North Carolina Aquariums Announce Photo Contest Winners
Photographers dove in and came up with winning images of sea stars, barracuda and other aquatic animals for the 2007 North Carolina Aquariums Underwater Photo Contest.
Judges considered more than 200 entries in three categories. Photographs taken in the state’s coastal waters or freshwater systems could be entered in Underwater Open for wide-angle scenes, or Underwater Close-ups for photos taken at close range. Photos of animals at any of three state-operated Aquariums were eligible for the Aquatic Life in the North Carolina Aquariums category.
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The North Carolina Aquariums, a division of the N.C. Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources, operates Aquariums at Fort Fisher, at Pine Knoll Shores and on Roanoke Island. The Aquariums host the annual competition for amateur photographers to highlight the state’s diverse aquatic life.
A panel of professional photographers and marine scientists judged the entries on creativity, photographic merit, accurate representation of North Carolina’s aquatic organisms and habitats, and depiction of the beauty and diversity of the state’s aquatic life. The 2007 winners are:
Underwater Animal Close-ups:
- First – Lee Moore of Atlantic Beach; scallop on the wreck of the Papoose
- Second – Lee Moore of Atlantic Beach; basket star on the U-352 wreck
- Third – Sandy Smith of Duncansville, PA; sea stars on the U-352
- Honorable mention -- Emily Fisher of Marquette, MI; feather duster worms on U-352
Underwater Open:
- First – Christopher Smith of Baltimore, MD; blackbar soldierfish on Naeco wreck
- Second – Mark Hooper of Smyrna; barracuda while diving on the Hutton
- Third – Chris Walker of New Bern; loggerhead sea turtle on U-352
- Honorable Mention – Sandy Smith of Duncansville, PA; lionfish on the Papoose
Aquatic Life in the North Carolina Aquariums:
- First -- Carmen Johnson of Lexington; wood duck at Fort Fisher
- Second -- Kimberly Sams of Charlotte; cuttlefish at Fort Fisher
- Third – Konstantin Lobastov of Raleigh; alligator at Pine Knoll Shores
- Honorable mention -- Douglas Hayes of Jacksonville; water snake at Pine Knoll Shores
East Carolina Bank sponsors the contest. Prizes of $500 for first place; $200 for second; $100 for third and $50 for honorable mention were awarded in each category.
Photo contest entries for each year are accepted through Dec. 31, and winners are announced the following spring .
Click here to see the 2007 winners.
Click here for the 2008 contest rules and entry form. |
