Below are some of the recognitions and awards that showcase Betsy’s photography.
“Happy to See You!” First Place, Chester County Camera Club competition open category, October, 2024
Students at the National School of Ballet in Havana were not shy about having their photo taken while on a break between lessons.
“Cindyanne’s Eggs” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club competition open category, October, 2024
Betsy’s sister lived on a farm with a friend for awhile after finding herself suddenly homeless after her house burned down. While living on the farm she helped put with the daily farm chores including gathering these colorful eggs. Betsy placed them in a gentle curve and added some dramatic light to accentuate their beautiful form.
“Looking for the Light” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club competition open category, September, 2024
Taken at the National School of Ballet in Havana, our workshop leader, Ramses Batista, guided us to wonderful locations to highlight dancers within the amazing architecture.
“Bubblegum Dreaming” Peoples Choice First Place for Chester County Camera Club year 2023-2024, and First Place Chester County Camera Club competition open category, May, 2024
While riding in a van touring the streets of Havana, Betsy noticed these two young girls walking along enjoying their friendship and their balloons. She snapped this image from the van and was fascinated by the juxtaposition of the innocence of the girls with the serious glare of the man in the window.
“Spirited Away” First Place, Chester County Camera Club, May, 2024
The assigned category was “It’s a painting”, and Betsy used a painterly texture to give some depth and drama to this image of a street balcony in Havana.
“Under the Hood” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, March, 2024
The assigned category was “Decay”, and Betsy enlisted the help of our ever-willing model, “Uncle Dudley” This set-up was taken at the Airplane and Truck Graveyard in South Jersey, a wonderful place to photograph a never ending supply of rust and decay. Jim set up an external flash to get some light on Dudley under the hood.
“Speed” Third Place, Chester County Camera Club, November, 2023
The assigned category was “Ha ha – That’s so funny”. This image was created for a Chester County Camera Club Summer Challenge with the theme of Movie Titles, to illustrate the movie “Speed”. As she often does, Betsy asked our dog Shadow to be the model for the image.
“Sneak Peek” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, November, 2023
The assigned category was “Ha ha – That’s so funny”, and Betsy asked Jim to pose in front of this fun, gigantic sculpture at Grounds for Sculpture in New Jersey. The image of our dog Shadow was added later.
“Fallen” First Place, Chester County Camera Club, October, 2023
The assigned category was “A Worm’s Eye View”, and Betsy got down on the ground with a fisheye lens to achieve this unique perspective in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.
“Pachyderm Dermis” First Place, Chester County Camera Club, September, 2023
The assigned category was “wrinkles, and Betsy chose to share an image of an elephant from a trip to Botswana a few years earlier.
“Sly Fox Cyclocross” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, May, 2023
Yes, Betsy got quite wet and muddy getting this shot. Cyclocross is a fun place to practice motion panning, and when she saw this deep puddle in the path of the cyclists, she knew it would make a good shot. The mud was worth it!
“Kelsey’s Birthday Gift” First Place, Chester County Camera Club, May, 2023
We do not have a lot of willing models to help us develop our photography skills. Learning about portrait lighting, Betsy created this image of our daughter who agreed to pose as a birthday gift.
“Not Dan’s Photo” First Place, Chester County Camera Club, March, 2023
Taken at the annual Philadelphia Dog Show, Betsy entered this image to give a humorous wink to her friend Dan, who entered the same image of a dog on a man’s shoulder nineteen times before it finally scored a ribbon. So this entry did indeed get quite a laugh among the CCCC members, and it unexpectedly scored a ribbon on the first try.
Live, Laugh, Bark” First Place, Chester County Camera Club, December, 2022
Betsy captured this portrait of a charismatic dog at the National Dog Show, which takes place in November in Oaks, PA. It is a fun event to photograph, then watch the televised highlights on Thanksgiving Day.
“Middle Creek Migration” Third Place, Chester County Camera Club, December, 2022
The assigned category was repetition. Betsy created this image by taking multiple images in burst mode, then blending them together in photoshop. The judge commented that the pattern created by the repetition of the birds created the illusion of larger birds in flight.
“Misty Morning Solitude” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, September, 2022
The assigned category was negative space. This image was taken on a chilly sunrise at Lower St. Regis Lake in the Adirondacks.
