I thoroughly enjoyed the first Great Smoky Mountains Photography Summit last year and made many dear friends. So it wasn’t a difficult choice to go again this year. It is held in nearby Townsend, Tennessee. The summit gathers together some of the best nature and wildlife photographers and instructors in the country. There are five days of shooting, instruction, critique, camaraderie, and a print competition.
Due to travel time constraints, I didn’t enter the print competition last year. This year I entered all six categories: macro; mobile photography; black and white; Great Smoky Mountains National Park; landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes; flora and fauna. Below were my choices for 16” x 20” prints.
I have featured five of these previously on my blog. The only new one is the Professor Valley landscape in the middle of the first row. I took it with my iPhone 6s when I traveled to southeast Utah in March.
The competition was really fierce this year. So how did I fare?
I placed second with the purple flower photo in the macro division! I won $125 worth of photography accessories.
Drum roll, please…
I also won the Best of Show for this autumn scene captured at the Smokies last year! (See my September 14, 2016 blog post.) The prize was a Fuji X-T1 camera and 18-55mm lens!
I had three major purposes for entering. First, I wanted some beautiful prints to decorate my cottage. Second, I wanted to get some validation from the fifteen judges, all highly skilled and successful professional photographers. Third, I hoped to win a camera to give to my sister-in-law and best friend, Pris.
I told her this summer that I was going to enter and give her the camera if I won. It was a huge long shot. She prayed like crazy! I already have that camera and used it to make the award-winning photo. And, it is an upgrade from the camera that she currently owns. So she is over-the-moon happy for my success.
I can’t possible verbalize how much her emotional support has meant to me during the past couple of years. This gesture is a small token for my appreciation and love for her. I know the camera will give her much joy and pleasure as she continues to grown in her photography skills!
You are awesome, Donna! Not surprised at ALL for the prizes, and so happy for your sis-in-law.
ReplyDeleteI think it's wonderful you have the love of photography, and that you have been sharing with us for a long. Love you very much!
Congratulations, Donna. Your honours are well deserved. Beautiful photos! And so sweet to give the camera to your sister-in-law. I'm glad you've had someone to help you through these difficult couple of years.
ReplyDeleteAll of your choices are amazing. Congratulations on your wins. I think my favorite of the six is the autumn scene.
ReplyDeleteWarm congrats! Talent helps and prayer works. =D I remember the trillium and the autumn scene.
ReplyDeleteHuge congrats. Donna! You did well and your SIL will love that camera I'm sure. Thankful to know she has been a blessing since you lost your dear Jim.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are getting out and working on your photography - this time of year certainly is perfect for doing the outdoor thing! We didn't get to the NC mountains this fall but have just had two wonderful weeks in northern Calif. where there was definitely some amazing scenery to capture.
Take care - hugs, Mary
Wonderful results Donna, and it sounds like a great experience. Sounds also like you`re doing lots of travelling to get those pix. I can imagine what the last two years have been like for you, and so glad you`ve had the support of someone close. Your photography is an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your much-deserved win!! And what a wonderful token of love you gave to your sister-in-law!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Beautiful pictures, all!
ReplyDeleteVery good gift for a sister!
Hugs!
Congratulations! These are well deserved and gorgeous shots, well done!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations again Donna! This is so wonderful for you. The fall scene is gorgeous! I believe the purple flower photo was in a set of notecards I won through your blog a few years ago. We all deserve some validation for our accomplishments. Well done!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! What a special blessing to be able to give your prize camera to someone who has been there for you. Your cottage will be even more wonderful with your prints on display. Wish I could stop by for a good, long chat and a tour of your cottage and your work.
ReplyDelete~Adrienne~