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BioSpeak Photo Contest: Biology Students' Photos Show the Wild Side of NatureWe had over 50 entries for the BioSpeak photo contest and had a tough time choosing winners. Check out the two top prize winners below. We also want to honor the other great photos submitted that illustrated the "Biology Gone Wild" theme. Check out the photos that received an honorable mention (opens in another window). |
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First Place: Patricia Thomas's Photo of Chapel RockPatricia Thomas's photo of “Chapel Rock” awakened the philosopher in all the contest judges. “Living things survive in ways you don't expect,” murmured one judge. “There is a wildness about it. . . . the tree is beautiful despite lack of nourishment,” another added. For its artistry and subtle illustration of the theme for the contest, Patricia's photo won top prize. Claiming that she is not a professional, Patricia's passion for photography stems more from a desire to document her adventures. “I actually did not own a camera until June of 2005. Prior to that I purchased the cheapest disposable camera I could find. I have never had any actual photography or artistic training,” said Patricia. “I am actually pretty bad at taking photos - my aim is always off, and I have no understanding of lighting and values. Sometimes though, I stumble upon something that I would have to leave the lens cap on to get a bad picture.” An avid traveler and climber, Patricia ‘stumbles' across many good photo opportunities. She found Chapel Rock at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore near Munising, Michigan, a national park named for its multicolored sandstone cliffs. “I chose to submit this photo because of all the different things I've seen, this is one of the most inspiring,” explained Patricia. “The pine tree has been growing in less than 3 inches of soil on top of a sandstone formation . . . It is approximately 150 years old, and several root structures (3-5 inches in diameter) stem from the rock to the mainland providing subsistence to the tree. What most people don't know is that there used to be a rock bridge that deteriorated over time so now all that is left is these roots stemming the gap,” said Patricia. Graduating with a biology major this May, Patricia plans to work as an apprentice guide on Denali (Mt. McKinley) for Mountain Trip and then to move to Bellingham, Washington to develop her alpine style climbing skills at the American Alpine Institute. Other future plans include starting a consulting company for “green building” and eventually pursuing a PhD in environmental science or attending medical school. Whatever her future, Patricia “will most definitely continue to take photos, hopefully with a better camera.” |
Second Place: Eric Beckley's Photo of a Green Moray EelEric Beckley's photo of the brown moray eel captivated the contest judges – the photo's vivid colors, the very wild looking subject, and the obvious difficulty of shooting such a good photo underwater photo made this photo a close contender for first place. We all assumed Eric spent years honing his underwater photography skills but later discovered that he is just an adventurous soul with a scuba license and love of marine biology. He began taking photos last year while taking an IU class on underwater ecology in Bonaire , Netherlands Antilles . “My Dad had a camera and gave me a case. We had been scuba diving for awhile. So I just started there, without any instruction, taking pictures and figuring it out on my own.” Using just basic equipment, a Canon S500 with an underwater case, Eric dives to his subjects, tries to get as close as possible to the animal without scaring it away, and anchors himself by clinging to a dead piece of coral and digging down into the sand. “To get the flash to work well, you have to be within about three feet of the subject or else the water drowns out the color,” explained Eric. “Especially with the eel, you have to get almost too close for comfort. Sometimes the animals come out and peck the camera.” Unlike the Green moray, whose bite can remove fingers, the brown moray in the photo is harmless and has to repeatedly open and close its mouth to breath, Eric assures me. Eric chose to enter this photo because it's full of life. “There's an urchin down to the left of the moray, elephant ear sponge and a couple of different other kinds of sponges, and some corral to the top right . . . everywhere you look, there's stuff living,” said Eric. “People don't realize how much color is underwater,” continued Eric. “Even looking at it underwater, you couldn't see that much color because the reds get drowned out after the first 30 or 40 feet. But with the flash, it just brings the color out.”
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