“Fruit and Vegetables” Second Place, Philadelphia Flower Show, June, 2022
The assigned category was to create an image that was a diptych of fruits and vegetables. Betsy shopped for a colorful assortment and carefully arranged them in a rainbow composition. Then she enjoyed a delicious fruit salad!
“The Fly and the Anemone” Third Place, Philadelphia Flower Show, June 2022
Macro was one of the assigned categories at the Philadelphia Flowers Show, and Betsy was pleased to have this entry accepted. It was shot with a hand-held macro lens at Longwood Gardens. It consists of multiple images combined using focus-stacking in photoshop. It was a nice surprise that a fly decided to pose for the picture!
“Springtime White” Second Place, open color category, Chester County Camera Club, May, 2022
It is fun creating an arrangement that represents what’s in bloom around our yard at any given time. I liked this grouping of dogwood blossoms, white azaleas and lilies-of-the-valley.
“Top Gun Maverick” Second Place, open monochrome category, Chester County Camera Club, May, 2022
Jim coordinated a camera club workshop to the Airplane and Automotive Graveyard in the Jersey Pine barrens. Quite a fascinating place filled with old cars, busses, airplanes and all sorts of assorted junk. Jim brought along “Uncle Dudley” and Betsy placed him inside an old helicopter and used a fisheye lens to get this unique shot.
“Vulture Eggshell” First Place, assigned monochrome category, Chester County Camera Club, January, 2022
The assigned competition topic was “Wabi Sabi”, and for the monochrome category Betsy submitted this image of a vulture egg she found in the woods behind her house. After some research she learned that vultures lay their eggs on the ground, usually near some rocks, which was why it was still mostly intact.
“Sunset Dusting” Third Place, color category, Chester County Camera Club, November, 2021
The assigned competition topic was “Backlit”, and for the color category Betsy submitted this image of elephants “dusting” themselves at Elly Bay, on the Chobe River in Botswana. The elephants would first splash water onto their hides, then kick up dust to cover their skin. It not only keeps them cool, it also protects them from pesky parasites.
“Laurel Hill Heavenly Light” Third Place, Chester County Camera Club, November, 2021
The assigned competition topic was “Backlit”. Betsy took this shot at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia during midday. The bright sun was creating some challenging photo circumstances, until she saw the flare of the sun peeking through this opening in a cross. She kept moving her position to line up the sun just in the right place, then used a small aperture to emphasize the sunburst effect.
“Backlit in Botswana” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, November, 2021
While on a phot safari in Chobe National park in Botswana, our photo instructor, Sabine Stols, encouraged us to try some backlit images during the harsh midday sun. She helped us determine the best camera settings to capture the texture of the feathers highlighted by the sun.
“Falling Skateboarder” Third Place in the Pennsylvania Magazine photo contest, published Nov/Dec 2021.
This image of a skateboarder in action was taken at Philadelphia’s FDR Skatepark, built below an I-95 overpass at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park. Skaters received permission to build the park in 1996, and it was constructed through donations and volunteer labor.
“Cover – Wooden Canoe Magazine” Summer 2021.
On the Cover: A wooden canoe sits in the morning mist on Pinchot Lake in the Gifford Pinchot State Park. This canoe was built by Jim for our daughter, Alex.
“The Dance of the Ant” Honorable Mention, FOCUS Photography Exhibit, Allentown Art Museum, July 2021.
Betsy has been working on a technique called “shoot through”, when the camera is placed right up against an object but focused on an object behind it, resulting in a soft, dreamy foreground framing of the subject. And wasn’t it nice for that ant to do a happy dance in the picture? This exhibit in the Allentown Art Museum is hosted by the Lehigh Valley Photography Club, and this image was awarded an Honorable Mention.
“Central Park Boats” Honorable Mention, Philadelphia Flower Show, 2021.
A peaceful harmony of people, boats, water, in a beautiful serene setting in Central park, framed by the skyscrapers of New York City. This was part of the juried exhibit of photography at the Philadelphia Flower Show, held outside in FDR Park for the first time due to Covid-19 restrictions.
“Spring Awakening” DPS Honor, Wilmington International Exhibit of Photography, 2021. Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, April, 2021.
When the ferns started sprouting in the spring, a left-over oak leaf from last year hung on and rose up with the fern, hugging it all the way.
