Volo Bog State Natural Area announces photo contest winners

INGLESIDE – The winners of the Volo Bog State Natural Area’s 38th annual Nature Photo Contest were announced at WinterFest on Jan. 12.

The annual competition and show is presented each year by Volo Bog State Natural Area with support from the Friends of Volo Bog.

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Best of Show Judges’ Award was awarded to Carl Stineman of Vernon Hills for “Turk’s Cap Lily.” (Photo provided by Volo Bog)

There were 120 entries submitted by 17 photographers in 10 categories. Visitors to the State Natural Area from Oct. 19 to Jan. 10 were asked to vote for their favorite in each category and for their favorite overall.

First-, second- and third-place ribbons were awarded to the top vote recipients in each category. Two Best-of-Show plaques were awarded – a Peoples’ Choice and a Judges’ Award.

Best-of-Show People’s Choice went to Michael Schmitt of Grayslake for “Lake Superior Sunrise.”

Best-of-Show Judges’ Award went to Carl Stineman of Vernon Hills for “Turk’s Cap Lily.”

Congratulations to all the winners and many thanks to all the photographers who graced the walls of Volo Bog State Natural Area’s classroom.

The winning photos can be viewed in the Visitor Center through Saturday, March 1, as well as on the Friends of Volo Bog’s Facebook page. The photos also will be posted to the FOVB website.

Category winners:

Color Plant

First: Sari Nienaber of Kalamazoo, Michigan, for “Mushrooms Capture the Sky

Second: Anthony Roma of Gurnee for “Rain on the Pad”

Third: Carl Stineman of Vernon Hills for “Turk’s Cap Lily”

Beyond the Midwest, Animals

First: Kim Compton of Holiday Hills for “Mother & Child”

Second: Carl Stineman of Vernon Hills for “Mother and Calf Spouting”

Third: Anthony Roma of Gurnee for “Red Cracker”

Black & White Plant/Landscape

First: Michael Schmitt of Grayslake for “Lake Superior Shoreline”

Second: Tami Bevis of Round Lake for “Your Roots are Showing”

Third: Narayani Hiffman of Woodstock for “Misty Morning”

Nature’s Web in Action (Web of Life)

First: Michael Schmitt of Grayslake for “A Sandhill, a Red-wing & a Bumblebee Meet for Lunch”

Second: Michael Schmitt of Grayslake for “Osprey Cat Catch”

Third: Carl Stineman of Vernon Hills for “Mid-Air Refueling”

Color Landscape

First: Michael Schmitt of Grayslake for “Lake Superior Sunrise”

Second: Paul McFadden of Crystal Lake for “Sunset String in Pearls”

Third: Michael Schmitt of Grayslake for “Grand Marais Sunset”

Color Birds

First: Ken Olsen of Palatine for “Humdinger”

Second: Michael Schmitt of Grayslake for “Snowy Owl”

Third: Carl Stineman of Vernon Hills for “Red-headed Woodpecker”

Black & White Animal

First: Michael Schmitt of Grayslake for “Determined Snowy Owl”

Second: Stacey Greenhill of Wheeling for “Red Fox”

Third: Stacey Greenhill of Wheeling for “Unhappy Model”

Color Invertebrate

First: Michael Schmitt of Grayslake for “Halloween Pennant Dragonfly”

Second: Carl Stineman of Vernon Hills for “Common Green Darner”

Third: Stacey Greenhill of Wheeling for “Babies on Board”

Color Vertebrate OTB (Other Than Birds)

First: Michael Schmitt of Grayslake for “No Place Like Home”

Second: Sue Bitler of Richmond for “A Little Help, Please”

Third: Paul McFadden of Crystal Lake for “Bunny in Clover”

Beyond the Midwest Plants/Landscapes

First: Stacey Greenhill of Wheeling for “Spooky Botswanan Sky”

Second: Narayani Hiffman of Woodstock for “Luray Cavern”

Third: Lianne Tebussek of Round Lake for “Giants Inside”

Volo Bog State Natural Area’s annual Nature Photo Contest runs from mid-October through the Friday preceding the second Sunday each January. Entry forms become available each September. For more information about the contest, email dnr.volobog@illinois.gov.

The Friends of Volo Bog is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization. Visit www.FriendsofVoloBog.org.