Congratulations to our first ever 50/50 Challenge winner, Stacy Scandrett! In addition to winning 50% of the entry fees, Stacy's image will be featured on the November 2024 page of our First Annual Fundraising Calendar slated to be available for sale in November of 2023. This Season Two TSR alumna hails from from Niagara, homelands of the Ho-de-no-sau-nee-ga (Haudenosaunee), Attiwonderonk (Neutral), Wenrohronon, Mississauga, and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and sent in this drone image that caught our Guest Judge's eye. Here's what she had to say about The Nature Pill Challenge:
Snow White
I promised myself last year that I would make a serious attempt to bring my boudoir sessions outside, so it was ironic that we would get the Nature Pill challenge after all the effort I've made to get out and about in 2022! Throughout this whole year I've taken my clients to waterfalls, vineyards, forests, and to all the Lake Ontario and Lake Erie beaches that Niagara has to offer! Not only has my portfolio expanded exponentially by getting outside, but I've also grown to prefer shooting outdoors over the rentals because of the pure spontaneity. The unpredictable light, locations, and weather have taken me from the same cookie-cutter sessions to unforgettable tailor-made experiences with each of my clients. I fell so in love with shooting outdoors that I went and invested in a drone right before this challenge dropped! So, behold... my very first aerial boudoir shot! I think it does a good job of representing the next step on my outdoor photography journey!
Here's what Guest Judge
Shane Turgeon had to say about Stacy's unique boudoir take on The Nature Pill Match Brief:
Hit Factor: 9
Power Factor: 7
Of all the photos submitted, this one really nails the concept of immersing yourself in nature. Perhaps the interpretation is far too literal but it works incredibly well and it's a compelling image showing people interacting in nature, peacefully, in a way we're not used to seeing in this context. The contrasting colours of the fall leaves and cool rocks as well as the lines and patterns throughout makes this image visually appealing and the contradiction of someone soft and sensual in a location that looks uncomfortable tells a great story. Additionally, nature can be sensual in and of itself and that fact seems to tie this image together nicely. My only critique is that I think it would benefit from some additional editing (not sure if any or much was done) but some subtle dodging and burning and pulling out of certain colours would really take this one to another level. That said, there's something for keeping it very natural which fits the brief as well.
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Congratulations to another TSR alumna,
Nicky Lynn Richards, who calls Norman Wells, NWT, home of the Sahtu Dene and Metis, Shita Got’ine, and Dënéndeh peoples. She entered two images and managed to impress the Guest Judge so much she managed to take BOTH Runner Up spots!
Sundog
At this time of the year in Canada's Arctic, we have about 5 hours of daylight. The sun comes up at about 10:30am and is gone by 4pm. If it's cloudy or overcast, you don't see the sun at all. You go to work in morning in the dark, you go home from work in the evening in the dark. It's a hard time in the north for many people. The days get shorter, darker, colder, and there's about 5 more months of winter to go.
I suspect our fur babies get a touch of the winter blues too. They feel what we feel, It's cold and dark for them too. There's no swimming in the river or going for boat rides or taking long naps in the hot sun.
But you know what we do have? A Nature Pill right outside our back door to help us get through those dark days. Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall, we have beautiful, vast, untouched land as far as the eye can see; mountains, rivers, aurora, wildlife...and freedom!
November 18, 2022.
I'll admit I was having a tough time that whole week. Normal everyday things just felt harder, heavier. But this day, the sky was blue and the sun was shining bright. A walk down to the riverbank with my favourite companion, camera in hand as a Sundog appeared, and my girl sitting down posing so perfectly like an angel in the snow was just the Nature Pill we both needed.
November Rain
In November we get rain. But it's so cold that the rain freezes and turns to ice crystals. Now you'd think that winter, snow, rain, ice and darkness would make you just want to crawl into bed with a hot toddy, your favourite blanket and a good book...however, just outside the window can be quite the show!
The ice crystals are refracted by street and town lights and soon the nature show of beams of light reaching up to the sky is on! On rare occasions we get an extra special performance when the Aurora is out in full force while it's raining in November. It's like a battle between Nature and Man. Nothing gets me out of bed faster than a night like this. Didn't even get dressed, just me in my pyjamas, coffee, camera and a one heck of an amazing night.
Shane was impressed with all of the images submitted, but gave an honourable mention to this image called "Tiny But Tough" submitted by
Lori McLellan from Treaty 7, home to the Woodland Cree, Ĩyãħé Nakón mąkóce (Stoney),
Michif Piyii (Métis), and Cree peoples. Congratulations on the shout-out!!! You can view all of the images submitted this month by visiting The Nature Pill album
HERE.
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Rare Earth Outreach and The Shooting Range want to extend their gratitude to all who entered and send out an extra HUGE thank you to Shane Turgeon for being such a great sport and providing us with invaluable feedback as we ironed out the wrinkles in our first ever 50/50 Challenge.
Visit his photography site to check out the incredible set of images Shane released earlier this month (and yes, you can purchase prints!) and don't forget to sign up early to guarantee your spot (and get early bird rates) for the 2023
Lightchasers Conference.
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