The Lyme Land Trust is pleased to announce the Photos of Distinction for the Fall 2024 session of Imagining Lyme. There were many wonderful photos submitted to the gallery this season. It was very hard to choose the winners among this group, but the judges felt that the following photographs stood out above the rest based upon the criteria of emotional impact and creative design. Please take the time to look at the other beautiful photographs that are displayed in our showcase gallery. Please visit the gallery to see all the submissions and to submit your photos. The next deadline is March 31, 2025 for photos of Winter. 

The judges for this session were Wendolyn Hill and guest judge, Angie Falstrom. Here is the list of the those photos with judges’ comments.

Night Sky Comet by John Gluszak
Trail 53-The sky above Lyme

This long-exposure photograph of the T-Atlas comet in the sky above Lyme inspires awe and wonder at this celestial visitor which is only visible to Earthlings every 80,000 years! The diagonal of the luminous comet is the focal point in a beautiful landscape consisting of horizontal bands in rich blues and greens. We have all benefitted from John Gluszak’s photographic technique and artistic persistence in capturing this once in a lifetime event in such a spectacular way.

Backyard Sunrise (not Zoomed) by Sharon Barton
Private Lyme Habitat

With this photograph of a glorious Autumn sunrise, Sharon Barton has captured a feeling of the promise of a new day. What makes it even more special is to know the emotion that inspired her to capture the image: “My grandniece was born this morning and I wanted to one day show her the beautiful sunrise on her special day.” The viewer is drawn into this beautiful scene by the receding sizes of the golden tree shapes leading towards the bright sunrise, giving one a strong sense of expansiveness and depth. The lichen covered rock and red leaves in the foreground add another level of depth, and provide a firm vantage point for viewing the scene, like one is standing on solid ground looking out. The cool colors of the foreground elements and the gray sky in the background provide a balance to the warm colors in the middle ground. And the composition of the image is nicely divided horizontally, according to the Rule of Thirds. Thank you, Sharon for this beautiful scene of celebration!

Welcome to Tiffany’s by Lisa Tiffany Simiola
Subject: John J. Tiffany III, Modern Day Cowboy
Tiffany Farms

“A mountain of a man with no days off still gets soft now and then.” This artist’s statement by Lisa Tiffany says it all. The story of this photograph is very touching, and the choice by Lisa to present the image in black and white strengthens this emotion. This image successfully uses a compelling composition and a wide range of values to draw the viewer into the action and lead one around the scene. One is pulled first to the strength of the almost solid white and black focal point of the vertical figure of John J. Tiffany. He is tenderly carrying a calf whose calm expression, neutral grey value and horizontal aspect invokes a feeling of peace and security. A variety of textures and shapes in the foreground and background add interest and frame the figures so that they stand out even more. The diagonal lines of the fence direct the future movement of the figures, perhaps toward a destination in the distance or maybe around to the doorway on the right. A truly wonderful photo!

Fun Guys by Doug White
Ravine Trail
Honorable Mention

This photograph by Doug White makes us smile. We love the expression on his face. It is also a great photograph of the wonder of discovery. The chicken of the woods mushrooms are the real stars in the photograph. Their beautiful intricate textures and overlapping shapes are sharply defined, and the bright orange stands out against the green of the moss. The composition is well balanced. You never know what you are going to find when you take a walk in the woods, and Doug hit the jackpot!

Guest Judge, Angie Falstrom is an award winning local artist. In her delicate watercolors, Angie explores the effect that light and atmosphere can bring to a landscape, interior, or still life. Specializing in miniatures, she finds much of her inspiration in the rural landscape of Lyme. Her paintings can be viewed on her website, Perennial Designs. She has been an Elected Artist Member of the Lyme Art Association since 1999.

Wendolyn Hill is an artist, award winning photographer, and former professor of art. Learn more about Wendy.

We’d love to see the photos you’ve taken in Winter in any of the Lyme Preserves, the sky above Lyme, or backyard native wildlife/pollinator/farm habitat in Lyme. Please share your three favorite photos in the Imagining Lyme photo showcase. The deadline for Winter photos is March 31, 2025. Three photos of distinction will be chosen. To see the gallery of photos and to submit, go to: https://imagininglyme.org