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May 3—SOMERSET — Questions from the judges began just as soon as the picture for entry number 19 was shown on the screen.
“What is it?”
“Is it really a plant?”
“Looks alien. Are you sure it’s real?”
However, the contest coordinator provided no answers to their questions and would only say that image met all the contest submission requirements. And, in the end, that was enough. The judges were unanimous in selecting Peggy Yaeger’s unique photo of a maidenhair fern unfurling as the Nash Black Photography Awards grand prize winner.
Yaeger and other winners of Somerset Community College’s Fruit of the Lens Photography Club contest were recognized during the annual Earth Day Celebration held April 16 on the Somerset Campus. Theme of the contest was “Let There Be Plants!” and 28 entries were submitted.
Besides recognition for her winning picture, Yaeger als0 accepted a $100 cash prize presented by SCC student and club president Laurie Abbott. Cash awards were provided by the SCC’s Earth Day committee.
Yaeger, from Corbin, said she loves nature photography and came upon the unique plant while walking along the shoreline of Laurel Lake.
Taking the $50 second place prize was 12-year-old Russell County resident Jed Newcome with his photo, “Bee on Dandelion.”
Third place honors and $25 were awarded to Jenny Crawhorn also of Russell County for her unique photo of a cactus. Crawhorn said she was “proud” to be named as a winner.
Eli Parker’s photo of daisy fleabanes was recognized as the fourth-place entry and earned Parker a $15 cash award. Parker is an SCC alumnus and frequent contributor to photo club exhibits.
The judges also selected three other photos for honorable mention. Those receiving certificates in that category were Linda Alsip, of London, who is a past fourth place winner; Van Back, of Monticello who takes home his second honorable mention certificate; and Mackenzee Conner, of Somerset, who plans to attend SCC this fall.
Judges for the Nash Black Photography Awards were club member and two-time contest winner Denny Longsworth of Wayne County; Melissa Adams, Ed.D., director of Project BEAM; and SCC instructors Cindy Burton and Jeff Harris. Stuart Simpson, also an SCC instructor, coordinated the event.
Irene Black also served as a judge for the contest that is named for her and her late husband, Ford Nashett. The Russell County couple wrote under the pen name “Nash Black” and were founding members of the club.
The mission of Fruit of the Lens is to provide a setting where SCC students, staff and faculty can come together with the community to share digital images and discuss photography. To become a member, simply send a request to SCC faculty advisor Cindy Burton at [email protected].
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