Tehachapi Valley Arts Association Winter Photo Contest winners

Top honors including the Best of Show award for the 15th annual Winter Photo Contest at Gallery 'N' Gifts went to Todd Sherwood. Todd's photo was chosen by a panel of judges from a field of a little over 100 entries in seven different subject categories.

Todd took his photo in an area of Nevada known as the Valley of Fire. "I actually saw the image possibility the day before and knew I wanted to shoot the location as the sun rose the next day." Returning the next morning before dawn, he and his wife Kelly proceeded to photograph all during the one hour or so that the sun was rising. "Every minute during this hour the warmth of the light, and the changing shadow patterns, are just amazing," said Todd. This time frame is known to most photographers as "Magic Hour."

"Kelly and I travel in our motor home as often as possible seeking out areas that are photographically interesting to visit," said Todd. Their travels have also taken them outside the country. A few years ago, after returning home, Todd entered and won Best of Show for a haunting image he had taken at Auschwitz.

"Using my wife Kelly as my model I shot this year's winning photo with my Cannon EOS 7 Mark 2 camera using a Cannon 70-210 Zoom. I do all of my own printing; I recently purchased a Cannon Pro 4000 printer. Canvas and luster paper prints up to 40 by 60 inches are possible and I'm a big fan of printing with pigment inks."

Todd also took First Place in this month's contest in the category of Landscape/Nature for his print of "Peek-a-Boo Canyon."

His and all the other entries will be on display at Gallery 'N' Gifts, located at 100 W. Tehachapi Blvd. in Tehachapi, until the end of February. They hold photo contests twice a year, with the next contest scheduled for August.

Best of Show: Todd Sherwood

Animals:

1st: Aubrey Motoyama

2nd: Jenny Grayson

3rd: Toshimi Kristof

HM: Mark Riegert and Nelson Gonzalez Amado

Black & White:

1st: Paul Smethurst

2nd: Gary Grela

3rd: Todd Sherwood

HM: Kelli Horton and Nelson Gonzalez Amado

Landscape & Nature:

1st: Todd Sherwood

2nd: Gannon Hutchinson

3rd: Daniel Burns

HM: Gannon Hutchinson and Nelson Gonzalez Amado

People & Portrait:

1st: Todd Sherwood

2nd: Gary Grela

3rd: Linda McDermott

HM: Lauri Bott and Gannon Hutchinson

Details & Macro:

1st: Nelson Gonzalez Amado

2nd: Mikailey Judkins

3rd: Chris Odom

HM: Chris Naftel and Gary Grela

Travel & Architecture:

1st: Gannon Hutchinson

2nd: Todd Sherwood

3rd: Lauri Bott

HM: Joseph Kinn and Rick Hetzel

Youth Photography:

1st: Jaelle Maxwell

2nd: Liam Perk

3rd: Joshua Baker

HM: Mikailey Judkins