Heidi Dirkse’s “Looking for Love” took first place. COURTESY PHOTOS

On Oct. 5, “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) held an official judging for its 31st annual “Ding” Darling Amateur Nature Photography Contest. It announced the 2023 winners Oct. 21 at the inaugural Art in the Wild festival at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island.

Judges selected three winners and 10 honorable mentions out of 91 entries from 14 states and three countries. All photograph entries were shot at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge complex. Judges included a refuge staffer, photographer/artist, and member of the Sanibel community.

“Despite the disruption from Hurricane Ian, the contest generated much excitement and nostalgia among photographers and our judges,” said April Boehnen, DDWS manager of events, marketing, and communication and contest coordinator. “The photographers found our resilient wildlife and enduring beauty once again.”

First place went to Heidi Dirkse from Maine for her portrait of a reddish egret titled “Looking for Love.” Contest judge and Sanibel resident Laurie Harkey commented: “The photographer caught their subject in an instance of full plumage – a striking moment in nature.”

Frank Brinker won second place with “Low-flying Fisherman.”

In second place was Frank Brinker from Oberageri, Switzerland, with a photograph of a black skimmer titled “Low-flying Fisherman.”

“Wildlife photography combines subject and opportunity with patience and skill,” said judge Kyle Sweet, a wildlife photographer himself. “This photo truly exemplifies all of these. Not only is the fisherman in full focus, but the plight of the prey is as well, making this photo truly worthy of the award.”

Kathleen Colligan from Pennsylvania, took third place with “Mangrove Tree Crab.” Judge and “Ding” Darling Refuge Manager Bob Gerwig commented: “The mangrove tree crab is an often-overlooked animal that is an essential component to red mangrove ecosystems. This photograph draws the viewer in with lots of textural elements and observes the rule of thirds.”

Third-place winner was Kathleen Colligan’s “Mangrove Tree Crab.”

The three winners received cash awards from DDWS – $300 for first place, $225 for second, and $175 for third. Each honorable mention winner received a $25 award, which reflects a refund of the contest entry fee.

The winning photographs and honorable mention award entries will be on display in the “Ding” Darling Visitor & Education Center throughout the year.

To view all top-ranking entries, visit dingdarlingsociety.org/articles/photo contests. The page also contains information for entering the photo contest in 2024. The deadline for submissions will be Sep. 15, 2024. ¦

A picture is worth a thousand words and it is only through photography that one can convey feelings that touch our hearts, said Andhra Pradesh High Court judge K. Manmadha Rao.

He was speaking at the award-presenting ceremony for a contest organised by India International Photographic Council and Photography Academy of India in association with A.P. State Creativity and Culture Commission. Justice Manmadha Rao congratulated the photographers on winning the prize and appreciated their work.

Thirty-one photographers and photojournalists from both the Telugu States received the awards, which included nine awards in ‘Journalism’ category and nine in ‘Festivals’ category, two ‘Lifetime Achievement’ awards and eleven memorial awards. A sum of ₹1 lakh is set aside for prize money, the cash award for the first prize winner being ₹5,000.

Four photographers from The Hindu including Special News Photographer K.V.S. Giri (Vijayawada), Vudimudi Peddi Raju from Visakhapatnam, Senior News Photographer G.N. Rao and Kommuri Srinivas from Ongole bagged awards for their work in different categories.

Former MP Gokaraju Gangaraju also attended the programme, held at Balotsava Bhavan in Vijayawada.

Robert Burnette was arrested on 47 felony charges in May 2022 after authorities said he was caught taking photos of and recording students.

Now, one of the students and her mother are worried Burnette may not get the punishment they think he deserves.

Maleena Rector, now a senior at Madison County High, was a freshman when she walked into Burnette’s math class in August 2020.

She said she and her friends got “weird vibes” from their teacher, but it was a few months before events took a turn.

“I was wearing a tank top, skirt, cardigan, just a normal September outfit. And I have horrible posture, so I was slouched down on my computer. And that’s when I saw that he was taking a picture of me,” Rector said.

She said she called Burnette out in front of the class and, while he denied taking the photo, Rector said she knew what happened.

Rector rode home with her best friend and her dad from school that day and immediately broke down crying, her mom Shelly Moriarty said.

“When she saw her best friend’s father, she broke down in tears and he asked, of course, what was wrong. And she said I think I caught my teacher trying to take a picture and look down my shirt,” she said.

Moriarty said she went to the principal’s office that day and, when she left the meeting with the principal, she was told there would be an investigation.

She said it was almost two weeks before school officials contacted them to explain Burnette’s reason for taking the photo.

