'Photogs' Amateur Photography Competition Winners Announced

In the beginning of July, Standing Rock Cultural Arts asked you to stop by during to cast a vote for your favorite photo in the . 

After a long, nail-biting afternoon the results were in.  

The People's Choice Award went to Dick Beery for "Overlook Point." Cynthia List came in second for "Feather" with John Gwinn rounding out the category with "Turtle on a Log" came in third. 

Honorable mention in this category went to Dick Beery for "Hands." 

I was able to reach two of these winners by phone to talk a little about their award. 

Dick Beery is a retired electrical engineer of Wooster who has been taking photos for 50 years. Photography has moved from a weekend hobby to his "passion" in the four years it has been since his retirement.

This art form appeals to Beery because he is recording a unique moment, it is something "that no one else has done." By entering numerous photos in this competition Beery is allowing us a peek into these moments of inspiration, moments that are rendered timeless by his lens. 

John Gwinn is more of a point and shoot master who happened to be at the right place at the right time for his winning photo. He was celebrating his fifth wedding anniversary with his wife in Florida when they came across a family of turtles sunning themselves on a log one morning. 

Gwinn enjoyed being a part of this exhibition because he had the chance to see some great work from his fellow photographers. He especially liked Cynthia List's "Feather."  

"That was one I voted for," he said.

Both men commented that the easy-going and friendly atmosphere of Standing Rock Cultural Arts made theirs an exceptionally pleasant experience. 

In the Juried Choice category, April Bleakney stood out with two endearing photos of her grandmother showing off her dragon collection. "Grandma With Her Dragons (Series of Two)" is part of a larger series that explores how objects define domestic spaces.

Bleakney likes to work in series as she finds the sequence of time adds to the impact of her photos. She is also cognizant of the impact of personal subject matter and utilizing depth of field techniques to draw interest to her photographs.

Todd S. Hawley came in second place according to the jurors with "Kudzu Graffiti."

Dick Beery, Cheryl Green, Becky Grasser and John Gwinn received the Juror's Honorable Mention. 

Closing out the competition in the Student Category is Garrett Byerly with "The COD." Byerly was in his second photo class ever at Roosevelt High School when he snapped this speedy photo of a jeep at a dealership. Replacing the dull background with lines of motion using Photoshop, he activated a sense of speed so that we can understand why he is drawn to this type of vehicle. 

If you haven't gotten a chance to see this show or are looking to brighten up some wall space in your home, stop by as many of these pieces are available for purchase.

"Photogs" is on view at The Water Street Gallery until July 30.