Bear Aware, Blue Ridge Parkway, the Chestoa Overlook, near Milepost 320. By Carol Haff.
Judge’s comments: This image is about being at the right place at the right time, but also having the right lens and settings. The bear comes forward with the shallow depth of field. The light is nice giving texture to it’s fur. I feel a sense of fear for the photographer for sticking around this long. A 200mm lens doesn’t give much time to get out of the way.

Striking A Pose, Colfax. By Elaine Moorefield.
Judge’s comments: Bird shots take some skill. You need good timing and a long lens. In addition a quick capture, this image has a good sense of design with a diagonal line leading your eye around the image and back to the sweet face of this blue bird. The background is also not distracting as the photographer chose a good, shallow f/stop.

Hatchling Veiled Chameleon, Huntersville. By Michael Martin.
Judges’ comments: This photo is very well executed. The light gives detail to the chameleon’s small cracks, bumps and textures. The photographer choose a good f stop, allowing us to see those by makings and making them sharp. The chameleon’s size if featured by having it perched on the pencil eraser. It showcase the amazingly small size of this colorful animal.

Parkway Cabin in the Fog, Mile Post 283.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. By Ted Alley.
Judge’s comments: The balance of colors between the glowing green grass and the purple hue of the sky make this photo pretty. But, the added element of the earie fog is what made this stand out for me.

Amidst the Leaves, Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens, Belmont. By Jean Leatherman.
Judge’s comments: The whimsical feeling in this picture instantly separated it from some of the others. I like how the scraggly leaves a mimicked in the pattern of the girl’s dress. And I love that the photographer was able to convey a “sense of place” without needing to show a wide landscape.

Lake Lure Allure. By Seth Wilson.
Judge’s comments: I loved the thoughtful composition of this picture. The lines of the dock, the siding, and the bench pulling the viewer in, and nicely framing the subject and the landscape.

Ghost Trees of Fort Fisher. By Vicki Kohler.
Judge’s comments: The light, composition, and tonal richness of this landscape photo are impeccable. I feel pleasantly transported by the ethereal atmosphere of sunlit fog and wind swept scrub oak trees.

Bull Bowling, Hunt Horse Complex in Raleigh. By Scott Luihn.
Judge’s comments: This is a great action photo, and an excellent example of famed father of photography Henri Cartier-Bresson’s term “the decisive moment.” I am thrilled and captivated by the danger and excitement of this moment of man vs beast.

Leap of Faith, Earthshine Discovery Center, Lake Toxaway. By Liz Chancellor.
Judge’s comments: This is a fun and quirky photo with a unique vantage point and interesting subject matter that make it stand out. I love the square format, graphic symmetry, and slightly disorienting effect of the upside down looking figure suspended high in the trees.

Helen Heading Shrimp in Varnumtown in southeast Brunswick County. By Vicki Kohler.
Judge’s comments: By rendering this photo in black and white, the photographer creates a photo that feels timeless. It also places focus on the lighting in the space. You see the wrinkles in her face and hands, and how the textures of her skin relate to the metal bucket. Makes you wonder just how much work those hands have done over the years.

Fly Baby, Seaside Club Wrightsville Beach. By Cornelia Ruttkay.
Judge’s comments: There’s a feeling of freedom, vitality, and fun all wrapped in this beautiful shot from the North Carolina coast. What makes this photo stand out is the photographer’s use of the sunset as a backlight to silhouette the subjects, which captures their body forms in an expressive, uncluttered, and easily understandable way.

When I’m Old, Wilmington. By Mike Melnotte.
Judge’s comments: This photo immediately grabs you because of the swimmer’s eyes. The limited color palette, the straight-on composition, and water-level angle that reinforces the swimmer’s gaze makes this one of the most captivating photos submitted in this category.

Foggy River Sunrise, Lockwood Folly River, Supply. By Terrah Hewett.
Judge’s comments: Taken at just the right moment, this image really showcases a strong subject surrounded by some magical lighting conditions.

Harkers Island Sunset. By Keith Wall.
Judge’s comments: I love how serene this image is, it captures a scene you don’t see every day in a composition that makes the most of the conditions and really shows off that spectacular sunset.

Shackleford Island Water Trail. By Tomas Lonka.
Judge’s comments: This one has a great composition with a very strong sense of space, the classic blue/gold color combination, and is clean and sharp without being over-processed.