Winners of the 25th Anniversary Friends of Black Bayou photo contest were named on October 12, 2022, with an amateur-division photo called “Speared” by local photographer Jon Guice winning the Charlie Heck Memorial Best of Show award.
All photos in the contest were taken at the North Louisiana Refuges Complex, including Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge, D’Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge, Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge, Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge, and Handy Brake National Wildlife Refuge.
Charles Heck, Sr., founded the contest in 2004. FoBB board member Leslie Calhoun was chair of the contest this year, with assistance from Kimberly Paxton and Ann Bloxom Smith. Judges were three professional photographers who evaluated the entries in youth, professional, and amateur divisions. Vernon Wells is the current president of Friends of Black Bayou.
All the first-place photos will be printed and displayed in the Refuge Visitor Center at the Fall Celebration, Saturday, October 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All the ribboned photos will also be displayed as a slide show in the Visitor Center. The public is further invited to view all the winning photos on the FoBB website, www.friendsofblackbayou.org.
Ribboned photographs are as follows:
Charlie Heck Memorial Best of Show: “Speared” by Jon Guice.
Amateur Division
Wildlife:
1st place--“Alligator Reflection” by Ani Girey; 2nd place--“Hidden Hunter” by Camila Iansen Irion; 3rd place—“She’s Got a Ticket to Ride” by Billy Hornbuckle; Honorable Mention—“Bogart” by Billy Hornbuckle and “Alligator Baby with Alligator Mama” by Ani Girey.
Birds:
1st place—“Cajun Ballet” by Billy Hornbuckle; 2nd place—“Anhinga” by Janet Knott; 3rd place—“When the Hunter Becomes the Hunted” by Jon Guice.
Scenic:
1st place—“Sunset at Black Bayou” by Ani Girey; Honorable Mention—“June Sunset,” “Golden Bayou,” and “October Sky” by Janet Knott.
People on the Refuge:
1st place—“First Visit Fun” by Jon Guice.
Micro/Macro:
1st place—“Bayou Queen” by Camila Iansen Irion; 2nd place—“Looks Like Watermelon” by Philip Heartburg.