JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- My Air Force Life in Focus, the 2016 Air Force photography contest, attracted 537 entries from budding to accomplished shutterbugs.
The contest, sponsored by the Air Force Services Activity, was open to authorized patrons of Air Force force support squadron programs.
“The quality of the work submitted by both novice and accomplished photographers was outstanding. We have some incredible talent at our Air Force installations, and I'm so happy we are able to share their creations for their friends and family to view,” said Sandy Hillard, chief of AFSVA’s Programs Directorate Community and Leisure Branch.
The winning photographs are showcased on www.MyAirForceLife.com//Arts/Photo-Contest.aspx. To see the photographers’ notes, hover over the upper left area of the image. The page includes a link to the People's Choice Award winners, which were chosen by visitors to the contest website, and the rest of the entries.
The contest was judged by professional photographers. Gary Hartman is an outstanding commercial photographer based in San Antonio; Billy Calzada is an award-winning photojournalist for the San Antonio Express-News; and Senior Airman Colville McFee is a combat photographer with the 3rd Combat Camera Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
Calzada agreed with Hillard’s assessment.
“I’m a professional photographer, and I work around other professional photographers. The quality of the best work submitted to the Air Force photo contest rivals, in many instances, that of professional photographers. I enjoyed judging this contest, and I may have learned a thing or two!” he said.
Ramona Boone, representing the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, won the adult novice category.
“The ‘Standing at Attention’ picture by Ms. Ramona Boone, which is a close-up of a hummingbird hovering with Old Glory flying in the background, won the novice category, and in my opinion, is truly an amazing picture. … It evokes inspiration and leaves the viewer in awe on many levels,” Calzada said.
The photo was taken at the Farish Recreation Area in Woodland Park, Colorado. In her notes, Boone wrote, “While my husband was fishing, I watched the hummingbirds attacking each other around the flagpole. This one just stood so straight and tall — reminding me of the servicemen and women who defend our country and salute our flag every day.”
First Lt. Stefan Choquette of Ramstein Air Base, Germany, won the accomplished category with an evocative portrait, “Defender of the High Plains.”
He wrote, “This Airman is a defender from the Security Forces Group-Tactical Response Force. I had the pleasure of serving with this group and outfitting them with the gear they needed to protect our nation. This photo was taken at F.E. Warren AFB (Wyoming) during daylight using flash combined with aperture and a high shutter speed to overpower the ambient sunlight.”
The children’s entries were a highlight for Calzada.
“Some of the pictures, when projected for the judges to see, had us asking, ‘Was that really taken by a child? It’s really good!’“ he said. “My own favorite children’s photo was Gianna Archer’s ‘The World Is My Playground,’ a spontaneous picture of a child running happy on a field of green grass amid towering trees. It won third place in the 9-12 years category. Spontaneous photographs are great for storytelling.”
The judges awarded Ashlyn Maresh of Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, first and second places in the youth category for 13-17-year-olds with “Storytime” and “Story Remembrance.”
“Ashlyn intrigued the judges by bringing in natural light into her photography,” Hillard said.
Dakota Pajek from Moody AFB, Georgia, won the youth category for 9-12-year-olds with “My Heroes,” an inspiring shot of the Air Force Thunderbirds.
Elizabeth Gibson of F.E. Warren AFB won the youth category for 6-8-year-olds with “Youth Center Kids Rock.”
She wrote, “This is a picture of a few of my friends that go to the F.E. Warren AFB youth center. We are all military kids. We love what our parents do but sometimes we get lonely. That’s why we have each other!”
The second- and third-place winners in each category are: novice, Master Sgt. Jeffrey Mikell, McConnell AFB, Kansas, and Lt. Col. Andrew Campbell, National War College; accomplished, Maria Perkins, Laughlin AFB, Texas, and Jared Elliott, RAF Mildenhall, England; youth 13-17, Skye Pajak, Moody AFB, Georgia; youth 9-12, Kristen Lininger, Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, and Gianna Archer, Eglin AFB, Florida; and youth 6-8, Amelia Wimmer, Buckley AFB, Colorado, and Callahan Harris, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.
The next AFSVA contest will showcase arts and crafts; look for more details this fall on www.MyAirForceLife.com.