Over 20 Lambton County teens will have their photographs on display this summer at the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery in an exhibit that will also feature pictures taken by nationally-recognized photographer Larry Towell.
The teens took part in the annual Lambton County Library/Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery teen photo contest Take Your Shot. For this year’s contest, young amateur photographers were encouraged to take photos that represented the theme Feels Like Home, getting pictures of places, things or people that reminded them of their homes or their hometowns.
During the two-month competition, participants were encouraged to attend a spring seminar held by Towell at the Sarnia Public Library, while the gallery held a three-day summer workshop led by local award-winning photographer Sierra Rei Hart.
Fifty-eight photographs were submitted by the July 10 deadline. A jury made up of industry professionals have chosen 26 photographs that will be on display in the gallery exhibition, entitled Feels Like Home: Larry Towell & Inspired Youth, which runs from Aug. 12 to Oct. 8.
Award-winners from this year’s competition included 15-year-old Raveena Duggal, who won the grand overall prize and the ‘things’ award; 15-year-old Kyle Hopwood, who won the ‘people’ award; 16-year-old Ryleigh Siklosi, who picked up the ‘pets’ award; and 14-year-old Emily Jahnke, who won the ‘places’ category.
Other photographers whose work will be displayed at the exhibit include: Alexa Secord, Alexis Sitzes, Arden Mailhiot, Ava Arndt, Brady Long, Dylan Hamilton, Jarius Dowswell, Jasmine Pole, Kaira DeFreitas, Kaydence Schere, Lillian Carsell, Madeline Lehrbass, Matthew McDonald , Mercy Naus, Miranda Hurst, Myla Bell and Perrin Langille.
Community members are encouraged to view the works of local teens at the exhibit, which starts on Aug. 12.