Photo Flash: Winners Announced for MY MERCER Mercer County Photography Exhibition 2013

Members of the arts community came out to celebrate the opening of "My Mercer: Mercer County Photography Exhibition 2013" on Nov. 20. Co-sponsored by the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission and Mercer County Community College, the show commemorates the county's 150th anniversary, with 49 photographs featuring the people, places, things, and events that make Mercer County a special place to live, work, study and enjoy. Scroll down for photos of the winners!

A highlight of the opening reception was an awards ceremony. MCCC Gallery Director Dylan Wolfe announced the award winners, along with Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission members Laura Desai and Nora Añanos, and staff member Tricia Fagan. Carl Geisler presented the Princeton Photography Club Award.

Jay Brandinger of Pennington won Best in Show for "Threshing Wheat," one of more than 100 photos he has taken as a volunteer at Howell Living History Farm over the past four years. According to Brandinger, the photo collection has recently been published in a book entitled: "Howell Living History Farm: Preserving Traditional Farming." He notes that it is the first volume, with more expected to follow.

Noted Michael Mancuso, an award-winning photographer from the Trenton Times who served as the show's juror, "As I walked around the room and let each photograph speak to me, I found some spoke very clearly. The Best in Show was an easy choice because besides being an interesting photograph, full of life and human activity, it also hit the mark on the theme of what makes Mercer County special, encompassing past and present."

Juror's Awards were presented to two photographers: Keith Swango of Ewing for "Battle of Trenton," and Richard DeFalco of Princeton for "Carnegie Daybreak."

Honorable Mentions included Robert Terrano of East Windsor for "The Art of Dance," Harvey Steinberg of Lawrenceville for "Canal Poetry," Jody Kendall of Princeton for "Alone," and Charles Plohn of Princeton for "D&R Canal."

The Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission selected eight photos for Purchase Awards: Elsie Allen of Princeton for "Petals in DR Canal," Cheryl Bomba of Pennington for "Our Trenton," Bill Felder of Lawrenceville for "Late Summer at the Pole Farm," Joseph Gilchrist of Hamilton for "Re-enactor Battle of Trenton," Kapu Patel of West Windsor for "Floating at Dusk," Charles Plohn of Princeton for "D&R Canal," Anne Stefane of Lawrenceville for "Trenton Storefront," and Larry Straus of Ewing for "Mercer Oak." The photos selected for Purchase Awards will become part of the county's Permanent Collection.

The Princeton Photography Club Award went to Lionel Goodman for "Loneliness of Nightfall." It was presented by Carl Geisler, the club's president.

The show is on display at the Gallery at Mercer County Community College through Dec. 18. The MCCC Gallery is located on the second floor of the Communication Building on Mercer's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. For gallery hours and more information, visit www.mccc.edu/gallery.

Best in Show winner was Jay Brandinger of Pennington, third from left, for his photo 'Threshing Wheat.' He is pictured with, from left, Nora Ananos and Tricia Fagan of the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission, Gallery Director Dylan Wolfe and Juror Michael Mancuso.

Charles Plohn of Princeton won an Honorable Mention and a Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission Purchase Award for 'D&R Canal.'

Lionel Goodman of Princeton was selected for the Princeton Photography Club Award for his photo, 'Loneliness of Nightfall.'

Robert Terrano of East Windsor earned an Honorable Mention for 'The Art of Dance.'

Kapu Patel of West Windsor, second from right, received a Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission Purchase Award for 'Floating at Dusk.' She is pictured with Nora Ananos , Laura Desai and Gallery Director Dylan Wolfe.

To post a comment, you must register and login.