Panel of Judges (Left to Right)
Moderator Sarah Elliott, Owner, Sarah Celine Photography LLC
Pam Seidl, Executive Director, Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau
TJ Minnehan, President, Bank of Kaukauna
Kari Mulder, Owner, Rusted Roost Restaurant & Bar
Karl Volkman, The Karl Volkman Group, First Weber Realtors
Kevin Rau, Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass
Prizes
A sincere thank you to the area businesses that have generously provided our winners with the following prizes:
Grand Prize: One night stay at CopperLeaf Boutique Hotel, downtown Appleton
First Prizes: $75 toward a stay or dinner at Bridgewood Resort Hotel & Conference Center in Neenah
Second Prizes: $50 gift certificate for The Frame Workshop of Appleton
Third Prizes: $25 gift certificate for Wildbird & Backyard in Appleton
OVERALL WINNER: “A Little Stumped” by Gina Buechel
Gina Buechel was thrilled for the opportunity to take this year’s overall winning image of her favorite local wildlife, the red fox, along the Fox River in the Kimberly area.
“I had heard about a fox family in the area,” she recalls. “I headed out to the area early one morning and I found a couple of wildlife enthusiast friends nearby, so I knew I was in the right place. We giggled at the antics of the fox kits as they disappeared to play behind some brush on the empty lot.
“Down the hill there was the stump. I had just finished saying to my friends, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if one of the foxes just sat on the stump for a bit?’ No sooner had the words come out of my mouth and I looked back to find one of the kits staring at us from the stump! I snapped about 30 photos in 5 seconds, and this was the only one that turned out… complete with a little early morning cobweb at its feet!”
Our judges loved the colors and the youth of the kit, plus were impressed with Buechel’s ability to capture an image of such a skittish animal.
“I wish I had taken that picture!” Moderator Sarah Elliott laughs. “That’s how much I love it.”
PEOPLE:
1st: “Pow Wow” by Scott Francis
Scott Francis was attending the Neenah-Menasha Intertribal Powwow held at Shattuck Park in Neenah last year when he took notice of the photo opportunity.
“I took the picture because I was impressed with the color and details of the regalia worn,” he says. “The regalia symbolizes the heritage, identity and culture of the Indian Tribes.”
“I’ve been there and watched (the powwow). It’s cool and they do a great job. It’s such a big part of the history of this area,” Judge Karl Volkman adds. “It’s unique.”
2nd: “The Sky’s The Limit” by Ken Kemper
Thanks to EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Ken Kemper was able to grab this shot of who he assumes are father and son during the festivities.
“The two looked so comfortable from their ‘seats,’” he remembers. “I was walking between parked aircraft moving toward a different vantage location. I just happened to look up and noticed the youngster’s shoes neatly positioned on the wing and just took a single pic of the contented duo. I usually take photos of aircraft only, but thought this scene made for something on the unique side.”
“Aviation is such a big part of the culture here,” Judge TJ Minnehan says. “It’s very different from anything else we’ve seen this year.”
3rd: “Be Bright on a Winter’s Night” by Sophie Swingle
Sophie Swingle was feeling the love on Valentine’s Day in Neenah when this photo was captured.
“I was having a ‘Galentines’ dinner with my girlfriends and the snow had just started falling,” she says. “It wasn’t windy or too cold so we went outside to enjoy the beauty and then saw the alley all lit up! It was amazing.”
“I chose it because it fits everything: people, places and things,” Judge Kevin Rau comments.
PLACES:
1st: “Menominee Park” by Sharon Olk
“It was a beautiful autumn afternoon and a perfect day for a walk through the park,” Sharon Olk says of the day she captured this image.
“Menominee Park has a nice walking/biking path along the shore of Lake Winnebago. The reflections in the water are what caught my eye as we walked by. This photo is one of many from that beautiful day.”
2nd: “Trestle Trail Bridge in the Storm” by Dolores Howse
Dolores Howse often walks the Trestle Trail Bridge in Menasha, and wanted to capture it during atypical weather for photography.
“When a spring snowstorm came, I dressed for the weather, put a plastic bag over my camera for protection and walked down Lawe Street to capture the Trestle Bridge during the snow,” she recalls. “There’s nothing like snowstorms in Wisconsin. This storm turned the bridge into a beautiful landscape, much different than other seasons.”
3rd: “Snow Day” by Alan Mullen
“I very much remember taking this photo because the weather was deteriorating, and we were told to go home from work early,” Alan Mullen remembers of capturing this shot. “Which, of course meant to stop and take photos. I had shot this stretch of road in the fog and figured it would be good with snow.”
“I love that this is a winter shot. We need to embrace all of our seasons,” Judge Pam Seidl says. “It’s nice to see people are out and about in winter.”
THINGS:
1st: “Indian Summer” by Anthony Spoerl
Anthony Spoerl was visiting Bubolz Nature Preserve in Grand Chute when he took notice of a view reminiscent of his childhood.
“I noticed the leaves seemed to be practically glowing in the lowering sun but mainly it brought to mind the early autumn artwork scenery on the cover of Indian Summer apple juice (it’s a very picturesque and idyllic image that hasn’t changed since my childhood and that I always thought looked like in the Fox Cities area),” he says.
“Just stop and notice the small things and live in them during that moment: we’re here for the blink of an eye, it’s the small things that really do make life more immersive and worth living over the big things.”
“I love that you’re looking up in the trees,” Judge Kari Mulder comments. “It’s so neat.”
2nd: “Dutchman’s Dawn” by Ken Kemper
Rain was approaching the Fox Cities when Ken Kemper visited the Little Chute Windmill one April morning.
“I looked to the East before the sky had much color and thought (that) an impressive colorful sunrise might be the result. ‘Where can I go within a short 10-minute drive to capture the sunrise and then have a morning coffee afterward?’
“I took a gamble that the windmill might show up well in such a photo. The windmill definitely adds character to sunrise or sunset photography.”
“The colors are gorgeous,” Moderator Sarah Elliott adds. “The sky, the shading of the windmill… it really says ‘the Fox Cities.’”
3rd: “Main Street Housing” by Jeff Vaughan
A sunny, summer day in downtown Neenah provided Jeff Vaughan exactly what he was looking for: photo opportunities.
“I am never disappointed when I go to this beautiful little town,” he says. “I had been taking photos along the lakeshore when I asked someone how I could find the umbrellas that were mounted high up in a narrow alley downtown.
“After coming out of that little alley to the main street, I noticed all of these colorful little birdhouses hung there throughout the tree above the sidewalk. It was so unexpected and so wonderful to see. I loved the unique design of each one and how they looked so whimsical against the colorful storefronts… this is why I love exploring with my camera.”
“It just kind of pulls you in,” Judge Kari Mulder says. “You want to know where it is.”