“Arabesque” First Place, Chester County Camera Club, March, 2021.
Betsy experimented with combining multiple successive exposures in photoshop to give a feel of movement to this image. The graceful ballerina is Jaime, the Development Director at the Brandywine Ballet.
“Icicle Illusion” Third Place, Chester County Camera Club, February, 2021.
The assigned category was “Surrealism”, and Betsy felt this fit the category. Mysterious and curious, it is difficult to understand how this watery scene was captured. Despite the illusion of motion, in reality, nothing is moving. This is a macro image of an icicle turned on its side.
“Autumn Tempest” DPS Bronze Medal, Wilmington International Exhibit of Photography, 2021. Honorable Mention, Chester County Camera Club, February, 2021.
For the assigned category of “Surrealism”, Betsy created this image by combining an image taken at a ballet photography workshop with one of her “swirlies”.
“Arenal Volcano” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, January, 2021.
Taken from a a small, covered boat as it ferried us across Arenal Lake, giving us spectacular views of the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica.
“Valley Forge Fog” First Place, Holiday/Seasonal Photo Contest, Chester County Camera Club, December, 2020.
There is a peaceful solitude at Valley Forge Park after a snowfall. This image is of Huntington’s Quarters, located across from the chapel, and it was chosen as the first place winner by the membership of the Chester County Camera Club at the annual holiday gathering.
“Switchboard Operator” Honorable Mention, Monochrome, Chester County Camera Club, November, 2020.
An antique texture was applied to this image to give it a vintage look. It was taken at the World War II reenactment in Berks County, PA.
“Warm up the Coffee Pot” Third Place, Monochrome, Chester County Camera Club, October, 2020.
The assigned topic for the competition was “machinery”. Betsy captured this antique steam engine in action at the annual “Threshermens Reunion” event held in Lancaster County, PA.
“Eggshells” Second Place, Monochrome, Chester County Camera Club, April, 2020.
This began as a still life of eggshells nested vertically. Not wanting to remain upright, they fell and scattered into this random composition. This was done with light-painting in a single shot.
“Spring Tapestry” PSA Mid-Atlantic Chapter Gold Medal at the Wilmington International Exhibit of Photography, 2020
A collection of spring flowers from our garden and woods provided the subject matter. The technique was done by carefully arranging the items on a flatbed scanner, than adding post-processing adjustments.
“To Catch a Leaf” First Place, Philadelphia Flower Show, March, 2020
Only monochrome images were accepted into the Philadelphia Flower Show, and this one was awarded First Place. It was taken at Longwood Gardens the year before during the tulip festival.
“Italian Ice” Third Place, Philadelphia Flower Show, March, 2020
This image of a dahlia reflection was honored with a Third Place award at the Flower Show competition.
“Solitude at Sea” First Place, CCCC Peoples Choice annual award, June 2020. First Place, Assigned Color, Chester County Camera Club, November, 2019.
The tide and the sand created an endless pattern of water and sand at sunset at Rock Harbor in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. This lone figure provided the perfect silhouette in this surreal sunset setting.
“To be Young and in Love” Honorable Mention, Assigned Color, Chester County Camera Club, November, 2019.
Trinidad is a kaleidoscope of colorful buildings and colorful people. I felt this image was perfect for the assigned category of “Shadows”, as the shadow in this image tells the story.
“Angels and Demons” First Place, Assigned Monochrome, Chester County Camera Club, November, 2019.
When asked to do a presentation to the camera club on Still Lifes, Betsy experimented with a variety of subjects, including silverware. She was fascinated by the amazing shadows cast by window light one late afternoon. The shadows felt like a gentle, graceful angel on the fork on the top left, but they changed to a devil’s pitchfork on the fork on the right. It reminded her of “good conscience” on one shoulder and “bad conscience” on the other.
“Hangin’ in Havana” First Place, Assigned Color, Chester County Camera Club, October, 2019.
I was intrigued by the composition and the colors in this street scene. The man’s shirt and pants complement the bright pastel colors of the buildings that we saw everywhere in Havana.
“Pumpkins and Grinder” First Place, Open Color, Chester County Camera Club, October, 2019.
After creating a presentation on Still Lifes, Betsy has continued to enjoy creating compositions of seasonal objects.
