Wyoming Public Media Photo Contest Winners – 2019
Congratulations to this year’s Wyoming Public Media Photo Contest winners!
We were lucky to receive so many beautiful entries from all over Wyoming, and it was difficult to choose the best. The winners were chosen by listeners who voted for their favorite in each category, Wyoming’s Nature, Wyoming's People, and Wyoming’s History. We have posted the top winner in each category below.
For the many other beautiful photos, you are welcome to visit Wyoming Public Media’s 2019 Photo Contest site.
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1st Place - Wyoming's Nature Category
Jessica Hubbard - Morning Light
Jessica Hubbard recently moved from Iowa to Laramie. Her love of the mountains, hiking, and the outdoors brought her west to Wyoming. Capturing nature through photography has been something she's loved to do for as long as she can remember. Jessica is looking forward to taking in all the amazing beauty Wyoming has to offer.
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2nd Place Wyoming's Nature Category
Erik Kahl - Reflection of Gold
Erik Kahl is a Wyoming transplant (2 years and counting) and never saw himself living in Wyoming. Was he wrong! The history, the people, and the access to such picturesque settings make Wyoming a hidden gem. When Erik’s not working with the Wyoming Union team on involvement initiatives, you can find him with camera in hand on the trails or checking out the local attractions throughout the state. The photos selected are from his journey throughout the state this past year to get to know the state better and in doing so, grow a greater appreciation for everything Wyoming.
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3rd Place - Wyoming's Nature Category
Karlee Provenza - Sticking the Landing
A great horned owl in Laramie sticks a landing on a tree branch during a scuffle with some crows.
Karlee Provenza lives in Laramie, where she teaches and is completing her doctoral degree in Psychology and Law. In 2015, when Karlee’s mom was diagnosed with stage - 4 cancer, she bought her first camera used on Ebay to keep herself focused on the beauty of life. Four years later, her mother is cancer-free and Karlee has turned the medicine of art into a small business, Renegade Images, where she photographs Wyoming landscapes, wildlife, and people.
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4th Place - Wyoming's Nature Category
Andrew Call - God's Country
Andrew Call grew up in a small section of a boxed-in-by-hills stretch of towns in Star Valley, Wyoming. He started writing both fiction and non-fiction at a young age, picked up nature and wildlife photography, and worked in marketing and advertising for most of his professional career. He graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2010, and did some work in Colorado for a few years before coming back to the state.
After being diagnosed with cancer last year and coming out the other end of treatment in remission in September, he needed a fresh start. Andrew is currently living and working in Laramie, having moved back to town in April, and he's trying to find creative outlets and enjoy the area.
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1st Place - Wyoming's People Category
Libby Thorson - Teton Reflection
Libby loves to hike and spend time in nature with her partner Erik and our crazy yellow Labrador, Arya. Fall is her favorite time of the year for photography and outdoor adventure, as the colors change and air becomes crisper.
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2nd Place - Wyoming's People Category
Chris Martin - Justin Smith @ Ten Sleep Brewing Company
We all see a lot in life, but I just can't let those moments pass by as mere memories. I'm a Wyoming native who loves capturing outdoor adventures, telling stories, and encouraging anyone who will listen to explore the wild places that evade top 10 lists.
"Justin Smith, General Manager, Ten Sleep Brewing Co.
The first time I was at Ten Sleep Brewing Co. was for the Ten Sleep Climbing festival in 2017. Ever since then it's been one of my favorite breweries and they've earned my praise not only for their great beer, but also for the great people who own and operate the brewery. I'm a fairly quiet person, but after bumping into Justin and starting a conversation at the 2017 climbing festival, I felt like Justin Smith was more of a friend than a stranger I had only just met. Looking at the Google reviews, it turns out they make everyone feel that way. "For a couple years while living in Wyoming this was my favorite place to go. The staff was always welcoming and friendly. The area is beautiful. The customers seem to come from all walks of life and you can meet some really interesting people." reads one review. Justin let my friend come in early so he could watch the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup game, which he otherwise would have missed. He even brewed up some coffee to go with the game. We've been back every year for the Ten Sleep Climbing festival since 2017 and this year I knew I wanted to submit his portrait for this contest. I'm always looking to submit a portrait of someone who I consider to be a positive icon in Wyoming, and in my opinion, Justin is exactly that. To me, Justin is one of the many people who make Wyoming one of the greatest places on the planet."
