Local Photographers Focus on Local Places to Win

February 19, 2019 (Salem, MA) Essex National Heritage Commission (Essex Heritage), a non-profit that manages and provides numerous programs preserving and enhancing Essex County’s historic, natural, and cultural places, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2018 Essex National Heritage Area Photo Contest. The annual photo contest encourages photographers of all levels to “capture” the living landscapes, unique places, and interesting people of Essex County, MA.  The contest is presented by Essex Heritage in partnership with Hunt’s Photo & Video, the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, and the National Park Service at Salem Maritime and Saugus Iron Works National Historic Sites. 

From rocky coasts and harbors and rural farms to historic downtowns and parks, photographers vividly captured a variety of special places in Essex County for their award-winning submissions to this year’s contest. All of the photographs were taken within the Essex National Heritage Area and fell into the categories of “Off the Beaten Path,” “People of Essex County,” and “A Closer Look.”

2018 Essex National Heritage Area Photo Contest Winners

Grand Prize Winner

  • “Waves,” taken in Salem by Laurence Spang of Salem

Category: A Closer Look

  • 1st Prize: “Sunflower, All For Me,” taken in Newbury by Ken Jordan of Lynn

  • 2nd Prize: “Storm Damage,” taken in Salisbury by Caroline Stella of Saugus

  • 3rd Prize: “Head Sails,” taken in Gloucester by Frank Conahan of Groton

Category: People Of Essex County

  • 1st Prize: “Sandstorm,” taken in Ipswich by Kristin Bender Kyllingstad of Beverly

  • 2nd Prize: “Essex Tech Teaching Moment,” taken in Danvers by Sue Plutsky of Beverly

  • 3rd Prize: “Winter Hop” taken in Peabody by Judy Schneider of Middleton

Category: Off The Beaten Path

  • 1st Prize: “Walking on Clouds” taken in Gloucester by Sarah Burrows of Wenham

  • 2nd Prize: “Appleton,” taken in Ipswich by Amy Smith of Gloucester

  • 3rd Prize:  “Nature’s Window,” taken in Manchester by the Sea by Stephen Dagley of Beverly

People’s Choice Winner

  • “Monarch and Thistle,” Taken in Haverhill by Kathy Diamontopoulos of Haverhill

New to the Essex Heritage Photo Contest was an Instagram category. Instagrammer were encouraged to tag photos that they took during 2018 with #essexheritagephotocontest. Over 450 photos were entered and 9 winners were selected for their stunning shots that captured the special quality of Essex County. The accounts that won the Instagram category are as follows: @a.a.g.photo, @dcmills89, @funky_monkey_photos, @harbors_edge_photography, @lomachusetts, @saltwaterlabphoto, @sarahtracyburrows, @sjdagley, @tugapeaks

Photo Contest Reception and Exhibit

The public is invited to attend the 2018 Photo Contest Reception on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 at 5 p.m., in the gallery at Hunt’s Photo & Video in Melrose (located at 100 Main Street, Melrose, MA 02176-6104). At the reception, photographers will be presented with their awards and visitors will have a chance to meet the photographers as well as view the 2018 Photo Contest Exhibit.  The reception is free and open to the public; please register for the event by visiting our website: EssexHeritage.org/PhotoContest

The eleven winning images will be exhibited for one year at the National Park Service Visitor Center in Salem (2 New Liberty Street, Salem, MA 01970) and at the office of the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (160 Main Street, Haverhill, MA 01830). 

See all the winning photographs on the Essex Heritage Facebook page: www.facebook.com/EssexHeritage

Prints for the Essex National Heritage Area Photo Contest exhibits were generously provided by Hunt’s Photo & Video.  Prizes for the Photo Contest were generously contributed by Hunt’s Photo & Video and the National Park Service.

About Essex Heritage and the Essex National Heritage Area

Essex Heritage is the non-profit organization that manages the Essex National Heritage Area by developing programs that enhance, preserve and encourage recreation, education, conservation and interpretation projects on Boston’s North Shore and the Lower Merrimack River Valley. The Essex National Heritage Area is comprised of the 34 cities and towns of Essex County, MA. For more information, visit EssexHeritage.org or call (978) 740-0444.

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Media Contact:

Charles Smith, Program Manager

(978) 740-0444 or charless@essexheritage.org

 

 

Note to Editor:

Winning Images from the 2018 Photo Contest are available for download online at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/p26h7pjyvo90it6/AAAohJDAsSeHrilzHOpWJuUea?dl=0