By: Molly Hanzidiakou
It’s easy to take a photo of a smile, tears or a multi coloured sunset. However, the hard part is showing this in a different way; one that has never been seen before.
The 2013 Project Imagine Photography Contest, put on by the Students Association to share creative photos that students of the college have taken during the past year was an effort to do just that. There was one grand prize winner and three runner-ups. The photographs will be displayed in student commons.
Cody Grant
Cody Grant was the grand prize winner of project Imagine Photography Contest. As his prize Grant won a DSLR Canon camera.
Grant is in the mechanical engineering technology program. Outside of school he has his own business of filming wedding videos.
From taking videos, Grant transferred to the photography world.
Last summer Grant was taking video and pictures near the Ottawa River and Parliament buildings.
“I took it at the Champlain Statue as a storm was moving into Ottawa,” said Grant.
Grant took several pictures of the storm clouds making their way closer to the city. The one he submitted for the competition was a combination of two pictures he took blended together.
David Johnson
David Johnson was one of the three runner-ups for the photo contest. As the runner-up prize, each contestant was given a large canvas print of their winning photo.
Johnson is a first-year student in the business and administration program.
Six years ago, he got his first camera.
“When I got my first camera it was very exciting,” said Johnson. “I had to fiddle around with it at first.”
After a while, Johnson started to buy new gear and add onto his camera. After leaving his retail job, he became more interested in taking photos. With only two years’ experience with his camera, Johnson created his own business as a professional photographer taking headshots.
Last May, Johnson and his father took a trip to Zion National Park in Utah. He took many pictures throughout his journey so when he saw the posting for the contest on Facebook, he thought one of them should be submitted.
With help from his parents, Johnson was able to narrow down his pictures to the one he would use for the competition.
“There were a few pictures that I was looking at, but this one is the one that wowed me,” said Johnson.
Kayla Pihlainen
Kayla Pihlainen was also a runner-up for the photo contest.
In her one year pre-nursing program, Pihlainen will be headed to Kingston next year for start the Bachelor of science and nursing program.
In September 2011 Pihlainen took a year off school and travelled to New Zealand. After backpacking around the country and staying in hostels, she returned home in August 2012.
Along the way she took many pictures with a regular point and shoot camera.
“I took a lot of pretty pictures so I thought I would use one of them,” said Pihlainen.
Out of all her pictures, the one Pihlainen submitted was her favourite one. The picture is of Lake Matheson in New Zealand.
Another runner-up, Victoria Lambert, could not be reached for an interview for this story.