2012 Reader SunShots winners

Dec 31, 2012

2012 Reader SunShots winners

Jerry Jackson 0 Comment The Baltimore Sun Baltimore Sun, Reader SunShots

From contest topics like ‘Think Pink’ to ‘Geometric’ to ‘City Life,’ here’s a look at the winning Reader SunShots photos in 2012.

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “All Creatures…” goes to Kevin Moore for his picture titled “Ticked-off Cardinal.” The photographer took the picture last winter with a Canon EOS 50D. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun senior photo editor Jerry Jackson: “Moore’s photo could have easily been a contender for next week’s category “Seeing Red,” with a double meaning as this cardinal looks like one angry bird. I love the humor of this photo. The focus is tack sharp and the photographer did a great job exposing for the bird and letting the background go white. Most cameras would tend to turn this into a silhouette.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Seeing Red” goes to Ruth Schaefer for her picture titled “Cicada Invader.” The photographer took the picture with a Canon Rebel XSi. The photo was taken during the cicada invasion in 2004. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “This is a very literal interpretation of the series ‘Seeing Red,’ but I liked the photographer’s use of selective focus to make the red eyes pop against the green background. Even though there is very little red in the image, it’s still what draws the viewer’s eye.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Somewhere warm” goes to John Jake Jakubik for his picture shot at White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. He took the photograph with a Canon 50D. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “Quite often in photography less is more. Clean, simple images often are easier to read and are more compelling to look at. This picture is a prime example. By using clean composition combined with a minimum of elements, the photographer made an artistic photograph from something as simple as plants growing in a sand dune.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Happiness is…” goes to Pat Schwartz for a picture shot of her grand daughter and friend at an Easter egg hunt. The picture was taken with a Sony DCS-H9 camera. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “This is sweet picture that is nicely composed. I like that the photographer chose to shoot the two girls from behind as they strolled down the path. It’s a more unusual angle and gives the viewer a different perspective.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Balance” goes to Chris Feroli for his picture of an unusual rock formation in the Bolivan Alitplano which sits at approximately 14,000 feet. The picture was taken with a Canon G2 camera. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: This is not only a striking image, but is humorous interpretation of the category. I like that the photographer chose an asymmetrical approach to the composition by not centering the rock formation.

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Portrait” goes to Rob Brulinski for his picture titled “Melissa, Bolton Hill apartment.” The photographer took the picture from a fire escape with a simple point-and-shoot camera. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “When I thought of this category, my intention was to look for those photographers who had taken a less conventional approach to portraiture. I think this image is a great example of creative thinking. By shooting through the window the photographer gave the photograph an ethereal quality that separated it from the other pictures.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Love” goes to Crystal Washington Hall for her picture of her grandchildren embracing early one morning. She took this picture with her cell phone. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “I thought this was a nice tender moment and I like that the photographer used the tool that was handy, namely her cellphone. Though cell phones generally tend to produce lower quality images, it beats not having picture at all. So kudos to the photographer for being prepared.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “A Sporting Life” goes to Kristen Lee for her picture of her son Devon in Ocean City, MD, riding a body board. She took this picture with a Nikon D80 camera. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “This was the photographer’s first time entering a photography contest. Judging by this picture, she should definitely enter more. This picture is the epitome of peak action. She captured this image just as the wave broke against the board giving the viewer a sense of the power of the ocean. In addition the expression of her son as he braces for impact adds to the photograph.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Street Scenes” goes to James Gordon for his black and white photograph of the Bromo Seltzer Tower in downtown Baltimore which he took with a Canon 350D and a wide angle zoom lens. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: One way to add additional punch to your photography is to give the viewer an interesting and different perspective. The photographer, a promising photography student at Parkville High School, did just that with this image. By choosing to shoot from the corner of the building at a low angle, he gave the picture a powerful and dramatic feel and brought the clouds into play adding an additional element.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “On Vacation” goes to Kelly Sanchez for a picture of son, Andrew, lying on a windsurfing board in Turks and Caicos islands. The picture was taken with a Nikon D80 while standing in the water. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “I like the clean composition of this photograph. The alignment of the boy, the water and the boats all work in harmony to give the image a sense of peace and relaxation. The photographer did a nice job of combining these elements and making them work together.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Flower Power” goes to Stacie Foxwell for a picture of a calla lily taken on her birthday during a visit to Longwood Gardens. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “One of the key elements to good photography is light. That’s what makes this picture works so well. The dramatic the light brings out the textures of the lily and contrasts the flower against the dark background making the flower the star of the picture”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Pastel Colors” goes to Ruth Schaefer for her picture of colorful porches locate in Charles Village. Ruth was fortunate to be shooting pictures when one of the rowhouse owners spotted her and invited her to get a different perspective on the often photographed homes. She took this picture with a Canon Rebel XSi. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “With this composition the photographer was able to capture a sense of infinity with the repeating pattern of the porches. The pictures is not only intriguing to look at but is colorful as well.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Windows and Doors” goes to Glenn Lettermann for his picture shot in an abandon factory. Glenn took this picture with a Nikon D80.. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “We had a tremendous response in the category with lots of creative images. This pictures grab me due to it’s strong graphics and the interesting light. The photographer composed the image in such a way as to take advantage of all the erie aspects of this photograph.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Mailboxes” goes to Mary Sloan Roby for her of a worn blue mailbox shot near Ellicott Island, MD. Mary took the picture with a Nikon D50 DSLR camera. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “The muted colors of the image allow the worn blue color of the mailbox to take centerstage. The composition is simple, but sometimes simple is best.”

