Photographers make impression

***image1***The 435th Services Squadron Ramstein Youth Programs hosted the first ImageMakers Photography Exhibit March 1.
“It was a complete success,” Youth Director Dorothy Choate said, “We had more than 50 photographs entered into the exhibit.”
ImageMakers National Photography Program is a Boys and Girls Club comprehensive photography program encouraging youth 6 to18 years old to express themselves in new and exciting ways through photography.
The winning photos from this first local ImageMakers exhibit at Ramstein will be forwarded on to the regional exhibit in Yokota, Japan. The winners will then have the chance to be nominated to the Boys and Girls Club of America National Exhibit.
“We are so excited that our photos may move on to the national level,” said Jacquelyn Gentz, 17, one of the exhibit participants.
The exhibit consisted of five age group categories: 9 and under, 10 to 12, 13 to 15 and 16 to 18. There was also a photo essay worth a $3,000 college scholarship for 16 to 18 year olds.
Each category consisted of four subcategories: color process, digital process, alternative process and black and white photography.
The Ramstein winners were chosen from each age group and category by a panel of three judges with photography backgrounds.
“The exposure, lighting, placement and capture of the subjects in all of the pictures was impressive — it was hard to make the final decision as to which photos would move on to the regional exhibit,” commented one of the judges on the judging sheet.
“We were so impressed with the level of maturity from all of the photos,” said Chris Ladouceur, 435th Services Squadron marketing assistant, another of the judges.
The winning photographers, whose works will be submitted to the regional exhibit, include: Wyatt Lebrun, 9; Logan Curran, 6; Miranda Luna, 11; Davin Lerma, 10; Jordan White, 13; Jacquelyn Gentz, 17 and Catherine Bischoff, 17.
“It is totally awesome that my picture has the chance to move on to the national exhibit. I am so excited,” said Miranda when told her picture was chosen.
Catherine was also excited to learn her photo essay was being forwarded to the regional exhibit in Japan.
“I love photography. It gives me the chance to draw any image without using stick figures,” she said.
When reminded of her chance to win the National Photo Essay Contest for a $3,000 college scholarship she said, “I don’t know who is more excited, me or my parents.”
The photo exhibit will be displayed throughout March at the Ramstein Youth Center.
“We are looking forward to our digital photography club and Imagemakers photography program really taking off here at the Youth Center,” said Ms. Choate, who expects more submissions next year.