Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Pier Nirandara Entry Title: Thirteen photos that will make you care about the ocean Entry Credit: Pier Nirandara Judge Comment: When you ask a professional underwater photographer to edit their entire body of work into 13 images, and these are the photographs they come up with, you have to wonder what gems were left out. The photographer finds patterns in nature that create scenes that are surreal. Sometimes there’s a human element for awesome scale. These photos are mysterious, otherworldly and remind us of the vastness of the underwater world. There’s a masterful skill level at work when you consider the complexity of diving with highly technical gear, managing the compositions, proximity and timing.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Afar Entry Title: Easy Does It Entry Credit: Sinna Nasseri Judge Comment: This entry is such a dynamic and energetic surprise, somehow wrapping food, culture, portrait, fill-flash, strangeness, layers and an off-beat vision to an already wild, colorful and diverse New Orleans scene. The opener is busy with overbearing patterns, yet the photographer successfully organizes it so the viewer can enjoy the energy while feeling the bright, midday light. And that’s just the opening photograph. Each spread displays photos that add layers to the complexity of the town. The mix of photographs are quiet and contemplative, humorous, always colorful and as eclectic as the people and scenes the photographer finds.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Smithsonian Magazine Entry Title: Canyon of the Ancestors Entry Credit: Wayne Martin Belger, Jeff Campagna, Maria Keehan Judge Comment: There’s a certain brilliance in using “ancient” photographic processes to document ancient civilizations. This mixture of mystery – palladium prints and the search for answers from the sacred site of Tse Yaa Kin – allows the viewer to feel the reverence for the space and contemplate the once vibrant locale. The photographer shows soulful and personal attention to the process, observing with purpose and respect through his craft.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: Mariel Wamsley Entry Title: The Timeless Appeal of Puerto Vallarta Entry Credit: Jake Naughton Judge Comment: If some of the photographs feel like a few decades ago, this photographer did their job. Several of these wonderful, layered images emit a warm translucence that harken to a time or mood surrounded by good light and good friends. The photographer understands this location. Even the food photography reinforces this warmth. The wider scenes are favorites, but there’s a surprisingly simple scene of people around a table at Pepe’s Tacos with full margaritas and plates of food, soft and shiny in a warm shaft of light. That looks like a good place to sit.
