A Frostburg State University junior, Aaron W. Gates of Garrett County, was the winner of the recent Environmental Photography Contest, sponsored by the Environmental Planning and Land Management Institute at FSU. Gates' photo was titled "Winter Forest with River." The theme of the contest was "The Beauty of the Western Maryland Environment."
Second prize went to Marianna L. Herpel of Accident, also an FSU student, for her photo, "Little Bear Creek." Third prize went to Paul Gerhard of Frostburg, a teacher at Beall High School, for his photo, "Snowy Road in Frostburg, Maryland."
Honorable mentions were given to Wayne Lewis, a retired teacher from Frostburg, for "Piney Dam View from Road," and Suzanne Stultz of Clearville, Pa., an employee of FSU and Allegany College of Maryland, for "Paleolithic Post and Lintel."
Nearly 90 entries were received in the contest designed to promote an awareness and appreciation of the beauty of the natural environment of the Western Maryland area while encouraging positive artistic expression of nature using photography.
Prizes with a total value of nearly $1,000 included a digital camera from the Maryland Coal Association, cash awards from Mettiki Coal LLC and AES Warrior Run Inc., and merchandise or gift certificates from Leasure Photography Studios, Olan Mills Portrait Studios, ChrisStudio, Clark’s Camera Centre, Bernie’s Photography, Duncan Photos and Phase One Multimedia Productions.
The judges were Md. Del. and House Minority Leader George C. Edwards; author, photographer and local historian Al Feldstein from the Maryland Office of Planning; Stanley Eisel, professional photographer and counselor at Beall High School; Adrienne Ottaviani, executive director of the Maryland Coal Association; and John E. Carey, director of the Maryland Bureau of Mines, Maryland Department of the Environment.
The contest was open to amateur photographers over age 11 who live, work or go to school in Allegany or Garrett County. Photos were of an environmental or natural habitat scene, especially those that depicted an interpretation of the natural environment that defines Western Maryland.
The Environmental Planning and Land Management Institute is a cooperative effort of the FSU Department of Geography and the Maryland Bureau of Mines, Maryland Department of the Environment. The cooperative effort between the FSU Department of Geography and the Maryland Bureau of Mines, MDE began in 1983 and the Institute was formed in 1999 at FSU.
For more information on the Institute, call (301) 687-4721 or visit the Community section of the FSU Web site at www.frostburg.edu.
