Stop & Enjoy: Midpen Open Space's Photo Contest Winners 2018

LOS ALTOS, CA – The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District this week announced the winners of its ninth-annual digital photo contest, including one category new this year -- the youth category for middle- and high school students.

Photographers of all abilities this year submitted nearly 250 images taken in publicly accessible areas of Midpen's 24 open-space preserves throughout the South Bay, Peninsula and San Mateo County coast areas.

"The beauty of nature has always fascinated me," said youth category winner Sohum Phadke, a middle-school student from Sunnyvale. "During a photography field trip with my class, I spotted a stunning acorn woodpecker a little off the trail. This photo made me realize how fun photography really was, and I made it a weekly thing to go out and take photos of nature."

“The contest is a fun way for people using everyday technology, like smartphones and digital cameras, to connect with nature close to home,” said General Manager Ana María Ruiz. “We hope people are inspired to explore their public open spaces, perhaps for the first time, and capture those moments of awe and wonder in nature.”

Winners were chosen by a public vote on Midpen's Facebook page. The first-place winner in each category received a $100 REI gift card. Contest details are at openspace.org/photo-contest.

The 2019 contest will open in the spring.

Until then, view the photos by the following winners:

• Youth: “Perched Woodpecker”, Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, by Sohum Phadke of Sunnyvale.
• Landscape: “Silky Sunrise”, Windy Hill Open Space Preserve, by Jack Lucas of Portola Valley.
• People in Open Space: “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in an office or mowing the lawn – Jack Kerouac”, Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve, by Vedya Konda of San Jose.
• Plant Life: “Thistle Firework”, Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve, by Stephanie Richardson.
• Wildlife: “My Baby”, Thornewood Open Space Preserve, by Serisha Nagothu of San Jose.

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--Images via Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District