As most of you know I work for a company rich in photographic history. Kodak Alaris, formerly part of Eastman Kodak Co., holds an annual photography contest to foster a sense of community and engage employees in an inclusive activity core to our business. The contest has 6 categories in which to enter and 2 skill levels in which to participate. Over 50 co-workers entered almost 500 pictures into the contest. I chose 14 pictures from the many photos featured in this blog from my 52nd year. A contestant is allowed to enter up to 3 entries in each of the 6 categories for a total of 18. The categories are action, nature, landscape, people, pictorial and animals. I didn't have too much trouble finding candidates to enter into landscape, nature and pictorial but people, animals and action were more of a challenge so my total entry count was shy of the maximum. For roughly 2 months all the pictures are hanging in the halls at work and employees vote on their favorite image from each category for both the Novice and Advanced levels. I entered my photos in the Advanced level. The picture getting the most votes in each category gets the "People's Choice" award. In addition to this award, a panel of judges selects the top 3 from each category for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place judging.
The picture at the top was the only one that was selected by the judges and got 2nd place for the People category in the Advanced group. Notice how I could sneak an otherwise landscape picture from the slopes of Katahdin into the people category just by placing Doug and his friend, Anna, into the frame.
What was really exciting, however, was that my co-workers voted 3 of my pictures as the Peoples Choice award winner! Thanks, guys! The picture of the bee attempting to land on a flower that appears to be defended by an ant received the most votes in the action category (action? nature? animals?).
My picture of a woman in period dress making maple syrup at Genesee Country Village and Museum won the voting for the People category.
My picture of Mabry Mill, a favorite of mine and one many of my co-workers told me was their favorite in the show received the most votes in the landscape category.
Below are the other 10 pictures that were entered into the contest.
