Readers capture heart of Stockton in series of stunning photos. Here are the top picks

Stockton, founded by German immigrant Charles M. Weber and named after Commodore Robert F. Stockton , was incorporated in 1849.

Situated in the heart of the San Joaquin Delta, it’s the 11th most populous city in California and is the most diverse in the country . For the latest photo challenge, readers were asked to send their photos that represent the city taken over the past 12 months. Eleven readers sent in 39 photos.

Here are the top picks.

The No. 1 pick goes to Steve Garcia of Stockton.

With a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra smartphone he captured University of the Pacific’s Burns Tower , one of Stockton's most iconic buildings, against a beautifully fiery sunset. Swirling clouds absorb the color of the waning sun creating drama and subtly at the same time with the tower’s normally white walls imbued with the sunsets warm tones.

Paul Engelman of Stockton photographed one of Stockton newest events last November.

The Stockton Lantern Festival (the second season of which starts this Nov. 22) featured dozens of large colorfully lighted “lanterns” in fantasy setting arranged on the field of the Stockton Ballpark.

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Engleman used a Sony A6400 digital mirrorless camera to photograph a festivalgoer silhouetted within one of the larger lanterns. The beautifully rich colors arranged in a triangular pattern helps to emphasize the figure at the center of the composition.

Cynthia Barker of Stockton photographed something that’s typically related to Las Vegas but in Stockton. With an Apple iPhone 14 she photographed Elvis impersonator Jeremy Pearce performing at prominent Miracle Mile restaurant Valley Brew.

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As Pearce sang, Barker framed him between two other audience members to help bring attention to the performer.

Valley Brew is also the location of the Take 5 Jazz Club .

Faculty members from UOP’s Brubeck Institute perform there as do the student performers the institute’s Jazz quintet. Tom LaBounty of Stockton used a Fujifilm GFX 100 II digital mirrorless camera to photograph quintet member Gianna Pedrego performing during a gig at the club. Pedrego, wearing all black, blends into the dark background as she played her violin.

This helps to makes the important elements of the composition, her face, hands and instrument, to stand out.

Until the time that the current San Joaquin County Courthouse was built in 2017, the Medico-Dental building was Stockton's tallest buildings for many decades. William Muetzenberg of Stockton took a picture of the building from an extreme angle to emphasize its height.

Standing at the base of the building he used an Apple iPhone 14x to photographed the structure nearly straight up. He catered the rich color of the exterior walls’ bricks and the deep blue of the overhead sky.

For first place Garcia wins a 16x20 print by UlmerPhoto as well as a $25 gift card to a local restaurant. A second place prize of an 11x14 print goes to Engelman and third, with an 8x10 print, goes to Barker. All of the photos can be seen in an online gallery at recordnet.com . A new challenge will issued on Oct. 15.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Readers capture heart of Stockton in series of stunning photos. Here are the top picks