Neighbors Announces Photography Contest Winners
A pastoral scene of cattle grazing in front of a red-roofed barn, a portrait of a child on a toy tractor and a photo of a duck preparing for flight took top honors in the Neighbors Magazine Photography Contest.Greg Jones of Blountsville claimed first place in the “General Agriculture” division for a photograph he took of a farm near his home that he titled “Down on the Farm.” He received $300, and his picture was displayed along with other winning entries at the Alabama Farmers Federation’s annual meeting in Mobile.First place in the “Children on the Farm” division went to Mark and Heather James of Gadsden for their antiqued photograph of a young boy and his tractor titled “Thinking of Tomorrow.” And, Kathrine Blackerby of Childersburg won first place in the “Wildlife Division” for her action shot of a mallard duck called “Feeling Good.”Ms. Blackerby also took second place and $200 in the “General Agriculture” division for her picture of a farmer feeding his cattle titled “Supper Time.” Third place and $100 went to Dianne Gaines of Autaugaville for her silhouette of a cotton farmer at sunset called “Long Days.”Other winners in the “Children on the Farm” division included a patriotic portrait of a young girl in a cotton field titled “Land of Cotton” by Oueda Hogeland of Hayden, second place; and a black-and-white photo of a girl and her horse by Mary Emily Ridinger of Rogersville titled “Greener Pastures,” third place.The “Wildlife Division,” was sponsored by the Federation’s Wildlife Resources Division. Second place in that category went to Sandra Jarvis Sprinkle of Semmes for a photo of baby birds titled “Just Hatched.” Shelley King of Boaz placed third for a picture of a raccoon called “This is the Life.”The winners were selected from more than 180 entries by a panel of judges that included two professional photographers and a former newspaper editor. The contest was so competitive the Neighbors editors decided to award $25 to five additional photographs deemed worthy of an honorable mention. Photographers honored with that distinction were: Rhonda T. Smith of Chunchula, Stefanie Cobb of Jemison, Amy Williams of Piedmont, Oueda Hogeland of Hayden and Gene Tilley of Ethelsville.