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January 4, 2010

Photo contest aimed at students

Photographers invited to enter up to three works

By Carol South

TRAVERSE CITY -- Win money! No entry fee!

Geared to spark young photographers, these enticing words blaze from posters advertising the 11th annual Student Photography Competition. A yearly event hosted by the Traverse Area Camera Club, the contest is open to students in grades 9-12 in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Wexford counties.

With an entry deadline of Jan. 26, students are invited to enter up to three photos in the following categories: landscapes and waterscapes, architecture, human interest and photographer's choice. Printed photos may be film or digital, black and white or color, Photoshopped or straight up -- the sky's the limit. Entries should be unframed and unmatted; it's all about the image.

Photographer Don Rutt, Todd McMillen of Creative Custom Framing and Jason Hamelin of the Camera Shop will judge the entries. They will select 13 winners, including best overall photo as well as first place, second place and honorable mention in each category. The club is staking $400 in prize money for student winners, including a $100 grand prize for best photo.

In addition, approximately 20 more photographs will be chosen and will join the winners in a month-long display starting March 5 at the Warehouse Lounge by Cuppa Joe in Traverse City.

Organizers expect 300 entries this year as word continues to spread about the Student Photography Competition. This number represents a jump from last year's 200 entries. Photographer Alan Newton, who took over the contest in 2009, is again tapping area high school photography teachers to help generate entries.

"It's all about the kids," said Newton, a passionate promoter of the contest as a vehicle to get kids involved in and excited about photography.

"You should have seen last year's opening show: There must have been 125-150 people there, the kids were just so excited about showing their work," he said.

The fresh eye and authenticity of the student work often compensates for the lower technical competency or the less-expensive equipment, noted Newton. The overall winning photo last year was taken on a point-and-shoot digital camera.

"Don said the work was so fresh, it was like they caught the kids without the filters on it," Newton noted of the judge's overall reflection.

Traverse City St. Francis High School photography teacher Debra Coburn assigned her students to take "amazing" photos over break with the contest in mind. Participating for the first time last year, her students sifted through photos they already had and wound up netting five of the 13 prizes.

Today in her two classes, Coburn will see what her students created. She's hoping the photos they bring continue her mission of refining their distinction between taking snapshots and making fine art.

"They're photographing a lot, but you don't really see the composition," she said of near-universal access to cameras kids now have, between affordable point-and-shoot digital cameras and cell phones. "Once they take the class they learn composition; that's my job, to take it to the next level."

It's not yet totally a digital world: Coburn was thrilled last year that two of her students won after entering black and white film photographs.

"There's no Photoshopping once you get into that darkroom," she said.

For more information on the 11th annual Student Photography Competition, see the Traverse Area Camera Club's Web site at www.tacconline.org or call Donna Lane at 599-2238. Entry forms are available online, from area high school photography teachers and at the Camera Shop in downtown Traverse City.

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