The 2014 Virginia Master Naturalist photo contest took place at the Virginia Living Museum in Newport News. This year marked the third annual photo contest held at the statewide conference. This event acknowledges the wonderful talent that exists in our membership, as well as the important role that photography can play in teaching and learning about natural resources. Each chapter was allowed to submit one photo to each of three categories: flora, fauna, and other. Many chapters have internal competitions to select their winners. All entries are displayed at the statewide conference, and guest judges visit to select the award winners. Here are this year’s winners!
Virginia Flora
First place – Judy Jones (Historic Rivers Chapter), “Dawn”
Second place – Emily Luebke (Rivanna Chapter), “Leafcup at Secluded Farm”
Third place – Betsy Gorn (Northern Neck Chapter), “Yellow Ginkgo”
Honorable mention – Lee Hessler (Pocahontas Chapter), “Red Oak Harvest”
Honorable mention – Tony Picardi (Eastern Shore Chapter), “Iceland Poppies with Pollen-Collecting Honeybees”
Virginia Fauna
First place – Ken Sheide (Peninsula Chapter), “Cedar Waxwing with Berries”
Second place – Inge Curtis (Historic Rivers Chapter), “Northern Parula After a Bath”
Third place – Susan McSwain (Central Blue Ridge), “3 Million Years and Still Going Strong”
Honorable mention – Bill Fox (Pocahontas Chapter), “Black-and-White Warbler”
Honorable mention – Katherine Daniels (Banshee Reeks Chapter), “Fowler’s Toad”
Virginia Other
First place – Terri Keffert (Rivanna Chapter), “A Stack of Golden Chanterelles”
Second place – Hart Haynes (Historic Rivers Chapter), “Rain Drops”
Third place – Pam Monahan (Tidewater Chapter), “Sunset on the North Landing River”
Honorable mention – Sandra Schultz (Eastern Shore Chapter), “Metompkin Sunrise”
Honorable mention – Susan McSwain (Central Blue Ridge Chapter), “Mackerel Sky-A Race with Time and Wind”
Congratulations to all these winners, as well as to everyone who entered either at the chapter level or the statewide level! Click on the photo gallery below to see the winning entry in each of the three categories, the name of the photographer, and the name of the photo.
