2nd Annual ec Photo Contest WINNERS!

After much discussion and contemplating every submission we received for our 2nd annual photo contest, we're unveiling the winners today:

Scenic Shots category:
1st place: Brittanie Hignight
2nd place: Calen Reagin
Honorable Mention: Catie Foster

Faces category:
1st place: Christina Blake
2nd place: Melissa Seibert
Honorable Mention: Tracy Blackwell

You can check out the winning photos on our Facebook page. They'll also be published in the April 2011 issue of ec and featured here on the blog during the week of April 4, 2011.                                                                                                             

ec's 2nd annual photo contest: The Details

Interested in entering ec's 2nd annual photo contest? Here's everything you need to know:

The Rules:
• The ec magazine photography contest will include two categories: faces (people, pets, etc.) and scenic shots (places, architecture, things). You can only submit one photo in the contest and must choose which category it best fits.

• The theme of the ec photo contest is peace. Send us photos of faces or places that suggest peace or make you feel peaceful. Be creative and think outside the box!

 • All submissions should be e-mailed to godlifefun@gmail.com and must be in a digital format. If necessary, you will work with the ec team to get the photo in a correct format for printing. Include your name, age, T-shirt size, mailing address, and a valid phone number.

• The deadline for submissions is midnight on October 15, 2010. The winning photo and those of two finalists will be printed in the April 2011 issue of ec.

• To read the official rules and regulations (and all the other legal stuff we have to tell you), visit: http://www.lifeway.com/ecphotocontest.

Photo Contest HONORABLE MENTION: Caitlyn Lamb

Caitlyn's submission in the Places Category:

Info about the photographer: 

Name: Caitlyn Lamb
Age: 15
Grade in school: 9
Hometown: Seneca, SC

Why you like photography: I'm not sure why. I just like taking pictures and capturing memories.
Why you took this picture and how it fits with the theme of our contest: Seneca is at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains so that's how the mountains fit in. There are lots of lakes and in the summer, everyone is out on one of them.

Favorite verse of Scripture: John 14:1, 27

Photo Contest HONORABLE MENTION: Katleyn Bailey

Katelyn's submission: 

Info on the photographer: 

Name: Katelyn Bailey
Age: 14
Grade in school: Freshman/ 9th Grade
Hometown: Vienna, IL

Why you like photography: I love nature photography because, mainly, it's so beautiful! But I also love photography because pictures can sometimes say things that words can't begin to explain. It's not always just a hobby; it can be a way of expressing yourself and worshipping God's creations as the same time.

Why you took this picture and how it fits with the theme of our contest: Well, after I read about the contest, I had been taking a lot of nature photography shots along with the ones I already had and then when the deadline for the contest got close, I had to decide which one was my favorite and I decided on this one just because I loved how the picture looked; especially how the sunlight turned out looking in the picture.

Favorite verse of Scripture: There's so many great verses! But my favorite one would probably be Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; It's my favorite because it tells that there's a time for everything.

Photo Contest HONORABLE MENTION: Nathaniel Faries

Nathaniel's photo:

Info on the photographer:
Name: Nathaniel Faries
Age: 16
Grade in school: Homeschooled, but would be junior in high school
Hometown: Bermuda

Why you like photography: Not exactly sure, but I just enjoy the challenge of composing the photo, getting the settings right, and timing the photos perfectly.  In short, I just love photography for what it is.

Why you took this picture and how it fits with the theme of our contest: This is a picture a Bermudian Longtail.  This species of bird exists in other islands (I believe in some places in Oceania and the Caribbean).  It appears on our quarter, and it is one of the few species of animal that is more or less unique to Bermuda (the longtails in other areas of the world are slightly different, like different types of eagle, for example).  Thus, I thought it an appropriate subject for this photo contest.

Favorite verse of Scripture: Toss up between Romans 12:2 and Philippians 4:13

Photo Contest HONORABLE MENTION: Brody Horn

Brody's submission: 

Info on the photographer:

 Name: Brody Horn

Age:  16
Grade in school: Junior
Hometown: Columbus, KS

Why you like photography: I like being able to capture a great, spontaneous moment, but I also I like being able to create great moments by setting up the elements of the picture, then seeing how they turn out.

Why you took this picture and how it fits with the theme of our contest: Our hometown is in a rural setting. We have many old stone barns on our property. My sister Kaylee who is 12 and I like to go out and take pictures of things that we find outdoors. I thought the look of the old barn and the window really depicted our rural hometown setting along with my sister Kaylee.

Favorite verse of Scripture: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. —Romans 12:2

ec's first photography contest!

Maybe writing’s not your thing. That’s why we’re introducing the first ever ec photography contest. We can’t wait to see your skills and display them in ec and on our blog!

The Rules:
• The ec magazine photography contest will include two categories: faces (people, pets, etc.) and scenic shots (places, architecture, things). You can only submit one photo in the contest and must choose which category it best fits.

• The theme of the ec photo contest is “hometowns.” We want to know what makes your hometown special, quirky, unique, and interesting. Think about the personality of your town and try to capture a shot that showcases it.

• All submissions should be e-mailed to godlifefun@gmail.com and must be in a digital format. If necessary, you will work with the ec team to get the photo in a correct format for printing.

• The deadline for submissions is midnight on October 15, 2009. The winning photo and those of two finalists will be printed in the April 2010 issue of ec.

Tips from a photographer: Scott Greenwalt, one of ec’s favorite photographers (he often shoots our cover and cover story photos) offered a few tips for making your photo spectacular:

• Don’t be afraid to get closer to your subject. Fill up the screen or view finder, but not too much. Include some of the environment and use it to help communicate something about your subject.
• Take lots of pictures to get one great one.
• The best light is in the morning and in the evening. Direct midday sun is harsh and leaves dark shadows on peoples faces. Cloudy days are great for portraits, just wait until the sun goes behind a cloud and snap away.
• The most overshot photo subjects are babies, pets, sunsets, balloon races, and flowers with drops of water on them. If you do shoot any of these subjects, they need to be from a unique perspective.
• The thing that interests people the most is other people. Even if you’re shooting a picture of a landscape or a cool old building, a person in the photo can make it more interesting.