: Cyndi Ryan is this week’s winner of the Reader SunShots category, “April Showers,” for her photo of 9-year-old Emily making the most out of sudden shower in Sarasota, Florida. Ryan used an old Kodak CX7430 point-and-shoot to make the image. Jerry Jackson, The Baltimore Sun’s senior picture editor comments, “Cyndi captured a moment of joy on what looks to be a pretty dreary day. Her use of fill flash with a slow shutter speed allowed the subject to stand out while still showing the movement of the downpour.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Tombstones” goes to Bill Schwartz for a picture shot off Baldwin Mill Road, Maryland Route 126. The photographer shot the picture with a Nikon FM2 film camera. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “This is old school work going on here. The photographer shot this on black and white film with a red filter to produce a infrared effect, rich tones with bright whites and deep shadows. The image was then given a sepia effect. The end result is a striking photograph with interesting composition.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Details” goes to Jennifer Longo for a picture shot of fungi on a tree taken at Ladew Topiary gardens. The photographer shot the picture with a Nikon D200. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “Not being a botanist, I’m not quite sure what is growing on this tree, but I like how the photographer was able to use the repeating pattern combined with a shallow depth of focus to make an interesting design from the growth.”

: Rob Lynch is this week’s Reader Sunshots “Suburbia” winner for his photo of a community swim meet in Lutherville between teams from York Manor and Hampton. The photo was taken on an evening in late June with a Nikon D5000 and a 10.5 mm fish eye lens. Jerry Jackson, The Baltimore Sun’s senior picture editor comments, “Rob did a great job of capturing an iconic scene that plays out at community pools throughout the country every summer. His use of super wide lens and available light work together to add a sense of depth and scale.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “It Must be Art” goes to Patricia Knight for a picture shot of icicles hanging from the gutter of her home with Christmas lights in the background. The photographer shot the picture with a Nikon D100. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “I like how the photographer was able to take something as ordinary as icicles and make them something special. By using a shallow depth of focus the photographer takes full advantage of the colorful lights, but stills allows the icicles to be the star of the picture.”

: The winner for this weeks series “Something Shiny” goes to William Schwartz for his picture of razor wire at Loch Raven dam taken at sunrise. The picture was shot with a Nikon D7000. “This is a beautiful image. The photographer was smart and shot this when the light was perfect. Even though the picture has a lot going on in the frame, the composition manages to work in harmony.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Gray Scale” goes to John Jake Jakubik for his picture shot at the Grand Tetons National Park. The picture was shot with a Canon 20D dedicated to infrared and the image was converted to black and white. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert Hamilton. “This was a very strong category with a lot of great photography. The winning image is a beautiful photograph and reminds me of a throw back to the days of Ansel Adams. This spot in the Grand Tetons is very popular with photographers and seeing this image it’s easy to understand why.”

