Take Your Best Shot photo contest winners

Photography captures the moment, inspires creativity and invokes dreams and memories.

The photographers in the 2024 Take Your Best Shot certainly did just that. Gallery 'N' Gifts celebrated that creativity at their First Friday Artist Reception and handed out over two dozen ribbons and cash prizes. This semiannual event has taken place every February and August for the last 19 years. If you'd like to take part in the next event, mark your calendars for submission week, Jan. 26-Feb. 2, 2025. Be sure to check their website in early January for the current rules and categories.

Now onto this year's winners!

Best of Show:

Gerald Denk

Celebrate Tehachapi:

1st place: Gerald Denk

2nd place: Sean Clarke

3rd place: Cassie Sarkision

Honorable Mention: Joseph Kinn

Get Creative:

1st place: Tara Clarke

2nd place: Dago V.

3rd place: Hannah Vasallo

Animals:

1st place: Gerald Denk

2nd place: Wes Burcham

3rd place: Mikailey Irvine

Honorable Mention: Sean Clarke

Landscape:

1st place: Brittanie Scofield

2nd place: Brittanie Scofield

3rd place: Lucy Galli

Honorable Mention: Paul Smethurst

Details & Macros:

1st place: Wes Burcham

2nd place: Tara Clarke

3rd place: Tara Clarke

People:

1st place: Alex Ficks

2nd place: Mikailey Irvine

3rd place: Cassie Sarkisian

Honorable Mention: Kathy V.

Youth Photography:

1st place: Greta Haas

2nd place: Greta Haas

Black & White:

1st place: Paul Smethurst

2nd place: Paul Smethurst