By Ann E. Dorbin
All 95 entries in the 2nd Annual Plein Air–Easton! Photography Contest will be exhibited at the Talbot County Arts Center (TCVAC) during the month of September.
Contest images were required to depict aspects of the 2008 Plein Air–Easton! Competition & Arts Festival held in July. The weeklong festival drew dozens of artists and crowds of art enthusiasts from across the country and around the region. The Photography Contest followed suit, attracting professional, amateur, and student photographers from Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and Mississippi.
Several photographs from the contest sold during the TCVAC exhibit opening last Friday, with one sale made before the awards were announced (the image went on to win second place in the amateur category).
The 2008 Plein Air–Easton! Photography Contest judges were James L. Amos (jameslamos.com) and Steve Buchanan (buchananphotography.com). Amos had a 26 year career with National Geographic. He was named Magazine Photographer of the Year by the National Press Photographers Association in 1969 and 1970 and received many awards from the White House News Photographers Association. Buchanan is a well known regional photographer, whose work appears in many publications, including Chesapeake Life, Maryland Life, and Urbanite, among others. Both Amos and Buchanan gave judges comments at the awards ceremony, presenting awards in the three categories, as well as Best in Show and Best Black & White. Entries were judged on photographic merit, considering aspects of composition, lighting, use of color, subject matter, visual quality, and overall appeal.
Cash and gift prizes were awarded and selections will be displayed in a touring exhibit, which will continue through 2009, including a final showing at the Academy Art Museum during the 2009 Plein Air–Easton! Competition Exhibition.
The contest is coordinated by Ann and Richard Dorbin, owners of Paragon Light. It is supported by Easton Main Street in partnership with the Avalon Foundation, and the Talbot County Arts Council. This year’s product sponsors were A. Aubrey Bodine Gallery and Ben Franklin Crafts. Sam & Harry’s Restaurant in Washington, D.C. and volunteer Maureen Golden supported the exhibit opening ceremony.
Winners were as follows
BEST IN SHOW
Tim Poly, Arlington VA “Watching”
PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY
First Place Cameron Adams, Easton MD “Brushes, Palette & Apron of Robert Lewis”
Second Place Carl Rulis, McDaniel MD “Paint the Boat, Please”
AMATEUR CATEGORY
First Place Tim Poly, Arlington VA “Watching”
Second Place Steve Carroll, Cordova MD “Windows”
Third Place Maureen Golden “The Blue Umbrellas”
AUBREY BODINE AWARD FOR BEST BLACK & WHITE
Carl Rulis, McDaniel MD “Paint the Boat, Please”
STUDENT CATEGORY
First Place Morgan Phillips, St. Michaels MD “High Hopes”
FRIDAY MORNING ARTISTS AWARD OF MERIT
Barbara Saulsbury, Easton MD “Ready and Waiting”
PARAGON LIGHT AWARDS OF MERIT
Lin Layton, Easton MD “Artist’s Eye”
Carl Rulis, McDaniel MD “Where’s Mindy”
For more information about the photography contest, visit www.pleinaireaston.com, email dorbin@paragonlight.com or call 410.820.7738.
For more information about the 2009 Plein Air–Easton! Competition & Arts Festival, visit www.pleinaireaston.com, e mail info@pleinaireaston.com, or call 410.822.7297.