Photographers shine in Army Digital Photography Contest

By Tim Hipps, U.S. Army Installation Management CommandFebruary 4, 2015

Preparation Due South
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Wisconsin Point
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Double Helix
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Pablo Piedra of Grafenwoehr, Germany, takes second place in the active duty military division design elements category of the 2014 Army Digital Photography Contest with Double Helix, an upward view of a double staircase in Ljublijana Castl... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Geese at Sunset
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Seoul Streets; Rainy Day - Trick Eye Museum
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SAN ANTONIO (Jan. 28, 2015) -- Five hundred thirty nine contestants entered 2,529 photos in the 2014 Army Digital Photography Contest.

The contest featured seven categories of photographs in two divisions: active-duty personnel and other MWR patrons. The entries were judged at the U.S. Army Installation Management Command headquarters on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston by professional photographer Carlos Berrios, who owns a photography business; Rudy Lopez, a photographer who formerly served as the arts and crafts program manager at Lackland Air Force Base; Amy Kosby, a videographer for Army Entertainment; and Staff Sgt. David Marshall, an Army Entertainment photographer and videographer.

Berrios said he was pleasantly surprised by the level of talent in the contest.

"I think the quality was a lot better than I expected for amateurs," Berrios said. "They were very good."

The 2014 winning entries can be viewed on the arts and crafts page on ArmyMWR.com.

The first Interservice Photo Contest began in 1948 and evolved into the Army Digital Photography Contest.

In addition to contests for digital photography and arts and crafts, Army MWR facilities offer classes or personal instruction in custom framing, digital art, ceramics, drawing, painting, woodworking, pottery, quilting and stained glass.

"It's an outlet for the soldiers, family members and the civilians," Army MWR arts and crafts program manager Sandy Nordenhold said. "It's an avenue for them to express their creative talents by taking photos and maybe spending time with the digital darkroom -- to be able to morph their photographs into how they see it should be.

"Anything to do with arts and crafts is a good outlet to make a soldier resilient. It's something to keep their mind on, just to help them mentally."

The 2015 Army Digital Photography Contest will run from Oct. 15 through Nov. 30. MWR-authorized patrons who enjoy arts and crafts might also be interested in the 2015 Army Arts and Crafts Contest, which will run from May 1 through June 30.

2014 Army Digital Photography Contest

List of winners in the 2014 Army Digital Photography Contest with category place, military rank, name, duty station and title of photo:

Division I -- Active duty military

People: 1. Sgt. Scott Tant, Camp Walker, South Korea, "Into the Ocean;" 2.

Staff Sgt. Pablo Piedra, Grafenwoehr, Germany, "Stone Violinist;" 3. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Juan Jusino, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, "Arrived."

Military life: 1. Sgt. Philip Velez, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington,

"The Long Walk;" 2. Maj. Bradley Gates, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, "H-Hour minus 002000;" 3. Maj. Ryan Foley, Kaiserslautern, Germany, Marine "CH-53."

Nature & landscapes: 1. Maj. Ryan Foley, Kaiserslautern, Germany, "View from

Apache;" 2. Maj. Ryan Foley, Kaiserslautern, Germany, "Portugese Cave;" 3. Maj.

Darrell Reamer, Camp Zama, Japan, "Frosted."

Animals: 1. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jessica Veltri, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, "Wild Cat;" 2. Spc. Tia Somkimson, Fort Meade, Maryland, "Preparation Due South;" 3. Capt. Long Pham, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, "Staring Contest."

Still life: 1. Master Sgt. Shawn Helgerson, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri,

"Three Peppers;" 2. Staff Sgt. Osvaldo Corea, Camp Red Cloud,

South Korea, "A Trumpet World;" 3. Sgt. 1st Class Oliver Kirkham, Torii

Station, Japan, "Rose and the Rings."

Design elements: 1. Spc. Adcharaporn Poonsap, Camp Red Cloud, South Korea,

"Pile of Tires;" 2. Staff Sgt. Pablo Piedra, Grafenwoehr, Germany, "Double

Helix;" 3. Maj. Michael Kendall, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, "The Western

Corridor."

Digital darkroom: 1. Spc. Andrew Hui, Camp Casey, South Korea, "Seoul Streets; Rainy Day -- Trick Eye Museum;" 2. Capt. Alexander Jansen, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, "Lens Explosion;" 3. Capt. Suzanna Endsley, Yongsan, South Korea, "Standing Out."

Division II - Other MWR eligible patrons

People: 1. Rachele Frickey, Fort Bliss, Texas, "Flower Girl;" 2. John Powers,

Camp Zama, Japan, "No Tips Today;" 3. Jason Burkhardt, Yongsan, South Korea, "To Be Hindu."

Military life: 1. Tara Ruby, Fort Bliss, Texas, "Finally Home;" 2. Rebecca

Mastrian, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, "PT Through the Fog;" 3. Jeffrey Kline, Fort

Belvoir, Virginia, "Soldiers."

Nature & landscapes: 1. Robert LaPolice, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, "Sky

Dock;" 2. (tie) Michael Whetson, Vicenza, Italy, "Blue Waterfall;" 2. (tie) Clare Blackmon, West Point, New York, "Morning Dew;" 3. (tie) John Powers, Camp Zama, Japan, "Vintage Memories;" 3. (tie) John Waggoner, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, "Blue Waterfall."

Animals: 1. Marjorie Lehman, Fort Knox, Kentucky, "Geese at Sunset;" 2. Lisa

Remnet, Fort Shafter, Hawaii; "Busy Bee;" 3. John Lackey, Selfridge, Michigan,

"Wings."

Still life: 1. Kimberly Kendall, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, "After the

Festival;" 2. John Powers, Camp Zama, Japan, "Empty Offerings;" 3. Elizabeth Loman Hayes, Fort Bliss, Texas, "Smell of Spring."

Design elements: 1. Jack Franke, Presidio of Monterey, California, "At the

Del Monte Hotel;" 2. Samara Stirneman, Yongsan, South Korea, "Safe Harbor;" 3.

(tie) Daniela Piedra, Grafenwoehr, "3D Floor;" 3. (tie) Rebecca Mastrian, Fort

Campbell, Kentucky, "Pink Infinity."

Digital darkroom: 1. Helen Foster, Fort Stewart, Georgia, "Wisconsin Point;"

2. Kimberly Kendall, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, "Divided;" 3. John Powers,

Camp Zama, Japan, "That Moment of Awe."

Related Links:

Officer journeys into digital photography success

Army MWR Arts & Crafts

Flickr: Army MWR Flickr