“Graceful Amanda” First Place, Open Color, Chester County Camera Club, April, 2019, and People’s Choice Award 2019, Second Place, Chester County Camera Club
This is a composite of four images taken with a slow shutter speed to capture the motion blur. The images were from a photo workshop hosted by the Chester County Camera Club at the Brandywine Ballet.
“Whiskers and Kittens” First Place, Open Color, Chester County Camera Club, March, 2019 
“I love cats. I have always loved cats. I must have 60 of them buried in my backyard” .
“Sunflower Embrace” Silver Medal awarded by the Delaware PhotographicSociety at the Wilmington International Exhibition of Photography. March, 2019
I grew these sunflowers in our community garden, and liked the way they related to one another. Maybe a young couple in love, or perhaps a child seeking the comfort of a protective hug from a parent.
“Brightside Garden Bounty” First Place, Tapestry Division, Philadelphia Flower Show, March, 2019
The judges commented that the repetition of colors, shape and line creates an irresistible intimacy with the viewer, bringing each object “to life”.
“Lupine in Iceland” Class Commendation and Honorable Mention, Landscape Division, Philadelphia Flower Show, March, 2019
The judges liked the eerie, dramatic mood created by the exaggerated quality of light, and commented that the strangeness was powerful.
“Roundup” – Honorable Mention, Assigned Digital, Chester County Camera Club, February, 2019
We arrived before sunrise and waited in the morning cold for two hours to witness one of the last great events of the west – the annual Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park in South Dakota. First we heard the distant rumble and saw clouds of dust in the distance. Then the thunder of 1,400 buffalo crescendoed as they rumbled across the meadow below us while being herded by cowboys and cowgirls on horses and in pickup trucks.
“City of Brotherly Love” First Place, Open Monochrome, Chester County Camera Club, January, 2019
Shot with a fisheye lens in the courtyard at City Hall in Philadelphia. This unique perspective shows all four sides of the building surrounding street musician in the courtyard.
Cover of Organist’s Review, December, 2018
“Fresh from the Farm” First Place, Assigned Digital, Chester County Camera Club, September, 2018
All of the vegetables were grown in our community garden at Brightside Farm in Chester County. Photographed using a light-painting technique, this is a composite of multiple images taken in the dark using a small flashlight to “paint with light” each area of the still life.
“In the Water Cooler” Third Place, Assigned Digital, Chester County Camera Club, September, 2018
Photographed in the hotel lobby in Scottsdale Arizona, I was fascinated by the condensation on the outside of the water cooler filled with citrus fruit.
“Boneyard Beach” First Place, Open Digital, Chester County Camera Club, February, 2018
A ferry ride to Bulls Island near Charleston, South Carolina, and then a long walk along a deserted beach takes you to Boneyard Beach. As the ocean currents change the shape of the island, the salt water drowns many trees, leaving skeletons of their former glory. Beautiful and haunting.
“Antelope Canyon” First Place, Monochrome print, Chester County Camera Club, February, 2018
I can finally cross this one off my bucket list – Antelope Canyon in Arizona. An amazing experience just to walk through this natural wonder. Challenging but fun to photograph!
“Chockoloskee Charm” Second Place, Open Color Print, Chester County Camera Club, February, 2018
In the tiny community of Chockoloskee, Florida, the Smallwood Store and Museum is located adjacent to the mangrove jungles of the Everglades. Time stands still in this tiny backroom of the store.
“Shadow the Chef” First Place, Open Color, Chester County Camera Club, November 2017
Quite a mess was made and a lot of patience was needed in the creation of this image. The secret to getting our dog to stay still was a bit of peanut butter on the wooden spoon – good idea Jim!
“The Littlest Soldier” Second Place, Open monochrome, Chester County Camera Club, October 2017
This image was taken at a reenactment of the Battle of the Brandywine. Participants, young and old, get into the spirit of the event and dress and act as they would during the Revolutionary War.
“Cactus Eyelash” Second Place, Berks Photo Society annual conference, March 2017
This image from a cactus in Arizona reminds me of the rolling hills on sand dunes, and the shadows almost look like eyelashes.
“Walking in a Winter Wonderland” People’s Choice First Place, Chester County Camera Club Holiday Party, December 2016
There is nothing so beautiful as Valley Forge Park after a new snowfall. This image was taken from below the arch.
