I sent Outdoor Education 9 students outside in April 2020, perhaps the most anti-photogenic month in recent history, and asked them to take photos for a contest in our class. The comments I received from them often mentioned how unlikely it seemed at first to find anything photo-worthy, and they also frequently commented how enjoyable it was to have their search rewarded with great experiences of beauty in the end.
It is true, at least to some degree, that we see what we look for. It is good practice to intentionally look for the beauty in the midst of the drab grey of April.
OE9 Photo Contest Winners
First Place – 10 Points (by votes)
Slide #23 – Photographer: Matthew Bueckert
Title by Artist: A True Sunflower
Second Place – 8 Points
Slide #20 Squirrel in branches
Photographer: Leland Makaroff
Title by Artist: Time to Get Busy
Third Place – 7 Points
Slide 15 – Huge Sky Sunset
Photographer: Olivia Klassen
Title by Artist: The Painted Sky
Fourth Place – 6 Points
Slide 13 Sunset Colours Through Forest
Photographer: Michael Ottenbreit
Title by Artist: Untitled