: Doris Rafaeli is the winner of this week’s Reader Sunshots category, “Trip to the Zoo” with her photo of a Caribbean flamingo taken at the Philadelphia Zoo on a chilly day last January. The picture was taken with a Nikon D5100 camera with a 55-300mm lens. Here is a critique from Baltimore Sun photo editor Jerry Jackson: ” The challenge with zoo photography is making an image that is unique and not cluttered with bars or glass. Doris accomplishes both with her abstract flamingo photo. Using a long focal length kept the bird in sharp focus while softening the background.”

: Kevin Moore is this week’s SunShots winner for the series “Festivals.” This picture was from last year’s Honfest with a Canon 50D. The girls were reacting to the winners being announced at the Lil’ Miss Hon competition. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton. “Two staples of good photography are action and reaction pictures. In this image the photographer manage to capture both as this cute little girl actively reacts to the announcement of the winner of the contest.”

: Frank Tewey is this week’s “Life’s a Beach” winner for the photo of his sons Adam and Noah sharing a boogie board in Ocean City. Tewey used a Nikon D300 zoomed to 200mm to catch the wave just before it crashed over them. Here is a critique from Baltimore Sun photo editor Jerry Jackson: “Having a good camera with a fast motor drive can all the difference when trying to capture an image like this. A high shutter speed helps catch Noah’s face perfectly framed by the water that would engulf him a millisecond later.”

: The winner for this week’s series “A Day at the Races” is Francis Tewey for his picture from the Special Olympics as a young athlete shows off his medal to friends and family. The photo was taken with a Nikon D300. The following is a critique by director of photography Robert Hamilton. “If you’ve ever had a chance to witness a Special Olympics event, one of the special moments is when a child get a medal and displays their sense of accomplishment. The photographer was able to capture that moment as this young man was able to show off his medal.”

: The winner for this week’s SunShots series “Sailabration” goes to Rob Lynch for his picture of the Colombian navy tall ship ARC Gloria. The ship was departing its berthing on Pier 5 for a harbor tour. The picture was taken with a Nikon D500 with a telephoto zoom lens. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert Hamilton. “This picture gives the viewer a great sense of the pomp and pageantry that was Sailabration. The image is packed with color and detail which adds to the impact of the image.”

: The winner of this week’s Reader SunShots series “Up the Down Staircase” is Doris Rafaeli. The picture was taken at the Bohemian National Hall in the Upper East Side of Manhattan with a Nikon D5100 camera. The following is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert Hamilton. “I really like the vision the photographer has shown with this image. By concentrating on the colors and leading lines, the photographer composed a unique and impressionistic picture showing the viewer a striking photograph.”

: The winner of this week’s Baltimore Sun Reader SunShots series “Fireworks” is Deborah Felmey for her picture from the Inner Harbor shot with a Canon 5D Mark II while onboard the USS Constellation. The following is a critique by The Baltimore Sun’s director of photography Robert Hamilton. “The photographer certainly had an advantageous spot to shoot from and she made the most of it. By using a prolonged shutter speed combined with the proper aperture, she was able to get numerous burst of fireworks while maintaining detail in the harbor, such as the Domino Sugar sign.”

: The winner of this weeks Reader SunShot series “Yellow” is Ruth Schaefer which was shot at laundromat in Eldersburg, MD. The picture was taken with a Canon Rebel XSi. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert K. Hamilton: “When I judged this category, I was looking for something that was different from all the yellow flower photographs that dominated the series. This image really stuck out. I like how the photographer played the colors off each other with the red steps contrasting against the yellow wall and door. What brought it all together was the strong light which added pop to the colors and added interesting shadows.”