“Bombay Hook Muskrat” published in Estuary News Magazine, Winter 2017
Thrilled that Estuary News Magazine chose one of my images to publish along with an article about Estuary Events. But a bit perplexed when I saw that it went with an announcement for an upcoming fundraiser “Annual Muskrat Dinner!”
“Hopewell Furnace Farm” First Place, People’s Choice Awards 2017, Chester County Camera Club, and First Place, Open Category, Chester County Camera Club, November 2016
Trying out my new fisheye lens for a different effect. I like how it can focus so clearly on objects both near and far.
“Abandoned” Second Place, Assigned Category – “Windows”, Chester County Camera Club, November 2016
Snow was coming inside the broken windows at the abandoned Lonaconing Silk Mill in Maryland. The workers went out on strike in 1953, and left their belongings. The mill never again opened for business.
“Broken Window” First Place, Assigned Category – “Windows”, Chester County Camera Club, November 2016
There is a relatively unknown section of Valley Forge National Park that includes an abandoned farm and barns. The Wagonseller Farm is on the north side of the park and also includes some vegetation-covered rusty old cars.
“Twitch” First Place, Open Color Category , Chester County Camera Club, September 2016, and Third Place, People’s Choice Awards 2017, Chester County Camera Club.
This bundle of fur was part of a craft display at the Ephrata Cloisters. Fur from the rabbit was spun into scarves.
“Inside City Hall” Second Place, Black & White print , Berks Photo Conference, June 2016
This interesting spiral staircase is in Philadelphia’s magnificent City Hall.
“All Forked Up” Third Place, Black & White print , Berks Photo Conference, June 2016
An ordinary kitchen fork takes on a surreal persona when photographed under water droplets.
“St. Louis Chutes and Ladders” Third Place, color print , Berks Photo Conference, June 2016
These chutes used to transport shoes down from the top of a St. Louis shoe factory. Today, people slide down the ten-story slide in the City Museum. This image also appeared as a fold-out poster in the British magazine “Organists Review” in December 2018.
“Fresh from the Farm” Second Place, color print , Berks Photo Conference, June 2016
These vegetables were all from our community garden in Charlestown Township. The technique was done by using a small flashlight to light-paint each area of the composition in multiple layers.
“Valley Forge Spinning Trees” Third Place, Assigned Category – “motion blur”, Chester County Camera Club, April 2016
This technique is a bit tricky to accomplish. It takes two people, one to drive the car and the other to focus the camera on a tree and follow the tree as the car moves. It takes a slow shutter speed and lots of patience, but when it works, it results in a spinning motion that is really cool.
“Night-blooming Cereus”
- First Place, Open Category – Chester County Camera Club, February 2017
- First Place, Berks Photographic Society annual conference, March, 2017
- Published in Philadelphia Stories Magazine, Spring 2016
Honored to be published in Philadelphia Stories magazine, cultivating a community of writers, artists and readers across the Delaware Valley. This amazing plant blooms only once or twice a year and only for one night. The night-blooming cereus begins to open when the sun goes down, and slowly blossoms into a spectacular white flower around midnight. The next morning it is gone – only a drooping limp flowers remains.
“Paddling the Passaic” Third Place, Open Category, Chester County Camera Club, February 2016
We enjoyed a beautiful afternoon paddling with our friends from the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association in North Jersey.
“Wall Street” First Place, Assigned Category, Chester County Camera Club, January 2016
Our Camera Club took a trip to New York City to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, then we took the ferry back across the river and walked up Wall Street. Looking straight up resulted in a nice composition of lines and negative space.
Wooden Canoe Heritage Association Calendar – Cover 2016
Every year we attend the Wooden Canoe Heritage Assembly at Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks. I love getting up early and getting out in the canoe to enjoy the solitude of the morning mist. Our friend Ron had the same idea, and I captured him through the mist as the sun came up and added a nice glow to his beautiful canoe.
“Five Pears” First Place, Open Category, Chester County Camera Club, November, 2015
While visiting Jim’s sister in the Poconos, we enjoyed breakfast at a friend’s house. Linda has a pear tree in her backyard, and she had a bucket full of pears ready to be canned. I asked if I could take a few and she gladly gave me my pick. This image was also featured in the Winter 2017 issue of Philadelphia Stories Magazine.
