Conservation Foundation names photo award winners

OSPREY — The Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast recently announced the winners of its fifth-annual Summer Photo Contest.

“Photographers of all ages and experience levels were invited to submit their original work showcasing the beauty of natural Florida to this online competition,” the foundation stated in a news release.

More than 300 photographs from around Florida were submitted, it noted.

“When making their selections, jurors evaluated submissions on composition, color, contrast, point of view, whether the image told a story, and how well the image fit the category,” it stated.

Those involved in the jury process included Steve White, Mary Lundeberg, Alberto Lopez Torres, Kerri Deatherage and Diane Fairey, all acclaimed photographers in their own right.

The jury-selected winners are:

The Big Picture — “Morning Fog in the Forest,” by Anthony BerryThe Art of Nature — “Falling Embers in the Moonlight,” by Anthony BerryOld Florida Charm — “Fishing on the Pond,” by Eddie MillerIt’s A Wild Life and Best-In-Show Winner — “Majestic Elegance,” by Ken MacejkaYouth Perspective — “Butterfly on Flowers,” by Reagan McIntosh

To view the exhibit, visit conservationfoundation.com/summerphoto2024.

It’s not completely over, though.

People’s Choice voting takes place through Labor Day, which is Sept. 2. That voting is at the Conservation Foundation Facebook page.

“At the end of the Facebook voting period, the photo with the most likes/loves in each category will be deemed the People’s Choice Category Winner,” it stated. “The image with the most likes/loves overall will be the People’s Choice Best-In-Show. All voting will take place on Facebook and the likes/loves must be on the original image in the Conservation Foundation 2024 Summer Photo Contest gallery to be counted.

People’s Choice winners will be announced Sept. 3.