Prizes awarded at Community Photo Show
Alan Heins of Halcottsville took the photograph that was named “Best in Show,” at the Community Arts Photography Show at The Roxbury Arts Group. The color photo, a close-up of a lily bud festooned with dew drops, was awarded first place in the “Nature” category, making in eligible for consideration for Best in Show. Retired Sociology Professor Heins, who also took home a blue ribbon for “Bragg Hollow Morning” in the “Catskills” category, provided the following commentary when notified about his award:
I have had two great artistic passions in my life, singing and photography. Along with Kristianna Martindale, my partner, I have sung with the New York Choral Society (in Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera House, and all of the other great New York venues) with DiCapo Opera, the Catskill Community Chorus and the Gould Memorial Church choir. I have directed church choirs and a Sweet Adelines chorus, as well.
Photography has been the other great artistic outlet for me. From the time I was 3 or 4 years old, I was in my dad’s darkroom and watched him with the chemicals, the timer, the darklight, the emerging prints. I was given my first camera at a very early age. At seventeen I was offered a scholarship to attend photography school, but times and readiness worked against me. Rather, a career in teaching awaited (Suffolk Community College: assistant professor of sociology, psychology, and anthropology; professor of computer information systems.) It was retirement that allowed me the time to devote to my second art.
From time to time I entered photo/art contests, but no real boost in enthusiasm came from those, unless you count hanging some enlargements in the dining room.
As I got older, traveling afforded the opportunity to expand my horizons, and I began to understand that I had "an eye " for composition .
Up to the purchase of my digital camera two years ago, I relied on the whims of commercial processing for prints and the likes of Walgreens for decent enlargements. However, the digital age has transformed my approach to taking a shot as well as in controlling the final output - I have begun to think through the process of image capture, not just "taking a photo." I have found a commercial printer, Squirt.com, that uses high quality art paper and that has dramatically improved the final product.
The winning photo was taken in the garden behind our house on the morning of July 18, 2007 after a night of heavy dew. When I took it, I thought I had something special. It didn’t take weeks of "finishing the roll" and having it developed to discover what I had.
I believe that personal growth is reflected in all aspects of one’s life. In one of his Travis McGee novels my favorite author, John D. MacDonald wrote (not an exact quote): "Time is the wind blowing down the hallway of life, slamming shut the doors of opportunity." I am thankful that somehow the photography door stayed open and right now I am thrilled that to have won the Grand Prize.
Other winners in the competition, in which over 100 photos were entered, include:
Catskills: Second Place: Scott Morris for “Velvet Waterfalls”; Third Place: Rita Herbst for “Rustic Beauty,”
Wildlife: First Place: David Burroughs, “Bigger”; Second Place: Robert Lidsky, “Sudden Arrival”; Third Place, Jack McShane, “ Painted Turtle at Rest.”
Portrait: First Place: Jerald Stein, “Young Girl at the Festival”; Second Place: Jill Ribich, “ Nothing up My Sleeves”; Third Place: Bonnie Mitchell, “Mannequins ll”
Nature: Second Place: Julia Brophy, “Pink Lily”; Third Place: Teddy Margulies, “Sunscape”
Domestic Animals: First Place: Art Martello, “The Agility Tunnel”; Second Place: Teddy Margules, “Dog Day Afternoon”; Third Place: Joel Burgman, “Wishful Thinking”
Human Experience: First Place: Jill Ribich, “Surrender”; Second Place: Hillary Jewett, “Girl on a Tractor”; Third Place, Vicki Reznik, “ Birthday”
Travel: First Place: Jerald Stein, “ Monk on Moto”; Second Place: Frank Manzo, “ Ponte Alla Carraia, Florence”; Third Place: Jerald Stein, “ Prayer Flags in Bhutan”
Artistic/Other: First Place: Frank Manzo, “Reflections l, Delaware County”; Second Place: Art Martello, “Garden Pond”; Third Place, Richard Connell, “ Victorian Still life”
RAG’s annual Photography Contest , which is open to amateur and professional photographers, always attracts a large number of entries. For information and guidelines, call (607) 326-7908.
The exhibit, which is in the Hilt Kelly Hall on Vega Mt. Rd, will remain open to the public through January 11.
“Fences & Faces,” photographs by Marguerite Rocholl on exhibit in the Old Bank Gallery on Main St. will also be open through January 11 as will “Pure Catskills” a celebration of the agricultural watershed by students from Roxbury, Andes and Margaretville Central Schools.
Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm and by appointment on Sundays and Mondays.