Lemont Man Vying for Prize in Smithsonian Photo Contest

Photo by Frank Miles Richert

Lemont resident Frank Richert’s photo has been selected as a finalist for the Smithsonian’s contest looking for the best photo worldwide depicting Americana.

It was a bitterly cold morning in January 2013 when Richert’s mom told him to turn on the news, so he could see for himself an “unusual spectacle” on the city’s South Side.

On the screen, footage of an abandoned warehouse on fire at Ashland Avenue and 38th Street and Chicago, with firefighters battling the blaze—and the elements. Water from their hoses froze as it hit the air.

“I knew I had to see this scene with my own eyes,” Richert wrote of the scene. “I immediately grabbed my trusty Nikon D40X and off to S. Ashland & W. 38th we went with great anticipation.”

The immense fire had spread throughout the building, which was one full block in length. The outside temperatures were far below freezing, so the spray from the fire hoses essentially froze everything in its path.

“It was aesthetically spectacular!” Richert wrote.

“I feel this particular photo is quite special in that it captures a specific moment in time that depicts true heroism of the brave women and men of the Chicago Fire Department, but without a single person in the photo,” he said. “On the left side of the frame there exists life—which is the one thing every firefighter stands for; on the right side of the frame everything is lifeless, empty, burned … and now frozen, too.”

Voting takes place online through March 30 at 5 p.m. ET. He is one of 60 finalist selected from over 26,500 entries, taken by photographers from 93 different countries.

Photo editors selected ten finalists per category—Natural World, Travel, People, Americana, Altered Images and Mobile. Smithsonian editors will choose a $2,500 grand prize winner from all the photos and a $500 category winner. Voters will also choose a Readers’ Choice winner. The photograph that receives the most votes will receive a $500 cash prize and be announced alongside our Grand Prize and category winners on March 31.

Click here to vote.