By Nathan Ham
At a reception at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on Fri. April 20, the 15th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition presented its annual awards for the winning images for this year’s competition.
“We are thrilled to be celebrating our 15th year of the competition” states Rich Campbell, Associate Director for Outdoor Programs and Competition Director for the AMPC. “We had a very strong year of images, and were excited to present awards to the photographers on Friday afternoon. We normally present the awards during the Banff weekend but due to inclement weather that weekend, rescheduled the event to Friday April 20th. “We have built a long history of celebrating the people, places, and pursuits of the Southern Appalachians through photography and are happy to be able to continue this tradition.”
A partnership between Appalachian State University Outdoor Programs, the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, and Virtual Blue Ridge, the AMPC celebrates the unique people, places, and pursuits that distinguish the Southern Appalachians. Attracting entries from across the United States, the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition has grown into one the region’s most prestigious photography competitions with 1,053 submissions this year and viewed in person by many people at the Turchin Center for Visual Arts.
According to Campbell, the 1,053 submissions was close to setting a new record for the competition.
The panel of professional photographers who served as jurors this year selected these images from the 56 finalist images and they will be displayed in exhibition at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts through June 2, 2018.
“This is one of the longest standing exhibitions at the Turchin Center,” Campbell added.
The AMPC is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Mast General Store, who are providing generous gift certificates for each category winner. Supporters of the AMPC include: Appalachian Voices, Bistro Roca, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Footsloggers, Peabody’s, Nikon Professional Services, and Stick Boy Bread Company.
Special Jury Awards were presented to the following photographers for their work.
Dropin’s Slabs
Lynn Willis
Mystical Canyon Waterfalls
Chad Jones
Hanging Out
Catherine Altice
Total Eclipse Composite
Lynn Willis
Goldenrod
Shauna Caldwell
Below is a list of the other awards that were presented.
People’s Choice Award – $350 gift certificate from Footsloggers
Lifted Clouds by Candice Corbin (winning by just 2 votes)
Ecological Footprint – $250 Gift Certificate from the Mast General Store and $250 from Appalachian Voices
Dobson Knob Fire by Jim Magruder
Adventure – $250 Gift Certificate from Mast General Store
Jump In by Tom Moors
Culture – $250 Gift Certificate from Mast General Store
A Long Hope Fly by Alicia Green
Flora Fauna – $250 Gift Certificate from Mast General Store
Great Craggy Tree by J. Smilanic
Landscape – $250 Gift Certificate from Mast General Store
Milky Way over Clingman’s Dome by Luke Sutton
Blue Ridge Parkway – The Parkway in Color – Capturing the Change in Seasons – $250 cash prize from the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and an underwater, 4K camera from Nikon, the Key Mission 170.
Linville River Bridge by Skip Sickler
Best in Show – $1,000 Grand Prize
Diamond on the Blue Ridge by Scott Ramsey
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