
A few finalists from this year’s AMPC. See more details below.
By Jesse Wood
The 50 finalists for the 13th annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition are now on display at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, and as has become the norm, the images are stunning.
This regional photo competition and local exhibition is part of the Boone stop of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. While the AMPC has become one of the premiere photo competitions in the Southeast, the local Banff tour has become a festival in its own right in the High Country – thanks to the side events such as the AMPC, the middle school screenings and community outreach that features special guests related to Banff.
The exhibition at the Turchin Center began on March 4, along with the opening of voting for the People’s Choice Award, and closes on June 4. While a jury of professional photographers awards for the other categories, the public selects the People’s Choice Award.
Voting for the People’s Choice Awards closes on March 18 at 5 p.m. The winners will be announced during the Saturday screening of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour in Boone, which takes place on Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19 at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts.
Categories for the competition include: Adventure, Blue Ridge Parkway, Culture, Our Ecological Footprint, Flora/Fauna, and Landscape. $4,000 in cash and prizes are made possible through the generous support of the The Mast General Store, The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters, and Appalachian Voices.
A portion of the proceeds from the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition support Outdoor Programs Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions at Appalachian State University. SOLE trips are educational journeys of discovery that take students around the world. Visit the Outdoor Programs website to find out more information on the Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions program at ASU.
ASU Outdoor Programs, Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, and Virtual Blue Ridge present the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition and Exhibition. This competition is sponsored by the Mast General Store.
Check out the finalists below:
Adventure: Imagery depicting mountain sports such as climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, etc.

“Open Water Workout” by Drew Bennett

“Soul Surfing” by Dylan McKinney

“Grandfather Mountain Men” by Eric Heistand

“Black/White Diamond” by Kristian Jackson

“Edge of a Dream” by Lynn Willis

“Stateline Falls – Watauga River Race 2014” by William Mauney

“Celestial Hangover” by Brandon Jett
Blue Ridge Parkway – Where the Parkway Meets the Sky: A rotating category each year with a different theme.

“The Sentinel” by Andrew Caldwell

“Thunder Hill Overlook” by Hanna Wilson

“Picnic on the Blue Ridge Parkway” by Scott Ramsey

“Nightfall at the Manor” by Sharon Canter

“Raven’s Roost in Black & White” by Todd Feldman

“Carriage Trail Clouds” by Alison E. Foster

“Wrong Feet The Lump MP264.4” by Andi Gelsthorpe
Culture: Imagery depicting the people, their customs, traditions, architecture, and ways of life unique to the Southern Appalachian region.

“Killing Hog” by James K. Fay

“American Blessings” by Jason Tarr

“Maggie’s Lights” by Maggie Flanigan

“Making Molasses, Alexander Co., NC” by Micah J. Henry

“Boone Fork Baptism” by Mitzi Gellman

“Robert with Christmas Dinner” by Elle Olivia Anderson

“Tom and Roxie” by Elle Olivia Anderson

“Brother Carol” by James K. Fay

“Hanging the Top” by James K. Fay
Environment: magery documenting environmental concerns in Central and Southern Appalachia.

“Nest, found near Boone, NC, with plastic netting” by James M. Davidson

“Cannon Memories” by Heather Wolf Turner

“Oil beauty after the storm” by Amy Morrison Hayden

“Polluted Paradise” by Adam Webster

“Helping Hives” by Sam Brown

“Aftermath” by Lynda Ward

“Coal” by Keely Kernan

“Cabin Creek” by Keely Kernan

“Down the Drain” By Jason Tarr
Flora and Fauna: Imagery of plants and animals common to the Southern Appalachians.

“Al dente” by Jeffrey Stoner

“Collection” by Joseph Balcken

“Dripping Triptych” by Raven Moffett

“Bo the Red-tailed Hawk” by Rob Moore

“Winter Fairy Tale” by Steve Yocom

“After the Rain” by Chuck Almarez

“Morning Catch” by Deborah Scannell

“Black Crow” by Halle Keighton
Landscape: Scenic imagery capturing the rich diversity and natural beauty of the Southern Appalachian region.

“Appalachian Nocturne” by Nathan Sales

“Rock, Water, Leaves” by Robert Vance

“Grandfather Mountain – June 13, 2014” by Skip Sickler

“Sunrise, Mile-High Bridge, Grandfather Mountain” by Skip Sickler

“Wuthering” by Tim Williams

“Forest Tunnel” by Annkatrin Rose

“Widow’s Creek Falls” by Cathy Anderson

“CJ Ice and Waterscape” by Charles Johnson

“Frozen Linville Falls” by Chris Almerini

“The North Star” by Kathryn Greven