First place: Steve Piepmeier, “Cowboy Tools”
Third place: Jim Burkstrand, “Plantation Carpenter”
Second place: Robert Thoresen, “The Artist’s Studio”
Robert Thoresen
Steve Piepmeier’s first place photo was taken on a PCQC photo shoot last May at the White Stallion Ranch in Marana. Prior to the afternoon’s ranch hand rodeo, Russell True, a general manager and primary owner of the facility, gave a fine talk on the use of the lariat while seated on his saddle. It was turning into a hot afternoon with dust devils blowing in the distance while Russell discussed the history of the lariat and how cowboys use it. Some cowboys use only gloved hands but Russell prefers making use of the saddle horn also. There are many tools in Steve’s picture, but the one constant theme was the “hand” behind the tool. Having all four fingers and a thumb guides most tools, and the saddle horn preserves them. As the photo indicates, Russell has proven his point! Camera: Cannon PowerShot 5X 260 HS, fl 90mm, 1/160 sec, f/6.8, ISO-160, no flash.
Robert Thoresen, after a very long period of unsuccessful entries, placed second with a mocked-up setting from the Ted Degarzia studio site in the north foothills of Tucson. The PCQC has made two photo shoots to the North Swan Avenue site over the past six years; this photo was taken on a January 2015 trip. What draws one into the picture are the half empty bottle of whiskey and the can of chewing tobacco in the background. One might suppose Ted needed those tools more than his brushes to start his work on a cold winter morning. The curator appears to have placed a framed picture of one of Degarzia’s famous “Los Ninos” on the easel. The result was a lot of flash-back off the glass. Some modest reduction of the glare was done in after-process but not enough to remove it entirely. If the curator might have placed an unfinished painting without the frame the result might have been near perfect. Camera: Coolpix 4800 ED, fl 6mm, 1/30 sec, f/2.7, ISO-280, flash.
The third place winner, “The Carpenter Shop,” submitted by Jim Burkstrand was taken in the summer of 2013 on an East Coast vacation trip. Jim spent a few days in Charleston, SC and visited the famed rice plantation named Middleton Place. A necessity for success, Southern plantations needed nearby river transportation for ocean going shipping for their economic lifeline. This plantation is located on the west bank of the navigable Ashley River about 20 miles northwest of downtown Charleston. The plantation dates back to the early 1700s, and there has been considerable restoration to the main house, grounds and gardens. The photo captures what artisan life was like on a post-colonial plantation where the forge, hand tools and manpower were the means of maintaining the plantation’s infrastructure. Camera: Cannon 60D using a Tamron 24-70mm lens, fl 24mm, 1/40 sec, f/4.5, ISO 3200, no flash.
The Photography Club of Quail Creek has a monthly photo contest for its members and also schedules numerous photo field trips throughout the year. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of the month commencing at 7:00 p.m. after November 2015 at the Kino Conference Center. Consult the club’s constantly updated website at http://www.pcqc.org as well as the weekday HOA “What’s Happening” for additional information and announcements. All Quail Creek residents are invited to place entries in the club’s annual January open contest.