“He was doing a project on the effects of teaching during COVID to show social distancing, masks,” Moriarty said she was told.

While Moriarty said that explanation never sat right with her, time moved on and so did they.

Rector recalled her time after that in Burnette’s class, saying it seemed odd how much freedom they had.

“Doing TikTok videos and he would allow us to make TikTok videos even if we weren’t done with our work,” she said.

Rector said there was a closet Burnette would students use to hang out in, just one of many things he did that was odd for a teacher to do.

Worried, Moriarty went to the principal’s office for a second time to express her concerns.

“There’s a line there, and a line was being crossed,” she said.

Moriarty said she even tried to get Rector switched into a different math class, but there weren’t any other teachers and Rector needed the credits.

For Moriarty, her feelings about the incident never went away — it was a constant conversation.

Finally, on May 24, 2022, they received a phone call.

Moriarty recalled Rector calling her on the phone, sobbing. her daughter had received a text from one of her friends showing Burnette’s mugshot.

“He had 47 felonies, and she said you know it was true, he was taking pictures of you,” Rector said.

They got a call from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office shortly after, and that’s when Moriarty said they were told authorities had found photos of Rector and Burnette had placed secret cameras in the classroom.

Moriarty said she was hurt and angry and wondered why the photos and camera were not found when they originally took their concerns about Burnette to the principal.

“That’s when they told me that there was never an investigation — the sheriff’s department was never notified, the DSS was never notified,” Moriarty said.

Moriarty said, if school officials had just done their jobs, there wouldn’t be more than 15 victims now.

“It was a large slap in the face, to say the least,” Moriarty said.

Rector said she knew she was right and it really hurt her mental health because she’s had a hard time trusting men, especially teachers.

Since the incident in 2020 and Burnette’s arrest in 2022, it’s been a slow process to justice, Rector said.

“You go to court, it gets continued, like, everything, I feel like, is just being put under the rug,” she said.

Since everything came to light, Moriarty said they’ve learned Rector was the first person to come forward and accuse Burnette. But he was finally arrested when another victim recorded him in the act.

“She caught him coming to look over, acting like he was checking her work, and she caught him taking a picture down her shirt,” Moriarty said.

Moriarty said the victims and their parents recently had a meeting with the district attorney’s office to discuss a plea deal with Burnette and what it would look like.

“The DA says, ‘OK, each victim will get one felony and one felony alone that he will be charged with.’ So, that takes the number of felonies from 47 to under 20. He will receive no jail time, he will just receive probation,” Moriarty said.

She said Burnette will also be put on the sex offender list.

“I don’t understand why he’s not going to go to jail for this,” Rector said.

News 13 reached out to the district attorney’s office for a comment regarding the plea deal but has not gotten a response.

Nonetheless, Rector said she is trying to use her experience to be a voice for other girls who may have gone through or are going through a similar situation.

“I want to make a difference, and I want other girls who are going through something like this and are too scared to speak up, I want them to speak up,” she said.

According to the Madison County Superior Court website, Burnette’s court date is set for Jan. 2, 2024.

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Although my photography usually focuses on watching tiny birds through a long lens, I also enjoy taking portraits and I love the way that monochrome can highlight texture and mood.

This image, Secrets, grew in my mind as I watched a workshop at Knox Photographic Society (KPS). Other members were photographing each other snapping the book closed and capturing the puff of talcum powder that shot upwards – they captured some beaut images that way.

Other ideas came to my mind as I watched, and when I spotted Mario quietly watching the proceedings I knew he’d be the perfect subject. I was stoked when he agreed to be a model.

I wanted to photograph Mario’s profile as he held the book open and blew the powder. The scene was lit from the front and the trick was to press the shutter button when the swirl of ‘smoke’ was at its most dramatic. I kept Mario to the right of the frame to allow room for the powder to billow and to minimise the need to crop.

Post processing was simple but critical to get the effect that was in my imagination. I converted to monochrome by decreasing the saturation of individual colours 100% in Lightrooms’ HSL/Colour tab, and by slightly increasing the orange luminance. I removed numerous distracting specks of powder and obscured the check pattern on Mario’s collar by using the adjustment brush to lower the exposure.

I raised and lowered highlights in different parts of the image to eliminate distracting highlights and to give definition to some parts of the shot that were too subtle without enhancement. I deepened the blacks and added a little clarity to the ‘smoke’ to enhance the swirls.

I needed to control the highlights on Mario’s clothing and define the shape of his head while keeping the deep shadow to the righthand side and in other parts of the image. I wanted the shot to look timeless and mysterious; I wanted to capture the viewers’ imagination.