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3rd Place - Wyoming's People Category
Andrew Call - Cecelia
Andrew Call grew up in a small section of a boxed-in-by-hills stretch of towns in Star Valley, Wyoming. He started writing both fiction and non-fiction at a young age, picked up nature and wildlife photography, and worked in marketing and advertising for most of his professional career. He graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2010, and did some work in Colorado for a few years before coming back to the state.
After being diagnosed with cancer last year and coming out the other end of treatment in remission in September, he needed a fresh start. Andrew is currently living and working in Laramie, having moved back to town in April, and he's trying to find creative outlets and enjoy the area.
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4th Place - Wyoming's People Category
Erik Kahl - Grizzly's Shadow
Erik Kahl is a Wyoming transplant (2 years and counting) and never saw himself living in Wyoming. Was he wrong! The history, the people, and the access to such picturesque settings make Wyoming a hidden gem. When Erik’s not working with the Wyoming Union team on involvement initiatives, you can find him with camera in hand on the trails or checking out the local attractions throughout the state. The photos selected are from his journey throughout the state this past year to get to know the state better and in doing so, grow a greater appreciation for everything Wyoming.
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1st Place - Wyoming's History Category
Andrew Call - Old Ft. Steele
Andrew Call grew up in a small section of a boxed-in-by-hills stretch of towns in Star Valley, Wyoming. He started writing both fiction and non-fiction at a young age, picked up nature and wildlife photography, and worked in marketing and advertising for most of his professional career. He graduated from the University of Wyoming in 2010, and did some work in Colorado for a few years before coming back to the state.
After being diagnosed with cancer last year and coming out the other end of treatment in remission in September, he needed a fresh start. Andrew is currently living and working in Laramie, having moved back to town in April, and he's trying to find creative outlets and enjoy the area.
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2nd Place - Wyoming's History Category
Erik Kahl - Miner's Last Meal
Erik Kahl is a Wyoming transplant (2 years and counting) and never saw himself living in Wyoming. Was he wrong! The history, the people, and the access to such picturesque settings make Wyoming a hidden gem. When Erik’s not working with the Wyoming Union team on involvement initiatives, you can find him with camera in hand on the trails or checking out the local attractions throughout the state. The photos selected are from his journey throughout the state this past year to get to know the state better and in doing so, grow a greater appreciation for everything Wyoming.
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3rd Place - Wyoming's History Category
Magorzata Wagner - Sacred Heart Yellowstone Log Cabin Church
Malgorzata Wagner and her family love national parks, and they were fortunate enough to visit Wyoming this summer. She works at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC and Iives in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay. Photography is her creative outlet. It provides her a window into the world. Marlgorzata looks forward to returning to Wyoming in the future. It is truly one of the most stunning places she has seen in her life.
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4th Place - Wyoming's History
Mark Pedri - Wyoming Grandfather
"My grandfather passed away 10 years ago. Despite spending every day working for him in his mobile home park, not a day goes by that I don't wish I would have spent more. He never talked about his experience in WWII, but it wasn't because I never asked. Last fall I found this album in his old office. Now, I'm biking across Germany put together the pieces of his story and retrace his route as a POW. in WWII. "
Mark Pedri is a documentary filmmaker and writer from Southwestern Wyoming. His unique character-driven style of storytelling is reminiscent of his equally unique upbringing in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Mark’s journey has been guided by the stories he tells, taking him 700 miles through the back roads of his home state on a bike while making a documentary about energy, to Germany and Turkey telling the origin story of Pilates.
Mark has an MA from UW and an MFA in Producing for TV and Film from the University of Southern California. His most recent project is a documentary film about his grandfather's journey through WWII as a POW in Germany.
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4th Place - Wyoming's History (Tie)
Diana Kopulos - Front Porch Season
Diana began making photographs in Laramie in 1973 as co-owner of Rainbow Photography, a combination camera store - color lab - portrait studio. Exhibiting regionally, she won numerous awards for portraiture and floral still life work.
Many years later, she embraced digital photography for its cleaner, faster processes and the infinite opportunities for creative enhancements. Always drawn to themes with smile value, her favorite subjects remain flowers, people and scenes around Laramie and Wyoming.
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Visit Wyoming Public Media’s 2019 Photo Contest site to view additional photo entries.