Maine Photography Show

The Maine Photography Show

(Presented by Boothbay Region Art Foundation)

MPS, the premier juried gallery show of photography in Maine,
closes after 17 years of exhibitions.

Announcement letter by MPS Committee Chair Bruce Burnham:

Dear Fellow Photographers,

Many have inquired about the Maine Photography Show as of late and whether there will be one. I write now with a heavy heart to inform you that after 17 years the Maine Photography Show will not continue. Having been part of the original committee and having been the chairman for the last 14 years, I need to back away and do more for myself. At this time no one has stepped forward to take my place so the end has come.

Thank you to the committee members both past and present. I would not have been able to do this without you. We will miss seeing all our old friends and meeting the new ones. And we all enjoyed seeing many people exhibit for the first time!

I am always thinking about a way, not to replace, but to try a new avenue to tout your great work, so please be on the lookout for a notice on our website (mainephotoshow.org) or Facebook page in the near future.

On behalf of the Boothbay Region Art Foundation, myself and the Maine Photography Show committee, we thank you for supporting this adventure over its span.
“Do not cry because it‘s over. Rejoice because it even happened.“

Thanks and Be Well

Bruce E Burnham

Winners of MPS 2022

Info

Arctic Visitor - by Jennifer Bechard

Best of Show

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
The eyes are locked on the photographer as the snowy owl floats by in slow motion, wings perfectly splayed, to show off its magnificence. This is a perfectly composed image with a long rock as a leading line at its base and a softly blurred winter backdrop - all placed to center our attention on this haunting creature.
Reflecting - by Deb Dawson

First Place (Special Category: Home)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
Reflecting does a great job blending the inside and outside worlds on a single pane of glass. Inside, the subject reflects on the upcoming morning with a mason jar of coffee. Outside, the lovely early light beckons. The top of the frame holds a special visual treat - a touch of a red shirt tucked inside the jacket collar.
Ice House in a Storm - by Nancy Campbell

Second Place (Special Category: Home)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
A tiny white house with a yellow door and a circling bird are the minimalistic elements that tell a story of wide winter expanse and solitude. A simple frame that packs a visual wallop - remarkable!
Winter Serenity of Home - by Stacey Bsullak

Third Place (Special Category: Home)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
This photograph is brilliantly composed from top to bottom and side to side. A star-filled night sky fills the top of the frame; a warm holiday farm scene populates the center; and a dark fence frames a cool, shadowy winter world patrolled by a menacing dog. Three different worlds in one photograph - how wonderful!
Hazel's First Autumn - by Erin Nadeau

Honorable Mention (Special Category: Home)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
Cats are the focus of more photos than any other subject, so it's an ongoing challenge to create a unique photograph of our feline friends. Here is one! The photographer composed and exposed this scene perfectly to capture the vibrant colors of autumn outside the window and the softness of the grays inside the living room. This is a quiet and simple moment in a cat's life recorded for all to enjoy.
Watching the News - by Craig Snapp

Honorable Mention (Special Category: Home)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
Beautiful frame, beautiful color, beautiful moment - another memorable photograph with a cat as a central character. This cat and an old friend have differing points of interest, but share a warm evening together. I'd love to join them.
Strong and Tall - by Allen Cairns

First Place (Black and White)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
This quiet, eloquent landscape is one of the simplest and strongest images in this competition. The chosen tree, bare of foliage, is so beautifully proportioned and grows proudly by itself on a gentle hillside. The photographer's decision to use a warm tone black and white hue creates a peaceful mood. This image will stand the test of time.
Just Flocking Around - by Dave Dostie

Second Place (Black and White)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
Perspective and point of view are showcased here to our delight. A chicken's eye view of a raucous animal farm. The back of the barn, with a strand of lights and a goat peering out, is a quirky and humorous backdrop. From here the chickens take over and strut about. The dance of a barnyard is fully presented for us to enjoy.
Corbin - by Emily Whiting

Third Place (Black and White)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
We meet shirtless Corbin in this telling portrait. His steady gaze is non-apologetic and self-assured for a young man. The gesture of his head tucked into his shoulder with arm fully extended centers the intimate moment. This is an insightful portrait that captures our attention.
Storming the Light - by Richard Reynolds