My thanks to the fabulous KPS for setting up the workshop, and especially to Mario for agreeing to be my model. ❂ 

As outdoor recreation areas become more crowded, the adverse effects on the landscape become more evident. Landscape photographers can help set the example by practicing Nature First Principles while we are out in nature photographing these beautiful scenes.

Are you a landscape photographer? Are you familiar with the Nature First Principles? If not, you should be. As landscape photographers, we are in the public’s eye more than most. We can help set the example to help protect our natural environment through our actions. 

In 2019, a group of nature photographers formed the Nature First organization and established a set of seven principles to prioritize the protection of nature. Practicing landscape photographers should familiarize themselves with these principles, lead by example, and help spread knowledge of these principles through their friends and workshops they might lead. 

There are seven principles to the Nature First approach for your photography.

Prioritize Nature Over Photography

When approaching a photography scene, remember to prioritize nature over your photograph. This might mean not going into a sensitive area, even if the best angle for the photo is there. It might mean honoring a rule or regulation for the area you are photographing in. Whatever the situation, always prioritize the well-being of nature over getting the shot.

Learn About the Areas You Photograph

Take time to educate yourself about the areas you photograph in. Learning more about an area often gives you more insight as to why there are certain restrictions. From sensitive plants to cryptobiotic soil, there are often science-based reasons you should avoid hiking off-trail or disturbing certain areas of nature. Learning about these areas helps keep you safe and explain to others why the area is protected.

Think About the Impact of Your Actions

It is always good to pause and think about the impact of your actions. From the damage your actions may take to the example it may set for others, stop and take a moment to think about your impact on the environment around you. If your action could lead to harm — going off trail, climbing a fence, moving a rock — rethink your action and make a choice that does not cause the area potential harm.

Don’t Share Locations

Be very cautious if sharing locations and seriously consider not sharing locations. As landscape photographers, we like to go out and photograph amazing scenes. But, before you share the location, take a moment to think about the infrastructure around that location. Can it handle crowds of people, cars, foot traffic, etc.? If not, don’t share the location, as it can lead to an adverse impact on areas that are not ready for a high volume of visitors.

Follow the Rules

Part of being a responsible landscape photographer is knowing the rules of the areas you visit. This can range from hours of visitation, to acceptance of off-trail hiking, to whether flying a drone is permitted or not. 

Take the time to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations of an area you visit and follow those rules. They have likely been put in place to protect the area we want to photograph for future visitors. Don’t be the one breaking the rules, be the one setting the example.

Leave No Trace

Even with all of the above, leave no trace! When you leave a location, it should look like you were never there. Don’t leave trash, don’t leave markings, and don’t damage the area. 

In fact, do better, and if you see trash out on the trail, pick it up and help leave an area better than you found it! As visitor numbers increase, I continue to see more and more trash left behind by the multitudes not practicing leave no trace principles. Lead by example.

Educate Others

Again, lead by example. Help educate the friends you go out practicing landscape photography with, and teach your workshop clients these Nature First Principles. As people who spend a significant amount of time outdoors, we have a unique opportunity to help guide others and teach these principles newer generations may have yet to learn. 

I strive to practice Nature First principles on all of my outings. I even include key principles in my workshop informational emails leading up to my landscape photography workshops and during the course of a workshop.

If you want to learn more about the Nature First Principles, you can read about them on their website. I encourage all landscape photographers to practice the principles and be an example when outdoors practicing landscape photography.

The route to Benjamin Rinenbach’s career was not direct, even though photography has been a lifelong passion.

“I’ve always been fascinated by photography,” said Rinenbach, 46, an award-winning Rancho Bernardo photographer. “Since I was a kid, before I could read, I was looking at ‘National Geographic’ magazines, fascinated by the pictures.”

Throughout his life, in the military, working in construction and as a firefighter/paramedic, Rinenbach said he always took photos with whatever camera he had, be it a point-and-shoot or smartphone. But it was not until six years ago that on a whim he decided to pursue photography seriously.

“A spinal fusion and a drunken late night camera purchase on eBay changed his path forever,” he wrote on his website, rinenbachphotography.com.

This photo by Benjamin Rinenbach is called “4 minutes at Sunset Cliffs.”

(Benjamin Rinenbach)

That path is taking him this weekend to the San Diego Convention Center, where Rinenbach will be among the 95 exhibitors representing hundreds of artists from around world at the 15th annual Art San Diego fair.

Rinenbach plans to exhibit around 20 photos, ranging from 12-inch square to 30-by-40-inch images. Last year, he won Art San Diego’s “Best Solo Exhibitor” award during his debut at the event.

“It was a nice shot in the arm, overwhelming,” Rinenbach said about his award. “I am extremely humbled and appreciative of it.”

