ANR Photo Contest winners announced

  • Allison Bangs was the food category winner, capturing a unique look of roasting marshmallows over campfire coals.
    Allison Bangs was the food category winner, capturing a unique look of roasting marshmallows over campfire coals.
  • Desiree Christenson won two categories, including the architectural with a memorable shot of this spring’s visible Aurora Borealis event on their farm.
    Desiree Christenson won two categories, including the architectural with a memorable shot of this spring’s visible Aurora Borealis event on their farm.
  • Deb Miller waited patiently to grab this white Ibis having some sand crab for breakfast at Coco Beach in Florida, earning second place honors in the wildlife/pets category.
    Deb Miller waited patiently to grab this white Ibis having some sand crab for breakfast at Coco Beach in Florida, earning second place honors in the wildlife/pets category.
  • Priscilla Balasa won second place in the architectural category with this view at the Holy Family Shrine near Gretna.
    Priscilla Balasa won second place in the architectural category with this view at the Holy Family Shrine near Gretna.
  • Desiree Christenson captured this scenic look from inside an exit to a Jeep Arch trail overlooking a Moab, Utah vista. The image earned grand champion honors in this year’s photo contest.
    Desiree Christenson captured this scenic look from inside an exit to a Jeep Arch trail overlooking a Moab, Utah vista. The image earned grand champion honors in this year’s photo contest.
  • This photo from Priscilla Balasa won the Macro category focused on water droplets in a bouquet of roses.
    This photo from Priscilla Balasa won the Macro category focused on water droplets in a bouquet of roses.
  • Nathan Griess snapped a distinctive look at one of his red angus cows on the farm, picking up first place honors in the pet/wildlife category.
    Nathan Griess snapped a distinctive look at one of his red angus cows on the farm, picking up first place honors in the pet/wildlife category.

    Desiree Christenson of Aurora is a painter at heart, and when she peers at life using a camera she sees things through her own artistic lens. That unique perspective helped Christenson win top prize in this year’s Aurora News-Register amateur photo contest. 
    This year’s annual contest drew 81 total entries, with winners chosen by local judges in four different categories.
    In the Abstract Nature category, Christenson was the top prize winner. That photo was considered with all the other category winners, with judges selecting her image as the overall grand champion. Christenson admitted that she was a painter first, but has loved photography her whole life.
    “I have been interested in visual arts and photography my whole life,” she shared. “I especially enjoy learning about composition and patterns in nature. Although I am primarily a painter, I frequently use my own photographs as references, so when taking photos I focus on capturing strong and unique compositions.”
    Christenson decided to enter the contest after being inspired during hiking ventures with her husband, Phil.
    “My husband and I have been to a lot of amazing hiking destinations recently and I have a lot of beautiful shots to share,” she said. “When I saw the category “Abstract Nature,” I knew this photograph was a perfect fit. I always appreciate the Aurora News-Register supporting local art and was happy to participate!”
    Christenson’s photo, titled “Emergence” shows her husband wrapping up their hike and coming out of a large metal structure leading to a scenic view in Moab, Utah.
    “This culvert is the unique entrance/exit to Jeep Arch Trail,” she explained. “As we exited the culvert, I knew it would be an amazing opportunity to capture the contrast between the industrial pipe and the natural red rock views. It is a special photo that helps us remember a wonderful hike.”
    The photo was the judges’ unanimous top choice in the category, and was chosen as this year’s top overall entry.
    The champion in the Wildlife/Pets category is Nation Griess, age 15, of Aurora.
    He got started in photography through 4-H and said he has fun capturing different moments, especially of his animals.
    “I enjoy taking pictures of my cattle when I go to check them,” he said. 
    His photo that took number one in the animal category is of one of his heifers. After seeing the photo contest advertised on Facebook, he took the opportunity to submit his entries.
    The food photography winner is Allison Bangs, also age 15, of Aurora.
    Spending time at her family’s river property sparked her love for photography.
    “I love going for walks and hikes and bringing a camera to take pictures, which has really sparked my interest in capturing the beauty of nature through photography,” she said.
    Bangs’ photo was inspired by her family’s long-time tradition of roasting marshmallows over the fire as they spend time by the river, she said.
    Taking two titles, the winner of the Macro and Architectural categories is Priscilla Balasa of Aurora, a previous ANR photo contest winner.
    Balasa has done photography for years, but has taken it more seriously in the past 20 years.
    “Photography is something that became a way to get away from the stress of work and worry,” she said. “The more photos I took the more I wanted a better way to capture more. I finally purchased a nice camera that I could change lenses on and carried it with me to take photos of landscapes or anything I found interesting. I also started reading about photography.”
    Balasa has been entering the photo contest consistently for a few years now. 
    “Sometimes I’m lucky enough to enter something unique enough to win a category, sometimes not,” she said. “It is a challenge to see if judges like something I have captured and that makes me feel good.”

    Photo contest winners
    Abstract nature -- Desiree Christenson, Moab, Utah trailhead, first and grand prize champion, second, Priscilla Balasa, ice storm tree tops. 
    Macro -- Priscilla Balasa, first, Rose with water droplets taken from a bouquet after a band concert; second, Priscilla Balasa, peony from set of bushes. 
    Wildlife -- Nathan Griess, first, red angus cow; second, Deb Miller, White Ibis smiling with sand crab for breakfast. 
    Architectural -- Desiree Christenson, first, barn during memorable Aurora Borealis event; Priscilla Balasa, second, Holy family shrine ceiling. 
    Food -- Allison Bangs, first, marshmallows roasting over campfire coals; Allison Bangs, second, cinnamon churro waffle sprinkled with powdered sugar. 


    To view these and other entries click here.