Honorable Mention (Black and White)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
This photograph takes my breath away. The awesome power of nature is perfectly presented here to witness in all its glory. As the waves engulf a lighthouse, we wonder how long it will stand tall? We wonder where the photographer was to make this image? And it's a beautifully crafted black-and-white image with a full range of tones. Well done.
Raindrops - by Penny Linn

Honorable Mention (Black and White)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
Abstractions are the purview of many fine-art photographers, and this one is very well done. It's easy to get lost exploring the reflections and splendid shading along the edges, corners, and depths of this stunning b/w abstraction. Paul Caponigro would be envious.
Bedroom Wall Series - For Love - by Felice Boucher

First Place (Color)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
A photographic portrait perfectly composed, technically brilliant, and emotionally powerful is a rarity. This is such a portrait. Its color palette is especially pleasing. This stunning image captures our hearts and moves our souls.
Whisper - by Hugh Blackmer

Second Place (Color)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
Once you see the 'whisper', you no longer see this as a photograph of inanimate rocks (which is exactly what it is). The slanted eye, the pronounced nose, the open mouth....whispering. Some images take on a life of their own, elevated far above their linear reality. This one certainly does.
Winter Swirl - by John Holland

Third Place (Color)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
This is what a winter storm on the coast of Maine feels like - not fit for man or beast to be outside, and certainly not on the water. One can even hear the wind howling. The image is mostly rendered in black-and-white with spots of color added in strategic places - in particular, two flashing red lights of extreme warning along the left side. This is an exquisitely distinctive photograph, which probably won't be included in a Maine tourism department publication.
Frozen passages - by Benjamin Getchell

Honorable Mention (Color)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
A bird's eye view of a winter's day presents a pleasing graphic study of line, shape, form, texture, and color. A center train track splits the image in half north to south, a curving road connects the edges east to west. An upper peninsula is connected to a southern peninsula by the man-made track and road. There is much to enjoy in this high-perspective, muted color photograph.
Liquid Migration - by Benjamin Williamson

Honorable Mention (Color)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
Color, color, color. The fish that are swimming through this frame are translucent shades of pinks, blues, greens, purples, and grays. Liquid Migration is a great example of the magic that happens when a photographer freezes action to reveal the breathtaking beauty of the natural world.
Island Pigs - by Helen Davis

First Place (Student)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
I am attracted to and pulled into this fine documentary image by the pleasing overall pink hue. Once fully engaged by the lovely color palette, I enjoy the way the moment is captured as the two pigs enjoy their meal. They are the primary focus, but the other elements in the back yard have their place and role in setting the scene - lobster traps, blue container, white bucket, and green slide in the distance. A well seen photograph.
Bird on the Rocks - by Brady Marquis

Second Place (Student)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
Blur and motion can be useful technical tools in creating a strong image. Bird on the Rocks is a compelling photograph because of this visual treatment. The only element in sharp focus is the seagull, with everything else slightly blurred by motion and/or a slow shutter speed. The waves washing against the rocks are beautifully captured. This image does a great job of recording the feeling of standing on the shoreline at last light.
Night Life - by Grace McNally

Third Place (Student)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
I enjoy photographs that are mysterious and leave unanswered questions - indecisive moments. Night Life certainly does a good job on this front. What is going on at this street corner? Why is the policeman off his motor bike? The overall blue color adds to the mystery, and the image is perfectly framed with a masked couple leaving the scene on the left, and two men entering on the right-hand edge - building tension for this dynamic street scene. Our imaginations can run wild here. Bravo!
Stone - by Myra Mills

Honorable Mention (Student)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
A crisp Maine day is captured well in this striking photograph. Then, selective focus is used to draw the viewer's attention to the beautiful moss and lichen-covered gravestone. The creator of this photograph does a great job steering our attention to what they find most interesting, so we too can enjoy the beauty of the stone grave marker.
Time Flies - by Brayden Bashaw

Honorable Mention (Student)

Note from juror Reid Callanan:
A camera is sometimes able to record what the eye can't see, and this image is a good example of this - and done very well. Star trails lighting up the night sky are the central focus of this image, but the trees rooted at the base of the photo add the important element of structure and composition for this successful image.
Float - by Meredith Kennedy

Committee Choice Award