July 14th at 10pm.
by Tammy Cash | Apr 16, 2022 | Competitions, EXPO
Thirteen GNPA photographers were honored April 10 when the annual four-day EXPO weekend concluded at Jekyll Island.
Winners in three categories (landscape, macro and wildlife) were selected from a large field of entries. All told, 19 images were singled out by the judges. All photos had to be taken by Expo participants during the first three days of the event.
Janet Newton and Trish Cosentino each had three images chosen by the judges, while Jamie Anderson and Jim Squires had two apiece. Others whose work was selected were Joyce Glover, Jerry Black, Bonnie Gehling, Bill Lutin, Chris Dahl, Herm Donatelli, Alice Hawks, David Dunagan and Stewart Woodard. Congratulations to all!
The entries were judged by David Akoubian, Mark Buckler and Larry Winslett.
The first place images in each of the three categories are shown below. To view all the winning images and honorable mentions, click here to visit the GNPA Galleries page.
Landscape-1ST-Janet Newton-Morning Stars
Macro-1st-Jim Squires-Sea Foam
Wildlife-1st-Trish Cosentino-Morning Silhouette
by Chris Dekle | Mar 27, 2022 | Competitions Preparation
It’s thrilling to have an image exhibited for viewers to celebrate. Being juried into a competition show is a highlight for all of us.
Submitting your work for “judging” can also be a great opportunity to review your own work with an objective eye, grow your self-critique skills, learn from constructive feedback, and plan for future shoots.
So… How exactly do you choose which competitions to enter and which images to submit?
A great place to start is the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) list the 12 key criteria used to select the “merit” images in its annual competition. While not specific to nature photography, this article’s recommendations are still relevant to whatever you shoot. [https://www.ppa.com/events/photo-competitions/ipc-international-photographic-competition-overview/the-12-elements-of-a-merit-image]
It’s also enlightening to follow the blog of professionals you know and whose work you respect, to better understand how they approach and compose their images. Many share fantastic tips and techniques that will help the next time you capture them.
Recommended Sites to Explore
North America Nature Photography Association (NANPA)
David Akoubian
John Gerlach
Rick Sammon
Charlotte Gibb
Joyce Dumas
Kathleen Clemons
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by Tammy Cash | Feb 20, 2022 | Competitions
CONGRATULATIONS
We are pleased to announce the winning photographers in the 7th Annual ‘Stand in Ansel Adams Footsteps’
Competition & Exhibition hosted by the Gwinnett Chapter, Georgia Nature Photographers Association.
The exhibit at The Hudgens, Center for Arts & Learning, Duluth GA with 133 photographs
beginning Saturday, February 19th and closes Saturday, April 30, 2021.
BEST of SHOW
Ruth McCully, Advanced Division, Coastal Chapter
“The Sentinel at Sunrise”
“A good photograph is knowing where to stand”
This Ansel Adams quote is the origin of our competition title, “Stand in Ansel Adams Footsteps.”
Congratulations to ALL! Photographers competed in three experience or skill levels as Divisions and three Categories. The Categories were: LANDSCAPE, think big and wide vistas, traditional or classic landscape themes. Can be vertical format. MACRO/CLOSEUP, typically detail, forms, shapes & textures of Nature. Intimate Spaces, not a big wide vista, but more overlooked personal and special place in the landscape. Think more delicate even ethereal, eerie, spiritual, or mystical places that touch you emotionally.
The following are the winning GNPA Members by Division & Category:
NOVICE Division A less experienced member, a beginner, who may have competed in but has never placed in any photographic competition. Not just GNPA competitions.
Landscape
1st Place Paul Xuereb, Gwinnett Chapter ‘Sunrise Reflections’
2nd Place Paul Xuereb, Gwinnett Chapter ‘Rushing Water’
3rd Place Dwain Vaughns II, Gwinnett Chapter ‘Rabia Lynne’
Macro/Up Close
1st Place Cynthia Kurczewski, Smyrna Chapter ‘Rainy Day Tulip’
2nd Place Dwain Vaughns II, Gwinnett Chapter ‘Aryel June’
3rd Place Paul Xuereb, Gwinnett Chapter ‘Pine Cone’
Intimate Spaces
1st Place Paul Xuereb, Gwinnett Chapter ‘Soaring Pampas’
2nd Place Paul Xuereb, Gwinnett Chapter ‘Timeless Creation’
3rd Place Dwain Vaughns II, Gwinnett Chapter ‘Layla’
ENTHUSIAST Division A member with 3+ years as a photographer hobbyist. May have competed in previous photographic competitions but has NOT placed in the top 3 or Best of Show awards in more than 1 or 2 photography competitions. Not just GNPA competitions.