: The winner of this week’s Reader SunShot series “Glass” goes to Katelyn Wolf for her picture of raindrops on the windshield or her car. Wolf shot this picture while waiting out a rainstorm at a baseball game. The image was taken with a Nikon D5000 and a 35mm lens. Here is a critique by director of photography Robert Hamilton. “I like the vision the photographer showed with this image. The colors make for a interesting blend while the raindrops hold the viewers attention. I also like that the photographer continued to look for pictures rather than just wait until the rain stopped. Sometimes the best pictures are the unexpected ones.”

: The winner of this week’s Reader SunShot series “Cooling Down” is Francis Tewey for an underwater portrait of kids in a pool. Tewey used a disposal waterproof film camera and sat on the bottom of the pool while the kids all submerged together. “This picture was a pleasant surprise when I finally had the film developed about a year later.” Here is a critique by photo editor Jerry Jackson: “I love that the photographer tried something beyond the traditional ‘grip-and-grin’ portrait. The kids had as much fun making this image as the photographer.”

: The winner of this week’s SunShots series “Taking Flight” goes to Offie Clark for a picture of a bald eagle taken at Susquehanna State Park. Clark used a Olympus E-5 camera with a 300mm lens combined with a teleconverter. Here is a critique from Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert Hamilton. “The timing could not have been better on this picture. The image was made just as the eagle snatched it’s meal from the water. The photographer stated that he used a tripod when shooting this picture, which was an excellent idea. When shooting with a long lens, it’s always good to stabilize the camera and increase your odds of getting your subject in focus.”

: The winner of this week’s Reader SunShot series “Textures” goes to Christen Surguy-Schultheis for her picture of a backlit maple tree leaf shot early one morning with her Nikon D90 with a Tamron 60mm macro lens. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert Hamilton. “The colors and textures on this picture are incredible. The photographer did a nice job of composing the image. It’s close enough to accentuate all the veins in the leaf, but not so tight you loose a sense of the subject matter.”

: Jake Johnson is the winner for this week’s series “Abandoned” for his picture of a waiting room at an abandon hospital which closed in 1991. Johnson took the picture with a Panasonic GF1. Here is a critique from director of photography Robert Hamilton. “This was a very strong category with lots of great images. I chose this one because I like the pastel colors combined with the textures of the wall. The photographer did a nice job of composition by offsetting the chair rather than photographing it straight on. This makes the image asymmetrical and adds an additional dynamic.”

: The winner of this week’s Reader SunShots series “Black and White” is Lynda Folck for her picture of the oldest lighthouse in Maine, the Portland Head Light. She took the picture with a Sony DSC-H50 following a rainstorm and high tide. Here is a critique by Robert Hamilton director of photography. “This is a great example of a picture that is better in black and white than in color. As a grayscale image the content of the photograph works harmoniously with the powerful storm clouds and the angry seas breaking against the shoreline. The photographer did a great job of composing the picture by offsetting the lighthouse. This is a photograph I’d love to hang on my wall.”

: The winner of this week’s Baltimore Sun Reader SunShots series “At the fair” is Joe Messenger for his photo of the Zipper ride at the Maryland State Fair last year. The image was taken with a Canon 5D Mark II with the aperture at f22 for 1 Second at ISO 100. “This photo was taken as the sun was going down and all of the beautiful lights were coming on to light up the fair grounds. As a child this was one of my favorite ride to be on and I had shot a photo of this during the day but I just knew by coming back at night this photo would just be outstanding.” Here is a critique by The Baltimore Sun’s photo editor Jerry Jackson: “Joe’s decision to make this photo at twilight really gives the image an extra dimension. The dark blue sky helps the reds and orange lights pop. The exposure was just long enough to capture the motion without washing out the color.”

: The winner of this week’s Reader SunShots series “The Open Road” is Kevin Moore for his picture from the Eckley Miners Village in Pennsylvania. He took the picture with a Canon 40d DSLR camera. Here is a critique from director of photography Robert Hamilton. “I like the mood of this photograph. The dreary weather works well with the fall colors. The photographer also did a great job of composing the image, placing the subject in an ideal spot that separates the woman with the umbrella from the background.”

