Winners of Mass Audubon Photo Contest Make Connection with Nature

Published: November 11, 2011

On Sunday, November 6, an enthusiastic crowd of photographers, families, and friends gathered in brilliant autumn weather at Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick to learn the results of Mass Audubon’s 2011 photo contest.

The photographers in particular were filled with anticipation because the contest, in only its second year, had attracted such an overwhelming response—2,700 images, more than twice as many as last year’s inaugural competition.

More than 700 photographers participated in the statewide contest, titled Picture This: Your Great Outdoors. Entrants included weekend shutterbugs and “family photographers,” serious amateurs and professionals, and ranged in age from youngster to elder.

Their submissions reflected the marvels of the natural world in myriad ways, from celebrations of birdlife and other fauna and flora to spectacular landscapes and images of children making their own outdoor discoveries.

Grand Prize winners included Brian Amici of Berlin (Under 18), for his photograph of a Black-eyed Susan wildflower and Mary Dineen of Arlington (18 and Over), for her image of a Painted Skimmer dragonfly.

Best Photo Taken at a Mass Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary winners were Josh Brooks of Barnstable (Under 18) for his photograph of a soaring gull at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in Wellfleet and Lauren Kreyling (18 and Over), for a pondside photo of her husband and son at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield.

In addition, 20 photographs were awarded Honorable Mentions. The photographs were framed and hung on the walls of Broadmoor’s Nature Center, turning the space into a festive gallery.

Laura Johnson, President of Mass Audubon, New England’s largest conservation organization, welcomed the crowd and saluted the photographers for using their talent and passion to connect with nature and help admirers of the images do the same.

“Through these photographs, we can enjoy remarkable visions of nature, and be inspired to get outdoors ourselves. Observing nature is fun and always brings a new experience to the viewer,” Johnson said.

View all of the winning images at www.massaudubon.org/picturethis.