Portsmouth Photographer Grabs Top Spot in 'Beautiful Middletown' Contest

Local Aquidneck Island residents again dominated the top awards categories in this year's annual "Beautiful Middletown" photography contest.

The winners of the were announced and prizes were awarded at the Fourth Annual  held Sunday at Paradise Park. 

Building on the success of the  first photography contest held in 2010, this year’s theme was "The Four Seasons of Middletown." The contest attracted entries from nearly two dozen area photographers, according to organizers.

"It was with great difficulty that the judges from the Photographer’s Guild of the Newport Art Museum culled the three most outstanding photographs from the gallery and announced the winners," Middletown Historical Society Vice President Gary D. Paquette stated in an announcement.

This year's Grand Prize Winner is Middletown resident Michael Miller for his photograph entitled “Nelson Pond,” which Paquette described as "stunning."

The Second Prize Winner is Paula Visnoski for “The Last Stand,” an "evocative depiction of the end of summer," said Paquette.

Rounding out the top field is Portsmouth resident Eric Full, who took home Third Prize for “Winter Sunrise.” Full's submission was beautifully composed, Paquette said. Full also placed third in 2010.

In addition to the top three winners, two Honorable Mentions were awarded, both to Miller for his two photographs entitled “Snow Fence” and “Surfer’s End.”

Each of the winning photographers took home a monetary award from the Middletown Historical Society and the Grand Prize winner additionally received a certificate redeemable toward a course at Newport Art Museum & Art Association's art school, the Minnie and Jimmy Coleman Center for Creative Studies.

The winning entries will soon be posted on the Middletown Historical Society website.

The Middletown Historical Society extended its thanks to the Newport Art Museum, The Photographer’s Guild of the Newport Art Museum and the staff at  for their support in making this year's contest a great success.