: The winner of this week’s SunShots series “Stormy” is John Jake Jakubik for his picture taken in the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. The picture was taken with a Canon 5D III. Here is a critique by director of photography Robert Hamilton. “This a beautiful picture. The photographer used a technique know as High Dynamic Range (HDR) to produce the image. Basically you compile a series of images made with varying exposures to produce a singular picture. This way you still get the dramatic clouds while still producing detail through the midtones and shadows of the photograph. Sometimes this effect can be overdone to the point where the picture looks almost cartoonish in nature. In this case the photographer used the technique effectively and with the proper restraint.”

: The winner of this week’s Reader SunShots series “Two Wheeled” is Bill Schwartz for his picture taken at the Loch Raven reservoir with a Nikon D7000. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert Hamilton. “There were a lot of mundane pictures in this category. What I like about this image is the photographer took a creative approach to the topic and gave something unexpected. The tonal quality of the image combined with the composition give the image a real artistic feel.”

: The winner of this week’s Reader SunShots series “Peaks and Valleys” is Gerald Hammond for his picture Of Moraine Lake at Banff National Park in Canada. The picture was taken with a Panasonic ultrazoom point and shoot camera. Here is a critique by director of photography Robert Hamilton. “This is just a gorgeous photo. It looks like a travel poster for Canada. The photographer said that on his original visit the weather was rainy, but came back another day when the weather was better to get this image. I commend him for his initiative, in the end he got a beautiful picture.”

: The winner of this week’s Reader SunShots series “Musical Moments” is Ruth Schaefer for her picture of harpist Mary Margaret Jones at a “high tea” fundraiser. The picture was shot with a Canon Rebel XSi with a zoom lens. Here is a critique by Baltimore Sun director of photography Robert Hamilton. “What I like about this picture is the photographer used the harp to frame the face of the subject while keeping the focal point on her hands. However, I think the picture could have been even stronger if it had been cropped from the right to minimized the window in the background.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Cellphone Pictures” is Dawn Folck for her picture of her little girl Kali, 5, riding the carousel in Ocean City, MD. The picture was take on an Apple iPhone 4s. Here is a critique by director of photography Robert Hamilton. “I selected this picture because the photographer did a great job of capturing the wonderful expression of the little girl. In addition by taking the picture as the carousel was moving the background is blurred giving the picture a sense of motion and making what would have been a distraction a plus.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Think Pink” is Barbar J. Bibeault for her picture of a young girl at her parent’s restaurant. The photographer shot this picture with a Nikon camera on slide film. Here is a critic from director of photography Robert Hamilton. “This was a simple image with clean composition that matched the topic beautifully. It also has a huge cute factor working in it’s favor.”

: Karen Mallonee is the winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “Fall Foliage” for her photo of the maple trees at Garrison School in mid-October. She used a Canon G10 to capture the scene. Here is a critique from Baltimore Sun photo editor Jerry Jackson: “Karen made great use of the early morning light. By shooting with the sunlight coming in from the side, filtering through layers of foliage, she was able to show a broad range of color and give the image depth.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShots series “City Life” goes to Albert W. Wu for his picture of kids playing in an alley way during birthday party. The picture was taken with an iPhone 4S. Here is a critique by director of photography Robert Hamilton. “Everything about this picture says urban life. From the alley way as a setting, to the racial mixture of the children, fueled by cupcakes, playing together. Even the attentive parent enjoying the scene in the background adds to the picture. There is just a beautiful energy to this photograph.”

: The winner for this week’s Reader SunShot series “Neon” is John Milleker, Jr. for his picture in Ocean City of a seagull perched on a neon roof silhouetted by a globe light. The photographer shot this picture with Canon 20D with a telephoto zoom lens. Here is a critic from director of photography Robert Hamilton. “I really like the clean composition of this picture. The geometric lines and shapes all work together and silhouetting the bird gives it an extra added dimension .”

: The winner of this week’s Reader SunShots series “Reflections” is John Maloney for his picture of a wood duck taken at the National Zoo in Washington DC. The image was take with a Sony A65 with a telephoto zoom lens. Here is a critique by director of photography Robert Hamilton. “The contrast in colors really made this picture pop. The reflections in the water were like no other picture in the contest. It seemed more like a painting than a photograph, a nice surprise.”

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