“Middle Creek” First Place – Delaware Estuary photo contest – “Splash of Fun” category
When seventy-thousand snow geese swarm overhead to find a landing spot on the water at Middle Creek, the sight and the sound is amazing. These women were enjoying the experience on a chilly winter afternoon.
“Valley Creek in Valley Forge” First Place Delaware Estuary photo contest “Schuylkill Shots” category
The autumn colors light up the creek in Valley Forge, one of my favorite places to photograph.
“Marsh Creek Sunrise” Third Place Chester County Camera Club, September, 2015
This was taken Halloween morning on a beautiful, misty, morning sunrise.
“Pygmalion at the Zoo” First Place, assigned category – People at Work, Chester County Camera Club, May, 2015
I was fascinated as this woman worked on her creation at the Philadelphia Zoo. I felt there was quite a strong emotional connection between her and her creation – as if she was adding the heart to her paper-mache masterpiece.
“Batsto Village Barn” Second Place Assigned category – Barns April, 2015
Batsto Village is a favorite stop when we are visiting the Pine Barrens in South Jersey.
“Abandoned Silk Mill” Third Place, open category, Chester County camera Club, April 2015
In Lonaconing, Maryland, there is an abandoned silk mill that provides a gritty, neglected setting and a melancholy atmosphere. The workers went out on strike in 1953, and left their belongings. The mill never again opened for business.
“Philly at Night” Second Place, Assigned category – Architecture, February, 2015
I loved the reflections of the entrance to an underground train station in Center City, Philadelphia.
“Hospital Reef, California” Second Place, Open category – Chester County Camera Club, March 2015
While visiting my brother and his family in Southern California, we took a trip to La Jolla. At sunset we found these marvelous natural potholes scoured into the rock on the beach.
Wooden Canoe Heritage Association Calendar
Selected as the image for January, 2015, this capture is of our friend Susan as we paddled with some friends and a family of loons in the Adirondacks.
“Veiled Chameleon” Second Place open category, Chester County Camera Club, November, 2014
This was taken at a workshop led animal photographer David FitzSimmons. He has a series of books called Curious Critters and he brings his lighting setups along with a few interesting creatures to his workshops.
“Fly Away Milkweed” First Place open category, Chester County Camera Club, September, 2014
This image was created as part of Mike Moats weekly “Let’s See Your Best Shot” facebook group. The assigned topic was “milkweed” so I found one and brought it home and made this image on a scanner.
BucksMont Magazine cover – Fall, 2014
“Chelsea Market Stroll” First Place open category, Chester County Camera Club, May, 2014
On a camera club outing to walk the High Line in New York City, we enjoyed lunch at the Chelsea Market. While eating sandwiches at small tables set up in the hallway, we noticed the beautiful light coming from the lit floor as shoppers strolled through the market.
“Quiet Cormorant” Second Place assigned category, Chester County Camera Club, May, 2014
At a Road Scholar bike trip through the Everglades, we rented some big lenses to capture a few close ups of birds.
“Inside City Hall” First Place open category, Chester County Camera Club, April, 2014
Jim and I signed up for a tour of City Hall in Philadelphia, the largest municipal building in the United States, containing over 14.5 acres of floor space. It is an architectural treasure inside and out. The exterior is covered with sculpture representing the seasons and continents, as well as allegorical figures, heads and masks. All of the sculpture was designed by Alexander Milne Calder, including the 27-ton statue of William Penn atop the tower. The interior rooms are ornate and lavish – a treasure to behold. After our tour concluded, we explored inside the building and were treated to this multi-story staircase winding down to the bottom floor.
“Spiral Seashell” First Place assigned category, Chester County Camera Club, April, 2014
The assigned topic for the month was “macro or Close-up”. I was fortunate to have participated in a workshop led by a fantastic close-up photographer, Mike Moats, and really enjoyed the magic of looking at objects for an up-close and personal perspective.
“Graffiti Tree” Second Place open category, Chester County Camera Club, March, 2014
There is a fascinating and very unexpected place in Philadelphia. Near Richmond Street is an old decaying pier that once was used to deliver coal by train to waiting barges in the Delaware River. What is left today are graffiti-covered walls on the cement arches that once held the railroad. The arches provide a catacomb-like atmosphere, and street artists provide the ever-changing fascinating artwork.