Landscape
1st Place Jacqueline Bedell, Coastal ‘Cathedral Spires’
2nd Place Donna Thornell, Hamilton ‘Kolob Canyon’
3rd Place John Criminger, Gwinnett ‘Rocky Mountain High’
Honorable Mention Paul Carter, Coastal ‘Zabriskie Point Death Valley’
Honorable Mention Tammy Cash, Griffin ‘Mistique Valley’
Honorable Mention John McClelland, Alpharetta ‘Colorado Sand Dunes’
Honorable Mention Neal McEwen, Griffin ‘Marmolada Glacier Dolomites Italy’
Macro/Up Close
1st Place Mary Stiles, Griffin ‘After the Rain’
2nd Place Jo Hancock, Griffin ‘X Ray Vision’
3rd Place Tracie Joyner, Smyrna ‘Azalea Glory’
Honorable Mention Jacqueline Bedell, Coastal ‘Weeds’
Honorable Mention Jo Hancock, Griffin ‘Rock Water Leaf’
Intimate Spaces
1st Place Mary Stiles, Griffin ‘Birds in the Mist’
2nd Place Lynne Daley, Coastal ‘Ethereal Oak’
3rd Place Tammy Cash, Griffin ‘In The Limelight’
Honorable Mention Russell Adams, Gwinnett ‘Morning Coffee’
Honorable Mention Jacqueline Bedell, Coastal ‘Quaking Aspen’
Honorable Mention Neal McEwen, Griffin ‘Vermont Roots’
ADVANCED Division, NEW this year. A more experienced member who has PLACED in the top 3 or Best of Show awards in at least 3 or more photography competitions anywhere. Not just GNPA competitions.
Landscape
1st Place Ruth McCully, Coastal ‘The Sentinel at Sunrise’
2nd Place Terry Gilliam, Gwinnett ‘Sea Carvings’
3rd Place Patricia Raffensperger, Alpharetta ‘The Storm’
Honorable Mention Mikki Dillon, Gwinnett ‘Flow’
Honorable Mention Janet Newton, Smyrna ‘Dougan Waterfall, WA’
Honorable Mention Janet Newton, Smyrna ‘New River’
Honorable Mention Ray Silva, Coastal ‘Draped in Snow’
Macro/Up Close
1st Place Ruth McCully, Coastal ‘Water Lily Splendor’
2nd Place Marcia Brandes, Roswell ‘Invitation’
3rd Place Gary Bowlick, Gwinnett ‘Painted Fern’
Honorable Mention Nicolette Dunn, Smyrna ‘Fanfare’
Honorable Mention Morey Gers, Coastal ‘Milkweed Pod’
Honorable Mention Morey Gers, Coastal ‘Yucca Flowers’
Honorable Mention Richard Green, Gwinnett ‘Day Lilly Husks’
Intimate Spaces
1st Place Janet Newton, Smyrna ‘Tree on the Cliff’
2nd Place Stephen Weiss, Decatur ‘Erosion’
3rd Place Richard Green, Gwinnett ‘Reflections’
Honorable Mention Michael Anderson, Alpharetta ‘Tumbleweed’
Honorable Mention Gary Bowlick, Gwinnett ‘Weathered Canadian Coast’
Honorable Mention Nicolette Dunn, Smyrna ‘Reflections Afloat’
Honorable Mention Steve Layman, Roswell ‘Into the Woods’
Congratulations to everyone! You are all winners just for taking the challenge and participating.
The competition was judged by Ron Rosenstock. The video of his critique can be viewed at https://youtu.be/ch4ZRoplYkQ. It can also be accessed on the member’s page by navigating to Webinar and Meeting Videos -> 2022 Meetings and Webinars -> In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams Critique 2022.
Even though he was not present, we sincerely thank Ron Rosenstock our judge. Especially for his time and adherence to the concept, rules and instructions for ‘Stand in Ansel Adams Footsteps.’ And as he said “the competition was very tight and not easy to make final evaluations.”
Our thanks to the GNPA members who participated and the staff at The Hudgens.
Revised: February 23, 2022
