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Three local photographers are finalists in a provincial photo contest

Nelson shooters off to capture images of Abbotsford International Airshow with a chance to win the top prize.
53481westernstarPhotocontestfinalistBumbledSymmetrybyDenaKubota
Dena Kubota’s photograph titled 'Bumbling Symmetry' gained her a finalist spot in a provincial photo contest. After missing the ferry she decided to take macro shots of flowers when a honeybee laden with pollen bumbled onto the yellow sunflower she was photographing.

Nelson area residents Jeff Cepukas, Dena Kubota, and Kevin Underwood are among the finalists for the provincial Your Best Shot photo contest.

After sifting through more than 2,100 photographs, judges have narrowed the field down to the top 75 photographers.

This is the second year for this contest sponsored by London Drugs and Black Press and run in conjunction with the Abbotsford International Airshow. The contest awards  each finalist a free VIP weekend pass to the airshow which runs Aug. 8-10.

Kubota’s photo entitled Bumbling Symmetry won her one of the finalist spots.

She said she always has a camera on her and missing the ferry home one afternoon led to the photo that gained her a pass to the airshow.

Waiting at the ferry dock to Pilot Bay she decided to take macro shots of flowers when a honeybee laden with pollen bumbled onto the yellow sunflower flower she was photographing.

“The lighting was good,” she said. Kubota is the owner and operator at the Pilot Bay Resort but takes photographs as reference for her artwork which is mostly pencil portrait and mixed media.

She’s excited to visit Abbotsford. Being from Alberta originally and now running a campground in the summer, this will be her first time visiting Abbotsford.

Working full time at the Pilot Bay Campground has made it logistically challenging to get away but she is excited for the opportunity.

“It will be interesting to get away as the summer is usually so focused on working at the campground.”

She said she’s welcoming the change where “the only focus will be taking pictures for two days”.

The finalists will have VIP access to the photo pits for preferred viewing to take photos of all the action.  They will also compete for more than $1,500 in prizes and the chance to be named the Next Generation Amateur Photographer of the Year.

There will be four categories for the finalists to submit their photographs of the airshow over the weekend. A panel of judges will review the submissions and there will be a viewers choice as well.

The full list of finalists is available www.abbynews.com.

Last year, Black Press received just shy of 2,000 entries for the contest from amateur photographers from Kelowna, Hope, Vancouver and communities around BC. Sixty-seven finalists gathered at the Abbotsford International Airshow, submitting their best photos for the final competition. Last year’s winner was Rod Jones of Abbotsford.

This contest recently earned first place in the North American Local Media Association Awards’ Best Contest category.