Art San Diego is organized by the Redwood Art Group, which holds contemporary art and design fairs across the United States. In addition to the exhibits, the event will feature art labs that provide interactive experiences. The fair has also partnered with Monarch School, Humble Design and Arts District Liberty Station. Artwork purchased through this partnership will benefit downtown San Diego’s Monarch School, which educates elementary through high school students who are homeless.

A self-taught photographer, Rinenbach’s inspirations are photographers Edward Curtis and Ansel Adams, along with film directors John Ford and Sergio Leone.

The Chicago native said during the early parts of his life he lived “a predominately left-brain existence.” This included being a skateboarder, gymnast and “secretly” writing poems while serving as an Army infantryman and working in construction. A back injury six years ago while firefighting in Chicago ended his 12-year career as a firefighter/paramedic.

During his recovery he started pursuing his right-brain creative side.

“I wanted to explore and experiment with the artistic side of myself,” Rinenbach said. “I have fallen in love with it.”

His preference is for black-and-white photography: “I find color to be distracting. I like shadows, shapes, contours and contrasts. I find no benefit of those in color. I love looking at black-and-white. It is emotive and suiting to my eyes. It is interesting to my eyes.”

Benjamin Rinenbach took this photo at Joshua Tree National Park. He calls it “Josh at Dusk.”

(Benjamin Rinenbach)

Three years ago Rinenbach, his wife Christa, who grew up in Scripps Ranch, and their now 15-year-old son, Ben, and 13-year-old daughter, Cam, moved to Rancho Bernardo. Leaving Chicago, where the couple met, and moving to San Diego to be closer to his wife’s family was something they had wanted to do for a long time, he said.

Since moving here, Rinenbach said he has found lots of creative inspiration. He calls most of his photos “desert and coastal noir,” so he has many options within a short drive. Taking photos of the Pacific Ocean and San Diego’s coastal areas is a given for local photographers, he said, but some of his favorite spots are in San Diego’s desert.

“For me, to have the ability to be in a place where I can look at the horizon in any direction and there is nobody between in that chunk of the world, but yourself, the critters and clouds … there is great peace. It is humbling. There is nothing man-made. It is just mother nature in any direction.”

His favorite lighting is overcast. He said he often does long exposures, letting the lens stay open from two to eight minutes.

“The cloud cover or water collaborates with you … with the clouds you do not have any blown-out highlights from the sun, which is too harsh,” he said. “It is just natural filtered light that provides great photo opportunities.”

Rinenbach said he enjoys the process, which requires him to be patient and slow down. “I can’t wander away, so I am forced to be patient and enjoy the scene before me. It is about more than a cool snapshot, but the process for me.”

This photo by Benjamin Rinenbach is “4 minutes at Cabrillo.”

(Benjamin Rinenbach)

Rinenbach’s daughter Cam sometimes accompanies him on his photography road trips that may have no set destination. He stops when inspiration strikes.

“My daughter is very invested in it, has a decent camera and gear, and explores with me,” he said. “Not long from now she will be a far superior photographer than I am.”

He did not start out doing landscape photography. Initially, he took whatever jobs he could get, which is why he has several photos of ballet dancers on his website. He started working with a ballet company in Chicago, which led to him not only photographing the dancers, but their families who liked his experimental and artistic style.

“I loved it,” Rinenbach said about working with the dancers. “I figured that work was not too far astray, very emotive and high contrast … it was a good fit for my style.”

Even now, when creating some of his visual arts pieces that often incorporate multiple levels of glass with his photography, he will overlay a photo of a dancer with a landscape scene to create a new image.

“It is other worldly,” Rinenbach said of the final image.

Benjamin Rinenbach took this 4-minute long exposure of the Ocean Beach pier. He calls it “Oceanic Shavasana.”

(Benjamin Rinenbach)

Rinenbach said he enjoyed exhibiting his work at last year’s Art San Diego and that it led to several commissions for him. For example, he was hired by San Diego biotech company Illumina to help decorate its building. He contributed work that incorporated acrylic and wood with his photography and was involved in the installation’s coordination so all the artwork complements the building’s design.

Some of his mixed-media is 3D photography sculptures that weigh 50 to 100 pounds due to the multiple layers of glass.

Art San Diego

Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Where: San Diego Convention Center, Hall E, 111 W. Harbor Drive, Downtown

Tickets: $10-$30 (parking not included)

Online: redwoodartgroup.com/art-san-diego

Himchak writes for the U-T Community Press.

At MoMA, her images of Vietnam, the American South and the California desert show the vanishing line between boot camp and theater, fiction and truth. They are tour-de-force beautiful.