A photograph by a Sarasota teenager and conservation activist won Best-In-Show in the sixth annual Summer Photo Contest sponsored by Big Waters Land Trust, formerly the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast.
“Sea of Fish and Light” by Brice Claypoole also won the Beautiful Waters category. Claypoole is “a naturalist, photographer, writer, and activist,” according to his website, The Kid Who Cares (thekidwhocares.com).
“I write about various issues, including climate change, extinction, wetland protection, and Florida politics,” Claypoole says. He is also a partner of the nonprofit Suncoast Waterkeeper and leads the youth advocacy club Kids for Clean Water.
The photo contest invited photographers of all ages and experience levels to submit their original work showcasing the beauty of natural Florida. The winning images and full exhibit is available online at bigwaterslandtrust.org and Big Waters’ Facebook page.
“Mother’s Love” by Liz Leibham won the “It’s A Wild Life” category.
The jury-selected winners for each category:
In Love with the Land – “Telegraph Swamp Cypress” by Ethan Coyle
The Art of Nature – “Bolt from The Blue” by Christopher Berg
Beautiful Waters and Best-In-Show – “Sea of Fish and Light” by Brice Claypoole
It’s A Wild Life – “Mother’s Love” by Liz Leibham
Youth Perspective – “Sunset” by Sylvia Adams
Honorable Mention – “Feast of Fish” by Andrew Furness
The three-member jury who selected the top 50 images for inclusion in the online exhibit were photographer Larry Allan, videographer and photographer Karen Arango, and Darcy Kelly-Laviolette, executive creative director of Sarasota Scene Magazine.
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.
“Bolt from The Blue” by Christopher Berg won “The Art of Nature” category.
People’s Choice voting is underway through Labor Day, Sept. 2. At the end of the voting, the photo with the most likes/loves in each category will be deemed the People’s Choice Category Winner. The image with the most likes/loves overall will be the People’s Choice Best-In-Show.
Big Waters protects land and water for the benefit of people and nature through strategic collaborations with individuals, groups, organizations, and government. Learn more at bigwaterslandtrust.org.
Submitted by Tianna Boswell-Porter
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota teen conservation activist wins annual Summer Photo Contest