(Washington, D.C.) - For the 19th year, the Civil War Trust, the nation's largest and most effective nonprofit organization devoted to the preservation of America's hallowed battlegrounds, is pleased to announce the winners of its annual photography contest, cosponsored by History and the Center for Civil War Photography (CCWP).
"The experience of visiting a Civil War battlefield - now more than ever, as we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the conflict - is an undeniably moving one," said Trust president Jim Lighthizer. "I am grateful that these talented photographers have so thoughtfully captured the haunting beauty and solemnity of these scarred and hallowed landscapes."
Photography and the Civil War will be forever linked, thanks to the work of artists like Mathew Brady and Alexander Gardner, who made the four-year conflict the first to be extensively documented by photojournalists. Today's photographers relied on modern technology to capture thousands of stunning and compelling images commemorating the Civil War, submitting their digital images online through the photo-sharing website Flickr.com.
A sizeable number of entries in this year's contest, totaling more than 2,000, left judges with the challenging task of selecting a Grand Prize winner, as well as first-through third-place awards in five categories. Contest categories include Civil War Battlefields, featuring the most scenic stills of these sacred sites; People on Civil War Battlefields, focusing on visitors young and old enjoying their time on the battlefield; Then and Now, contrasting early images of Civil War battlefields with the same sites today; Preservation Threats, illustrating the grave threats faced by many Civil War battlefields and historic sites; and Sesquicentennial - 1864, which features photos of Civil War battlefields and sites associated with the fourth year of the Civil War. A People's Choice winner was also selected through an online voting competition.
Mike Talplacido of Houston, Texas won the 2014 Annual Photography Contest's Grand Prize for his photo, "Shiloh Oak," a striking depiction of a majestic oak tree overlooking the Shiloh Battlefield, where the Trust has saved over 1,000 acres. Talplacido, a familiar face in the competition, also won first place in the 2013 People on Civil War Battlefields category. He will receive complimentary registration to the Trust's 2015 Annual Conference in Richmond, Va.
All category honorees will receive plaques commemorating the award, and their photographs will appear in various Trust print and digital media. First-place winners will also receive a one year membership or membership extension in the organization. The full list of winners is below:
Civil War Battlefields: Shenandoah Sanchez of Centreville, Va., for "First Manassas: Stone House after the Snow Storm"; Buddy Secor of Stafford, Va. for "The Pyramid at Fredericksburg"; and Janet Greentree of Burke, Va., for "1st Regiment Eastern Shore, Md. Volunteer Infantry Regiment - Culp's Hill".
People on Civil War Battlefields: Sharon Murray of Martinsburg, W.Va., for "25th Annual Memorial Illumination, Antietam National Battlefield"; Jessie Mae Kanagie of Schwenksville, Pa., for "Forward! Battle of New Market 150th"; and Paula Mansfield of Kearneysville, W.Va., for "Re-enactors Firing at the Cornfield".
Preservation Threats: Matthew Huntley of Richmond, Va., for "Petersburg - Between Fort Sedgwick and Fort Mahone"; Ron Zanoni of Chester Springs, Pa., for "Fort Negley Encroachment"; and Tim Ferry of Alexandria, Va., for "The Auto Zone Charge at Franklin".
Sesquicentennial - 1864: Buddy Secor of Stafford, Va., for "150 Years - Dawn at Wilderness, May 3, 2014"; Shenandoah Sanchez of Centreville, Va., for "Bloody Angle"; and Dane Reves of Springfield, Va., for "McGavock Confederate Cemetery, Carnton, Franklin, Tenn.".
Then & Now: Carl Staub of Lakewood, Ohio, for "Council Then and Now"; Matthew Huntley of Richmond, Va., for "Lutheran Seminary Then and Now"; and Shanna Harbuck of Columbus, Ga., for "Fort Pulaski Then and Now".
People"s Choice: Buddy Secor of Stafford, Va., for "Jackson's Flank Attack Site (Chancellorsville, Virginia)".
Winning images can be viewed online at www.civilwar.org/photos. To browse all of the images submitted to the contest, visit the Trust's page on Flickr, www.flickr.com/groups/cwpt. Additional images will be added to this group throughout the year, and information on how to enter the 2015 contest will be available this spring.
The Civil War Trust is the largest and most effective nonprofit organization devoted to the preservation of America's hallowed battlegrounds. Although primarily focused on the protection of Civil War battlefields, the Trust also seeks to save the battlefields connected to the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. To date, the Trust has preserved more than 40,000 acres of battlefield land in 20 states. Learn more at www.civilwar.org.
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(To learn more about the Civil War Trust photo contest and see past winners, visit http://www.civilwar.org/photos)