“New York City Ballet” Third Place open category, Chester County Camera Club, February, 2014
My Christmas present to Jim was a set of tickets to the New York City Ballet. A special treat awaited us as we walked into the spacious promenade of the David H. Koch Theater, where the inlaid travertine marble floor has been covered with a 6,500-square-foot vinyl photograph of more than 80 City Ballet dancers, roughly life size, who are arranged on a sea of crumpled white paper. From above, it becomes clear that the dancers form a gigantic eye. The eye is the work of J R, the French street artist, who is internationally known for mounting large-scale public photography projects around the world. Alas, I did not have my camera, nor tripod, but couldn’t resist capturing the sight of two girls playfully dancing in the center of the eye, so a fuzzy iPhone image would have to suffice.
“Albino Peacock” First Place open category, Chester County Camera Club, January, 2014
At the Grounds for Sculpture in Princeton, NJ, there are hundreds of amazing sculptures; some out in the open, some tucked away in hidden places. And there are quite a few peacocks that wander around the grounds and show off for visitors. I was especially intrigued with this stunning, all-white peacock.
“Chutes and Ladders” Second Place open category, Chester County Camera Club, January, 2014
This is the second winning-photo taken at the fun and eclectic museum in St. Louis called the “City Museum”, an abandoned shoe factory that has been converted into an eclectic museum of oddities and fun. We slid down this ten-story slide with our cameras in our laps during a cocktail reception. We came back the next day with tripods to capture this unique place in the low-light.
“Chapel in the Hills” Third Place open category, Chester County Camera Club, November 2013
The Chapel in the Hills, in Rapid City, South Dakota, is an exact replica of the Borglund stavkirke (stave church) in Laerdal, Norway. The Borgund stavkirke was built around the year 1150 and is considered the most completely preserved stave church still standing in Norway.
“Happy Fizzy Party” Third Place, Chester County Camera Club, November 2013
Another photo from our water drop photo experiments. This is actually a relatively easy technique, using some Rain-x (sold in auto supply stores) on a pane of window glass suspended over an object – in this case a photo of a portrait.
“St. Louis Chutes and Ladders” Third Place, Chester County Camera Club, October 2013
There is a fun and eclectic museum in St. Louis called the “City Museum”, an abandoned shoe factory that has been converted into an eclectic museum of oddities and fun. After climbing up the spiral staircase we went down this ten-story slide! The judge liked the M.C.Escher look to this photograph.
“Skeleton Leaves” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, October 2013
I loved the patterns on the dried bodhi leaves, and so did the judge who awarded this second place in the monochrome patterns in nature category.
“Spiral Pastel” Third Place, Chester County Camera Club, October 2013
The assigned category was “Patterns in Nature”, and this shot was taken at a workshop led by Macro Photographer Mike Moats.
“Longwood Gardens Shadows” Third Place, Chester County Camera Club, September 2013
The afternoon sun created these beautiful shadows on the terrace overlooking the fountains at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA.
“Surreal Scallop Shells” Second Place, People’s Choice Award, Chester County Camera Club, June 2013
Jim and I have had fun playing with different photo techniques. This one involves some Rain-X (made for auto windshields) and water drops on a pane of glass suspended over different objects – in this photo a scallop shell. Having won a First Place award in February, 2013, this photo was included with all first place winners to be voted on by club members for the end-of-year Peoples Choice Award. More Water Drops photos can be seen here.
Cover, Wooden Canoe Magazine, April 2013
My first magazine cover! This photo of beautiful wooden canoes was taken at the annual gathering of wooden canoe enthusiasts at Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks.
“Jefferson Memorial” First Place, Chester County Camera Club, April 2013
Jim and I went into Washington DC for sunrise during Cherry Blossom time to beat the crowds. Early morning light poured into the Jefferson Memorial before it opened to the public. At first I was dissapointed that this worker was in the shot I wanted to take, but then realized that his presence is what told a story and made the shot come alive.
Abandoned Silk Mill” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, March 2013
In Lonaconing, Maryland, there is an abandoned silk mill that provides a gritty, neglected setting and a melancholy atmosphere. The workers went out on strike in 1953, and left their belongings. The mill never again opened for business.
