AIA's Currents Magazine
January 18, 2012
Three of my images of the Margarent Hunt Hill Bridge by Santiago Calatrava are in the Spring 2012 Issue of the AIA's Currents Magazine.
comments: (0) · permalinkAbout the Grand Prize Image
January 07, 2012
I am actually pretty thrilled that they picked this image as the grand prize winner. I almost didn't enter it. Subtle images rarely do well in these kinds of contests. Having judged enough photo contests, I realize that the judges are seeing hundreds of images and are usually beaten into submission by the end of judging. So the winners are often those that just jump off the page, not images like this. I figured my coyote or bobcat images had a better shot.
My wife, Karen, looks at the image and says "I don't get it". She likes her imagery a little bit more literal. So do I, sometimes, but I also love images that are not so much about the particular subject as about the feelings, emotions, memories you remember or the state of mind you tap into as you view it. That is why I love that image. It just has a simple, calm, gentle tranquility that takes me to another place. Karen, not so much.
Fortunately for me, the judges were the touchy, feely types like me and were drawn to the image. I can't thank them enough! (You can watch a video of the judging here
As to how I took the image, it is from the Trinity River near the Trinity River Audubon Center. Usually the Trinity is pretty brown and silty. But this past October, when I took the image, the drought was still locked in place so the river was still and barely flowing, and I think the lack of runoff allowed some of the silt to settle and gave the river an unusual clarity that reflected the soft blues of the evening sky.
The old snagged tree in the river was rare in that I was able to maneuver to a position along the bank where none of the branches overlapped another, creating a perfect outline and a calming simplicity of form. Had even one of these branches crossed and intersected another, I might not have taken the photo, since for me that triggers a negative psychological reaction.
As for the ripple, as I looked at the scene I saw a turtle poke its head up into the still waters creating little ripples. I tried to sit and wait for the turtle to come to my old snag, but alas, no. So I finally tracked down some rocks and started throwing them myself. Took me about 30 tries to get one into the exact place I wanted (lower and slightly to the right of center in the frame).
Nice Press for Contest
January 07, 2012
I am getting some nice press about the Trinity River Photo Contest. The Dallas Observer and Robert Wilonsky has an article and video about the contest judging and winners, and says "Tops, again, was the great Sean Fitzgerald, winner of the second annual contest." I think he was probably being sarcastic about the "great" part, but I will happily take it. (I now make Karen refer to me as her "great" husband - she ain't digging' it).
I also did an interview with the Dallas Morning News about the contest about the grand prize image and on the wild Trinity itself.
comments: (0) · permalinkWon Grand Prize in Dallas' Trinity River Photo Contest 2011
January 07, 2012
I did fairly well again in this year's Trinity River Photo Contest sponsored by the City of Dallas. Competing against 700 other photographers, I won the overall grand prize. In the professional category, I also won 1st and second in the River and Pond category, 2nd place in architecture, 1st and third in the Forest and Prairies category, and 1st and second in the Wildlife category.
I got to see the other entrants in an awards ceremony at City Hall, and a lot of really fine photographers entered beautiful photos. I feel very lucky and honored to have done well and to be in the company of my fellow photographers. I feel especially lucky to repeat as the grand prize winner - last year my shot of coyotes howling in the snow won the overall prize.
Here are all of my entries from this year.
Cover of Visit Dallas Magazine
January 01, 2012
I got the cover of Visit Dallas Magazine, plus several interior photos for their article on the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge by Santiago Calatrava. It is an incredible bridge and great fun to photograph.
