Amateur and professional photographers with their cameras focused on the Southtowns — southern Erie and Cattaraugus counties — captured some stunning scenes of bucolic beauty in 2023. They have been rewarded with cash prizes by the WNY Southtowns Scenic Byway organization.
Professional photographers from The Buffalo News, Bee Newspapers and Buffalo Spree judged the second annual contest where 120 submissions were entered.
A fawn with its tawny coat stippled with white lounging on a spurt of ivy was submitted by Springville’s Jim Blesy, garnering third place and a $50 award in the mobile device category. Blesy titled it “Hiding.”
Town of Boston resident Judy Griffin’s “Road,” with its frosty stalks of tree trunks converging to a azure sky of fluffy clouds, netted her $150 and the top prize, also in the mobile device category. She also received a signed copy of Orchard Park author William K. Even’s Nostalgic Buffalo.
Sherry Taber’s “Covered Bridge” came in second. The South Dayton resident focused her device on the bridge with a meandering stream in the foreground. Her submission garnered a $100 check.
In the standalone camera category, Brien Gottstine’s bright red cardinal in his scene titled ‘Winter Wonderland” tied with “Autumn Splendor” by Jim Bitten. They shared third place and received $50 each. The autumn scene focused on a field of wheat with furrows of corn stalks and patterns of crops. Both photographers are from Hamburg.
Kyle H. Post’s “Knox Barred Owl” blending into the knot of an East Aurora tree took second place honors and $100 for his standalone camera shot. Kyle hails from Colden.
First place in this category was West Fall’s Michael K. Fairbank’s crimson sunset and cirrus clouds framing a bared winter tree. Titled “Fire and Ice,” the photo got him $150 and a copy of Even’s Nostalgic Buffalo book.
A slide show of the pictures will be displayed on the silver screens at the Aurora Theatre in East Aurora and the Joylan Theatre in Springville.
The winning and finalists’ works are also posted on the Byway’s website at WNYSSB.org.
The Byway Group contest included photos that were taken in these member communities:
• Town Ashford
• Town of Aurora
• Town of Boston
• Town of Colden
• Town of Concord
• Village of East Aurora
• Village of Ellicottville
• Town of Orchard Park
• Village of Orchard Park
• Town of Springville
• Town of West Valley
The professional judges for this year’s contest were:
• Derek Gee – Buffalo News Chief Photographer
• KC Kratt – Freelance Photographer/Buffalo Spree Photographer
• Thomas Mackert – Freelance Photographer/Bee News Photographer
• Mark Mulville – Freelance Photographer/former Buffalo News Photographer
The not-for-profit Western New York Southtowns Scenic Byway’s mission is
“To promote economic development and community pride through the thoughtful stewardship of the natural, scenic, cultural, historic and recreational resources of the byway region.” Those who wish to support the group are encouraged to visit wnyssb.org.
