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Winning photos announced for Izaak Walton 2020 calendar

Homewood Izaak Walton Preserve recently announced the winning entries for its 2020 wall calendar. Nearly 60 photographers submitted entries as part of a contest conducted in September. There are 14 winning entries, including one photo for each of the 12 months plus the front and back covers.
 

Homewood Izaak Walton Preserve recently announced the winning entries for its 2020 wall calendar. Nearly 60 photographers submitted entries as part of a contest conducted in September.
 
There are 14 winning entries, including one photo for each of the 12 months plus the front and back covers.
 
“The calendar committee was impressed with the number, quality and quantity of entries for our first calendar photo competition,” said Todd Wittenberg, Izaak Walton board member, who coordinated the event.
 
Contest coordinators expected modest participation, maybe 10 to 20 entries. Nearly 60 photographers submitted almost 200 images to the preserve’s Facebook page.
 
The idea for the contest began when Francis Fullam, a fan of Howard Wolinsky’s images from Izaak Walton, suggested that Wolinsky create a calendar of his images. Wolinsky thought a photo competition open to anyone would be a fun way to make a calendar.
 
Four fans of photography at Homewood Izaak Walton, Wolinsky, Kathie Hazlett, Heather Marcum and Penny Schnay, made the initial plans. Wittenberg solicited entries online for nature photos of Izaak Walton. The public were invited to “like” up to 12 photos on the preserve’s Facebook page.
 
Wolinsky invited three independent judges with no connection to the preserve to select 20 of their favorite photos, taking into account the seasons represented on the calendar and artistic merit.
The judges were Ken Carl, a Chicago-based freelance photographer, Richard Chapman Sr. and Richard Chapman Jr., who run an Algonquin-based photo studio Rich Chapman Photographers and Rich Chapman Creative.
Rich Chapman Sr. said, “Contests are always hard to judge, there is no definitive choice and it is all very subjective. But with that said, certain criteria such as composition and content can be identified rather quickly.
“There were many excellent pictures entered, and therefore hard to narrow down to my favorite 20. The first six I picked were fairly easy, depicting seasonal aspects showcasing the quality of lighting and moments captured. The beauty of a contest? When we see what others around us have captured, hopefully we can all learn and improve together.”
 
Carl applauded the courage of entrants willing to be judged.
“The magic of photography is conjured by the unlimited vision of each and every photographer. That magic is played out here in the photographs submitted for this calendar contest,” he said. “Many photographers visiting the same location yet almost magically each returned with different insights to be shared through their images. It was a joy experiencing the Homewood Izaak Walton Preserve through your lens.”
The calendar committee combined the picks of the judges and the Facebook “likes” of the public to make the final decisions. There were enough great photos to make several more calendars.
The judges selected several photos made by the committee members. Every effort was made to avoid conflicts of interest. All decisions are final.
 
The winners with the titles of their photos are:
 
  • Cover: Kathleen Hazlett “Welcome.”
  • January: Jade Fuentes “Frost Bite.”
  • February: Jeff Maharry, “Brisk Morning Beauty.”
  • March: Jason Baldauf, “Summer Sunrise.”
  • April: Ryan Patrick, “Our Love to Admire.”
  • May: Bev Feldt, “On Walton Pond.”
  • June: Howard Wolinsky, “Elderberry Tweet.”
  • July: Rebecca L. Slagle, “Christmas in July.”
  • August: Laura Halfman, “Rebirth.”
  • September: Kate Robertson, “Cali Girl.”
  • October: Heather Marcum “HEROn (remix by the Great Blue).”
  • November: Michael MacDonald, “I Can See You.”
  • December: Dawn Leader- Pelosa, “Twigsicles.” 
  • Back cover: Chris Blomquist, “September Morning Reflection.”
 
Copies of the calendar can be preordered online.
The cost of each copy is $12 for calendars picked up at Senior Hall beginning Oct. 26 during the preserve’s annual Art Show. The charge for calendars ordered for mail delivery is $15.
 

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