2019-2020 Image of the Year Winners

PSRI conducts a series of competition in both an Open category where any subject is appropriate, and in Nature category, where images must adhere to the strict definition of a nature image as directed by the Photographic Society of America. There are five competition judgings for Open digital images and prints, and two competition judgings for Nature digital images and prints. At the end of the season, a judging is held of all the images that receive first, second, or third place ribbons in the periodic competitions throughout the season. We are proud to present the winners of 2019-2020 PSRI Images of the Year.

There are three classes of digital projected images competition based on photographer experience to facilitate members competing with other of comparable skills. Most new members or inexperienced photographers start in Class B and migrate to the next class, A. The most experience members compete in Class AA. For prints, there are two classes, A and B, in the Color Print category, and everyone competes in a single Black and White Print class.

Class B Digital Images of the Year

The winner of the Open Category is The Emmett Moffett Mill, Lincoln, RI by Glen Viglone. Glen’s comments: “I came across the Mill while driving to my daughter-in-law’s in Lincoln. And being from New Jersey I consistently get lost and came across the mill by accident. I pulled over walked around and saw the waterfall. I knew this was special!   I took an iPhone shot to evaluate composition and left. I returned the next morning and using my Nikon 850, 24/70 and mounted on my Manfroto tripod I took this image.  I liked it. The next morning I woke and noticed that we had a late spring snow dusting. Taking the same gear I returned to the spot and then took this image. Before submitting, I posted it on the Club Facebook and  I got comments that it should be converted to black-and-white.”

The winner of the Nature Category is White Ibis by Susie Dorr. Susie’ comments: “I shot this ibis at 6:00 am on a beach in Cape Coral, Florida.  It was low tide and I strolled through ankle-deep water along with dozens of white ibis, rusty egrets, herons and snowy egrets feeding in the swiftly moving decreasing tide. The light was amazing and I squatted down in the water so that I’d be eye-level with the birds.  What I love about photographing birds in Florida is that they are somehow not as skittish as our local water fowl and they were unfazed by my presence.  I used my standard bird shooting settings, 600mm lens set at f 5.6 and 1/3200 second.”  

Class A Digital Images of the Year

The winner of the Open Category is Cape Cod Boardwalk Abstract by Noreen Berthiaume. Noreen’s comment: “That image was taken at sunset at the Gray’s Beach Boardwalk in Yarmouth on an incredibly cold night a couple of winters ago when they cancelled all the Polar Plunges in MA and RI.  I ran out of the car, took the picture, hand holding because it was too cold to set up the tripod. Then it was a matter of increasing some saturation, doing a Ray Guillette inspired mirror image, and voila!! 

The winner of the Nature Category is The Courtship by Owen Ehrlich. Owen joined PSRI two years ago and says the drive from Mystic, CT is worth it since PSRI is an active club with good programs and excellent photographers. Owen’s comments: “The photo was from October 2016 in Grand Teton NP – a great time of year with good color, fewer people and an active rutting season.  We heard there were moose hanging around the Gros Ventre campground and kept checking it each day. Several photographers had the same idea, so we had company on this day. The moose had one thing in mind & ignored the audience. I was able to get the whole sequence from courtship to consummation.  Unfortunately, the lighting was difficult. It was mid-afternoon in harsh light, with the dark moose against the bright background. I slightly underexposed the moose so I wouldn’t blow out the background. Fortunately, I didn’t lose detail in the moose and was able to open up the dark areas in Photoshop. In addition, the moose were right up against trees and brush so the background was busy, even with the lens wide open. It would have been a better shot if the background wasn’t as cluttered.”

Class AA Digital Images of the Year

The winner of the Open Category is Road Runner sizing Diamondback by Karl Zuzarte. Karl is a Nature photographer who has focused on wildlife since 2010. In August 2015 he took up Astro-landscape photography and in the very recent past  has been trying to pay more attention to landscapes and black n white. As they say, the devil is in the details….there are no short cuts – something he find difficult to embrace with my complicated work schedule. Karl’s comments: Photographed in Madera Canyon near Tucson, Az in an area well known for both the roadrunner and the Arizona diamondback. Having been forewarned about this possibility, made the work that much easier. Then came getting down low and hoping to get the right angle.

The winner of the Nature Category is There’s Room Get Under With Your Brother by Deb Page. Deb’s comments: “I really enjoy photographing shore birds. Several visits to the many beaches along the New England coast yields opportunities to observe Plovers, Terns, Willets and more. The end of May to mid-late July provides enough time to research the different subjects, observe and learn their behavior, plan for good light and practice, practice and practice!! Utilizing long lenses, settling in to a specific spot and getting low is the key to success. Minimal movement and keeping your distance lessens the chance of you posing as a threat to any species. Nature is amazing and the show will begin unless you interrupt it.”

Print Images of the Year

The winning Class B Color Print is Feeling Blue by Susie Dorr. Susie’s comments: “This photo was taken in Chefchaouen, Morocco.  It is called the blue city because all the walls and floors within the old Medina are painted with different shades of blue.There weren’t easy opportunities to photograph people because the residents resent the growing number of tourists and give you an angry stare and quickly turn if they see a camera raised. I was fortunate to come upon this man in the early morning. I like how the point on his djellaba sort of mirrors the triangular stairway.”

The winning Class A Color Print is 20 Mule Sunrise by Karl Zuzarte. Karl’s comments: “This was in Death Valley, Ca, in December 2019. Fortunate to be there during that two minute window of opportunity when the sky turns pink just before the sun actually shows. Just have to be there at the right time and place!”

The winning Black and White Print is Yellowstone Solitary Tree by Karl Zuzarte. Karl’s comments: “Made in January 2020 whilst on a wildlife trip with a 180 – 400mm lens handheld. This is one of those opportunities where you know black and white stands out a mile as soon as you see it!”