RHA’s first photography contest was a resounding success and engaged many members of our community. Examining our watershed through the lens of healthy water, healthy life brought into focus the importance of RHA’s mission to preserve and protect our most critical resource – water.
Public Vote Winner |
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| Joni McKelvey: “Kay’s Cottage at the Black River” |
Judged WinnerDanielle Austen: “Flutter” “This photo really stood out to me. I love the detail in the water and all of the vibrant colors that help emphasize the shapes and patterns the water was creating. It’s a perspective that caught my eye and I appreciate the detail the photographer went to in order to capture that
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2nd Place Bruce Litton, “Old Black Water” “This image is mesmerizing, beautiful, and it is at once magical, sublime, and mystical. I am visually transported away from “thinking about water” and yet completely visually grounded in the particular formations of ‘Black Water,’ stones, history, serenity and photographer’s particular crop. It’s powerful and subtle and I love the gentle complement between the green lichen/growth and the rust terra colors of the earth. I just can’t stop looking at this! I want to be there! This image has a “wow” factor that I think will make people think twice about the beauty “beneath their toes” at Raritan Headwaters.” |
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3rd Place Kimberly Hart, “After the Storm Comes Light” “This image was well seen. A great splash of color in an otherwise monochromatic setting. Love the texture of the ice. Just shows what you can do with an iphone. Congratulations.” |
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4th Place Holly Westra, “Upon Reflection” “Clinton’s beautifully-restored red mill is an iconic NJ subject, honoring the rural history of the Upper Raritan. Despite the popularity of the colorful mill with photographers, this image is unusual in placing the river, its ecosystem and weather in front of the mill, reminding viewers of our dependence on our watershed resources.” |
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5th Place Edward Dzik, “Autumn Splendor” “Out of all the low shutter speed landscapes I’ve seen, with the intention of blurring the water, I thought this one was very well done. The water has this misty, cool look about it and everything else in the photo is still tack sharp. The colors are beautiful and aren’t too over saturated and there aren’t any distracting foreground elements that distract my eye.” |
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| Jim LaSala: “No Swimming” | Matthew Barry: “Branch Over Water” |
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| Danielle Austen: “Glide” | Charlene Federowicz: “Splashes and Sparkles” |
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| Albert Reising: “Found in the Mist” | Toni Russo: “Autumn Flow”
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Ashleigh Scully
Legendary nature photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen has traveled throughout the natural world for more than 40 years observing and photographing the Earth’s last great wild places.
I am a wildlife photographer based in New Jersey. I have been capturing nature images since I was 8 years old. I am now 17, and I’ve been photographing all over the country, including Alaska, Florida, Wyoming, Montana and Vermont. Some of my favorite photographs I captured right in my own backyard, where I often see Red Foxes, Red-tailed Hawks, Eastern Screech Owls and many other types of wildlife.