Ann Westling’s photograph, “Mongolian Practice Competition: Grabbing a Riding Crop Off the Ground” was awarded the Photo of the Year by the Nevada County Camera Club at their annual awards presentation Saturday night, January 10. Westling’s photo was selected as the overall favorite by club members from over 700 photos submitted by members throughout the year. “Ann is an accomplished and talented photographer and earned this recognition,” stated Oitzman. “The competition was significant the given the talent of club members and the high standard of their photography,” continued Oitzman.
“I am deeply honored to receive this award. Traveling to Mongolia this past summer with a photography tour gave me an opportunity to experience some of the rich cultural traditions of Mongolian life,” stated Westling. “We were treated to Mongolian throat singing, horsemanship and Kazakh eagle hunting competitions, and local tea ceremonies. The Kazakh falconers use golden eagles to hunt for foxes and rabbits during the winter to make their coats and hats, critical for survival in subzero Mongolian winters. They were incredibly hospitable and welcoming. I gained tremendous respect for these hardy and kind people: their sense of humor, love of family, and amazingly harsh conditions in which they live,” continued Westling.
Also, on Saturday night, the winners of the club’s sixteen photo categories were announced. These awards included the favorites for:
- Assigned Subject – “Feathers In Freefall” by Ann Westling
- Abstract – “Triangulation” by Hanno Botha
- Architecture – “La Samaritaine, 1870 Department Store, Paris” by Georges Pelpel
- Fauna – “Flight of the Fox” by Bill Wages
- Flora – “Baobabs at Sunset” by Janice Rosner
- Landscape – “As the Storm Passes” by Eric Engles
- Night Photography – “Dancing Skies, Resting Boats” by John Seivert
- People – “Serek Jennisbek, Medal Winning Eagle Hunter” by Ann Westling
- Photojournalism – “No End in Sight” by Susan Pollard
- Travel – “Eagle Hunters in Western Mongolia” by Ann Westling
- Creative Fantasy – “Becoming the Raven” by Darby Davenport in a tie with “Home Renovation” by Darby Davenport
- Manipulated But Realistic – “Sharing the Sunset” by Ed Sylvester
- Black and White – “Floating Shadow Leaf” by Robert Arnold
- Color – “Ice Cave Hiker in Blue Magic” by John Seivert
- Street Photography – “Sunset Flight” by Eric Lindberg
- Birds – “Stork of Darkness” by Bill Wages
“I was also pleased to present Anita DuPratt, Ann Westling, and Frank Bloksberg each with an “Outstanding Service Award” for their commitment and dedication to the club. We are grateful to Anita for her two years as Secretary of the Club, to Ann for her more than 10 years as Public Relations Chair and to Frank for pro bono legal services. Altogether it was a night to celebrate,” stated Oitzman.
The club has about 145 members and aims to inspire, educate, and promote photographers in Nevada County. For more information on the Nevada County Camera Club and to see all the award winners – https://www.nccameraclub.com