From North Woods Conservancy (NWC):
The winners of the North Woods Conservancy’s 2016 "Get to Know the North Woods" photo contest have been selected! First, Second, and Third Place, plus an Honorary Category, were selected by Harvey Desnick, a well-known Keweenaw wildflower photographer.
Desnick says, "Photography is the ‘Art of the Moment’! Several things make for a great photo. Ask yourself...Is it a moment? Have I captured something that creates that feeling of wishing to have been there at that moment when the photo was taken? When you have captured one [of] those moments, your work may not be done. I look for good composition and balance. As in art, does it draw my eye around the image in a comfortable flow? Are horizons justified? Is the image pleasingly sharp and the color natural?"*
Winners in the contest were asked these two questions: What draws you to the Keweenaw? What do you like most?
Dennis Hake, who took both First and Second Place, says, "I've always been attracted to the natural world, being fascinated by the myriad interconnections of life, climate and topography, and especially attracted to the wilder places. … With the decline of mining and industry, and the growth of tourism, the Keweenaw has reinvented itself as a semi-wilderness, with many, many wild and scenic vistas, the most compelling of which is Lake Superior. The wild character of the Lake, its many moods, the ever changing light, the seemingly remote 'out on the edge' nature of it is very appealing to us. And, of course, the micro-climate that it produces, the cool, damp air, makes the conifer forests of the Keweenaw possible."
Hake notes also his love of the many "sublime" water views of Lake Superior.
"The highly varied geology is so extensive and fascinating," he adds. "Natural preserves such as the North Woods Conservancy, or the Michigan Nature Association and their Estivant Pines preserve are very attractive. It is somewhat difficult to convey to others, one's attraction to the 'Lonesome Places' on our planet. Perhaps it's a wish to harken back to an earlier, simpler time."
Third-place winner Eric Stewart also notes the attraction of Lake Superior.
"I've been vacationing in the UP my whole life," Stewart says. "I love the history, the people, the variety of landscapes and the wonderful food and beer on offer there, but the biggest draw is the most obvious one: Lake Superior. I've seen the lake from Lake Superior Provincial Park to Grand Marais, Minn., to Isle Royale and I've crossed it on the Queen, on a sailboat and in an airplane; but there is something special to me about Lake Superior in the Keweenaw. … It's when I'm coming down M-26 into Eagle River or down the cutoff road into Eagle Harbor and get that first glimpse of 'my lake' that I know I'm home."
"Having a beautiful place with so much natural beauty to escape to and enjoy is what draws me to the Keweenaw," says Quinn Kaspriak. "What I love the most about the Keweenaw is the many forms of natural beauty in one place. Being able to enjoy Lake Superior, waterfalls, mountains, and the northern lights all in one place makes it very special to me."
Starting October 22nd, Copper Country Associated Artists will host a window exhibit at their gallery on Fifth Street in Calumet. The exhibit will feature the winning photos with the judge’s comments on each, a digital photo show of all 43 photos submitted to the contest, and selected photos taken by long time host at Seven Mile Point, Sandy Britton.
NWC’s contest is for non-professional photographers of all ages. It was designed to encourage the public to explore NWC’s five north woods Natural Areas -- and to have fun doing it by taking photographs that told a story of the photographer’s personal experience at the Natural Area visited. The photos were taken between Aug. 4, 2015, and Sept. 26, 2016. Submissions were accepted from May 31 to Sept. 26, 2016. Forty-three photos were submitted by 11 photographers. Photos were submitted from three NWC Natural Areas -- Seven Mile Point, Conglomerate Falls, and Gratiot River North. Photos from the Gratiot River County Park were accepted into and judged in an added honorary category. A double blind judging process was used in selecting the winning photos.
Prints in the exhibit were prepared for display by Paul Grathoff of North End Framing in Calumet. Submission assistance for the contest was provided by Pasty.net; poster design by Chris Kelley; printing by Copper Island Printing in Calumet; and coordination by John Dodge and Ruth Mohr. Many community businesses plus local and regional media organizations assisted in publicizing the contest. Expenses were covered by funding dedicated to the contest and separate from land acquisition donations. The contest itself was planned and carried out by volunteers, including the judge who donated his time.
To view all the contest entries, including the winning photos and comments by the photographers and the judge’s comments, please visit:
https://jdodger.smugmug.com/Photography/North-Woods-Conservancy/N-W-C-Photo-Contest
For information on NWC or the 3rd annual 2017 photo contest, see the NWC Web site.
* Click here for Harvey Desnick's specific comments on each of the winning photos.
