Bruce Hartsell
Bruce Hartsell won first place in the Photography Club of Quail Creek’s (PCQC) August contest with Surfer, captured from the Oceanside Pier in California on the theme of Summer Activities. Bruce said he took several shots, but the light was low, and many were too blurry to use, but this one was adequately crisp, and after significant cropping, the composition worked. Nikon D7500, 55 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec, ISO 320.
Steve Piepmeier won second place with Parents. He said the photo is “a rare glimpse of the American Kestrel, which is North America’s smallest member of the falcon family.” Steve noted that his summer activities take place at sunrise or sunset and that he went every morning for a month so the birds would get used to his presence. He noted that one feature of the birds is two black spots, known as ocelli (Latin for “little eyes”), on the backs of their heads to deter potential predators. Canon PowerShot SX720 HS, 172 mm, f/6.9, 1/320 sec, ISO 80.
Jim Burkstrand won third place with Enjoying Gooseberry Falls, captured in Gooseberry Falls State Park, Minnesota. Jim said he and his wife like to visit the North Shore Corridor, which runs from Duluth to the Canadian border and which includes eight state parks and several waterfalls, but “Gooseberry is the only one that people can get close to and be photographed.” Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, 6.9 mm, f/1.7, 1/400 sec, ISO 21.
The Photography Club of Quail Creek holds a monthly contest on an announced theme, and a panel of independent judges selects the winners. Information is available at www.pcqc.org. Membership is open to all Quail Creek residents.