No Title 1363

You sent in an incredible 7,007 entries to the spring announcements for the second Kentucky Living photo contest. Half those entries came in high-tech digital form through the KentuckyLiving.com Web site.

That’s a lot of pictures. We ordered extra plastic tubs for filing those delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. We had to tolerate the screaming of our Internet firm worried about how much computer space was being filled up by the electronic entries.

Then there was judging. And the problem there wasn’t just the effort of handling hundreds and hundreds of photos. Judges also had to decide which were the best 25 pictures: three in eight different categories plus one overall best photo. That means they had to eliminate 99.64 percent of all the photos sent in, when many of those were good enough to be finalists.

Was it worth it?

See for yourself.

From horses galloping across a snow-covered field to sibling love, a rain-showered flower, and a mud bath, you’ve captured the beauty, warmth, and fun of Kentucky.

A special congratulations goes to the talented Rebecca Cushenberry, who had two winners: first place in Funny Stuff and second in Children.

So thank you to everyone who entered. I’m sorry we couldn’t print them all. We had a great time looking at charming and artistic images of the people and places in The Photography State.

We hope you enjoy this gallery you created.

CONTEST CATEGORIES
Best Overall Winner
Children
Teens & Adults
Home & Family
Funny Stuff
Wildlife
Pets
Miscellaneous
Scenic

KENTUCKY LIVING PHOTO CONTEST JUDGES

Jim Battles lives in New Albany, Indiana, and has been a contributing photographer to Kentucky Living since 1990. A graduate of Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, he has been freelancing for nearly 20 years. You can visit his Web site at www.battlesphoto.com.

Joe Imel is in his 15th year at the Daily News in Bowling Green. He is currently the vice president of the Kentucky News Photographers Association and the past president of the organization after five years at the helm. His work has appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, USA Today, Time, and Sports Illustrated. He is a frequent guest lecturer for the Kentucky Press Association, Kentucky Intercollegiate Press Association, and Western Kentucky University, where he served as an adjunct faculty member in their photojournalism program. He has won numerous awards from the KNPA, KPA, NPPA, and the AP. He won the title of Kentucky Sports Photographer of the Year in 2001. His work can be seen at www.joeimel.com.

Bonnie Nance lives in Owensboro with her husband Mike, daughters Carrie, a PR major at Western Kentucky University, and Bailey, a senior in high school who will be attending the University of Louisville in the fall, and their cats Bo, Melanie, and Troy. She has been a professional photographer for 20 years, the last eight years specializing in dogs, cats, and horses. Her photographs appear regularly in magazines such as: Dog & Kennel, Dog World, Dog Fancy, Cat Fancy, Pet Business, Dogs for Kids, Cats and Kittens, The Horse, Healthy Pet, and Horses USA. She also photographs for calendar companies, book publishers, and UltiMutt Greeting Cards. She is a member of The Dog Writers Association of America. Bonnie graduated in 1980 from Kentucky Wesleyan College with a bachelor’s degree in fine art and art education. You can see some of her photos at www.ruralimagesphotography.com.

Tim Webb first became interested in photography as a second-grader in Clay City in 1978, when his father set up a makeshift darkroom in the living room. He says that after he watched the image of a flooded barn magically appear in the developer tray, that magic eventually turned into a career. He started with newspapers and eventually spent more than nine years as the university photographer at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. As university photographer, he created images for all of Eastern’s major publications and news service, including the alumni magazine, sports media guides, and brochures, totaling more than 100 publications annually. He left Eastern in January 2004 to devote full time to Tim Webb Photography, specializing in editorial, corporate, and wedding photography. His Web site can be found at www.TimWebbphotography.com.