About the Contest

This is the contest winner for the 2021-2022 Oregon Blue Book front cover. Enlarge image
The
Oregon Blue Book sponsors a cover photo contest open to all amateur photographers who are Oregon residents. The photos must be taken in Oregon.
The deadline for entries was October 22, 2022.
About the 2021-2022 Cover Contest Winner
“Whaleshead Beach under the Stars” taken by
Nomeca Hartwell of Grants Pass
Nomeca's Description
Oregon’s coastline is blessed with many beautiful places, including the Boardman scenic corridor near Brookings where this image was taken.
I had long wanted to see the Whaleshead beach under a starry night sky. Last September, a friend and I spent several days exploring the area and doing just that. I barely got my Nikon D750 set up (24mm lens, f/2.5), when the clouds began to move in blotting out the stars! Fortunately, I had just enough shots to pull together this image of the Milky Way. It is a vertical slice taken from the original landscape image.
I spent 28 wonderful years as a State Fire Lookout. Now retired and still living in lovely, event-filled Grants Pass, I spend my time between photography and pickleball while occasionally perusing today’s complicated politics.
About the 2021-2022 Back Cover Contest Winner
This is the contest winner for the 2021-2022 Oregon Blue Book back cover. Enlarge image “Rainbow's End, Cape Arago Lighthouse,” at Charleston was taken by
Sandy Vilahu of Bandon
Sandy's Description
The photo was taken on December 26, 2019 from Cape Arago Highway during a high surf advisory and a winter storm. Cape Arago Lighthouse was built in 1937 and decommissioned in January 2006. It was shot with a Nikon D810 camera and my Christmas gift, a Sigma 60-600 mm lens. The image was shot at F14, 1/320 second at 600mm.
My husband George, my dog Abby and I moved to Bandon, Oregon in May, 2016. I loved capturing images of the beautiful scenery around me but never took photography very seriously. After retiring from a career as a computer programmer, I decided to embark upon a journey of educating myself in the art of photography. I hoped improving my skills would allow me to do justice to the amazing natural beauty of the Oregon Coast. I consider myself very blessed to live in a photographer's paradise!
As time went on, my enthusiasm for photography grew to the point where I wanted to share it with others. In May, 2018, two friends and I founded the Bandon Photography Club. The club is non-competitive and is focused on learning together. We have 31 members, and I am currently acting as the club president.