“Washington Window Washers” First Place, Chester County Camera Club, March 2013 
On our way to the Tidal Basin in Washington DC to photograph the Cherry Blossoms, I saw these men dangling on the side of this building, moving from window to window in choreographed precision.
“Reflection” Third Place Chester County Camera Club, February, 2013
I participated in a photo workshop hosted by photographer and former model Lindy Powers at her Chester county farmhouse and studio. The models were wonderful to work with as we learned about getting natural light to illuminate the subject.
“Defiance” Third Place, Chester County Camera Club, February, 2013
On a trip to Virginia Tech to pick up Alex, we stopped at a tiny zoo located up on a hill on the outskirts of Roanoke, Virginia. The dramatic lighting on this lizard made him look rather menacing.
“Pennsylvania State Capital” Third Place, Chester County Camera Club, January 2013 
The beauty of the interior of our State Capital building is staggering. Massive domes are intricately adorned with gold leaf, and exquisite marble staircases guide visitors and government workers from floor to floor.
“Rissers Beach Nova Scotia” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, November 2012. 
The beaches were completely empty of people in Nova Scotia in September. This one had these wonderful patterns carved by the ocean in the sand.
“Peggy’s Cove” Third Place, Chester County Camera Club, October, 2012
We spent two days in Peggy’s Cove hoping to photograph sunrise or sunset at the iconic Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse. It poured rain both days, so alas, no sunset photos. But the coastal charm of this delightful tiny village was undeniable, even in the rain and fog.
“Fireman’s Hall Museum” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, September, 2012
This photo was taken on another Philadelphia outing with the Camera Club to Olde City. We stumbled upon the Fireman’s Museum which has some thought-provoking exhibits along with a few talkative firemen who are happy to share their fascinating stories. This antique fire truck sits in the upstairs gallery facing a window looking out over the Ben Franklin Bridge.
“Velodrome Cycling” First Place, Chester County Camera Club, September, 2012
The assigned category for the camera Club competition was “Motion”, so Jim and I went to the Cycling competition at the Velodrome in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania. Fast-paced and wild, cyclists circle around on a steeply banked track. I tried to pan the camera to focus on the cyclist and show background motion blur. It was difficult to capture the fleeting cyclists, and I had to experiment with shutter speed to get the right exposure.
“Marsh Creek Mist” First Place, Peoples Choice Award, Chester County Camera Club, June, 2012 
This photo was taken at sunrise at Marsh Creek a local lake in Chester County. Having won a First Place award in February, 2012, this photo was included with all first place winners to be voted on by club members for the end-of-year Peoples Choice Award.
“Icelandic Desolation” Third place, Chester County Camera Club, May, 2012
There are areas in Iceland that make one feel as if they are on the moon. We walked in a volcanic area near Myvatn. The combination of the hot steam rising from fissures in the ground with a foggy drizzle in the air resulted in a mysterious, other-worldly atmosphere.
“Lupine in Iceland” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, April 2012
Jim and I hiked up this mountain covered in beautiful Lupine. This was the view outside our hotel window which was located on a road in the middle of nowhere in Iceland. There was no building of any kind for miles before and after this lonely hotel on the side of the mountain.
“Ground Zero” Second Place, Chester County Camera Club, March, 2012
On a cold December day in New York City with our daughter Alex and her friend Adam, we took a subway ride to Ground Zero where the memorial was still under construction and covered by barricades. We visited a small museum about the tragic events of September 11, and when we came back out onto the street, I saw this building with the amazing reflection of clouds and the accent of the American flag.
“Phantom of the Art Museum” First Place, Chester County Camera Club, February, 2012
On a Camera club outing to shoot Philadelphia at night, we were walking towards the reflections of Boathouse Row when I looked down across the river at the back side of the Art Museum. This spiral staircase with it’s dramatic lighting descended to an ominous darkness that looked like a scene out of an old film noir.
“Skogafoss Iceland” Third Place Chester County Camera Club, November 2011
My first award! Still somewhat new to taking photography seriously, I was surprised and honored to win an award at our local camera club, which has so many talented photographers. This photograph is of our oldest child, Kelsey, silhouetted by the powerful Skogafoss Waterfall in Iceland.