Mynatt prevails in three categories

This week, Big Waters Land Trust, formerly the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, announced the People’s Choice winners of the nonprofit’s sixth annual Summer Photo Contest exhibit.

Following the jury selection of the top 50 images for the exhibit, a news release says, community members were invited to cast their votes by liking or loving their favorite photographs in the Big Waters Summer Photo Contest Facebook gallery. Voting took place from June through Sept. 1, the release notes.

The winners, by category, are as follows:

• In Love with the Land—Fall in Florida by Liz Leibam.
• The Art of Nature—Dragonfly by Chad Mynatt.
• Beautiful Waters—Reflections by Chad Mynatt.
• It’s A Wild Life— Beauty Bornby Susan Smart.
• Youth Perspective—The Journey from Sun to Set by Alana Luu.
• People’s Choice Best-In-Show— Dragonfly by Chad Mynatt.

“Photographers of all ages and experience levels were invited to submit their original work showcasing the beauty of natural Florida,” the release explains. This year’s jurors were “acclaimed photographer Larry Allan, renowned videographer and photographer Karen Arango, and Darcy Kelly-Laviolette, executive creative director of Sarasota Scene Magazine, the release adds.

“Hundreds of local photographers submitted their images for consideration,” the release notes. The jurors evaluated the submissions on the basis of composition, color, contrast and point of view, as well as in regard to whether the image told a story, and how well the image fit the category.

“We are so inspired by the creativity of all who submitted photographs and grateful to the community for participating in this celebration of nature,” said Tianna Boswell-Porter, the acting director of marketing and events at Big Waters Land Trust, in the release. “The People’s Choice winners are a reflection of the joy and connection people feel with the natural world around them.”

The winning photographs, along with the full juried exhibit, may be viewed online at bigwaterslandtrust.org and on Big Waters’ Facebook page.