The 2008 Essence of Bellingham Photo Competition results are in! Thanks to all who participated in capturing, sharing, and preserving the essence of Bellingham. The winning entries will be on display at the Whatcom Museum as part of the Jun 13th Downtown Gallery Walk starting at 6 p.m. as well as on Bellingham TV Channel 10. Best of show and class winners will be presented certificates at the Jun 23rd City Council meeting starting at 7 p.m.
1st Place
"Radio Flyer Astronaut" Marty Mitchell (Amateur)
Jury Statement
Ski to Sea is an iconic event for Bellingham. This photo focuses on the
Children's Parade which is refreshing. Neil Armstrong on the moon, on a
cardboard TV, on a Radio Flyer being pulled by a boy on Cornwall Avenue.
Great use of humor! This photographer has captured a moment in time,
employing a narrow depth of field to isolate the boy with the wagon.
Everyone else is just a bit less focused which helps draw the eye to the
big TV and its hard working puller. The children and the adults looking
up the street makes one wonder what’s coming next.
2nd Place
"Living Bricks" by Rhys Logan (College)
Jury Statement
Rainy days of self-reflection are suggested with winter trees in large
puddles on Western Washington University campus bricks. The insightful
use of texture entertains the eye while this black and white photo
conveys the bleakness of a Northwest winter. Note the redundant patterns
of nature’s ripples and man’s bricks. The monotonous design of the
bricks shows subtle variations in texture and height, illustrating
nature’s response to human attempts to tame it.
3rd Place "Friday Night at the Corner of Railroad
and Holly" by Sandi Heinrich (Professional)
Jury Statement
Both the old and new sides of downtown are separated by the edge of the
building and the subtle "don't walk" sign on Bellingham’s one ‘big city’
corner. On the left is the vibrant, colorful, safe, and interesting
downtown everyone wants it to be. On the right the unknown, threatening,
and hooded culture that has been so dominant in the past still lingers.
The landmark "Horseshoe Cafe" electric sign invites college kids to come
down from the hill and eat cheesy fries on a Friday night. How many of
us have been there done that?
K-4th Grade
"Old and New" Elijah Forslof
5th-8th Grade
"Saber Neighbor" by Christian Forslof
9th-12th Grade
"The Flight to a New World" by Randi Burgess
