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2008 Cottage Life Photo Contest Winners   

Category: Life at the cottage

 

marshmallows

First prize

A stick runs through it

For Troy Neill, taking a ton of shots at his Buckshot Lake, Ont., cottage is a no-brainer: He wants to preserve family memories. For this photo, he had to put the camera nearly in the fire to get the “intense perspective” of his daughter roasting the marshmallow, but the stick-in-front-of-face detail was actually accidental.

Judges’ comments
We love that the stick is going in front of her face and that she’s not posing, because it’s not about her—it’s about the whole scene. And the upwards angle transforms what might have been a run-of-the-mill picture. It captures a familiar cottage moment in an unfamiliar way. We wish we’d taken this shot.

 

 

Second prize

It’s a boy’s world

“It was definitely an ‘I need to take this picture’ kind of moment,” recalls Erik Goodling of watching his son Clay, five at the time, gazing into the water before bedtime at their Bayfield, Ont., cottage. “He was lost in his own little world. He never knew I was taking pictures.”

Judges’ comments
This is a beautiful landscape with its small piece of humanity in one corner. The shot is especially powerful because Erik allowed the landscape to be part of the image. He preserves the privacy of the boy, and so we feel that it’s a privilege to be witnessing such an intimate moment. A thoughtful, well-composed shot.

 life 2

 

 

life 3

Third prize

Games before dinner

Anne Robertson shot her son and a friend engaged in a popular pastime—puzzle-making—at her Raven Lake, Ont., cottage because she thought the evening light was beautiful. She took six or seven photos before the teens noticed (and made her stop). Choosing the black and white setting was unintentional. “But I love it! I think I’ll be using this setting more often.”

Judges’ comments
Anne captured the moment exactly. We get the sense that the kids had a big day outdoors and now they’re ready for a bit of quiet fun inside. The light is fantastic. And the flag draws our attention outside, reducing the distinction between outdoors and in. Black and white is very appropriate for the photo: It’s more introspective than bright, full colour.

 

 

 

 

Winter 2008 cover

All the winners are published in the Winter 2008 issue of Cottage Life, on newsstands November 3, 2008.