Winners Announced In Best Of Newton Photo Contest

NEWTON, Kansas – Photographs taken by Jim W. White II and Shelly Wonders earned top prizes in the 2022 Best of Newton photo contest.

A judging panel selected winning entries in two categories that attracted 98 different entries from 32 photographers.

White’s photo “Fetching a Ball from a Wheat Field” took the top prize in the open category, while Wonders earned top prize in the category of Downton Newton photos with “5th St. Starbursts,” a black-and-white picture taken at the intersection of Main and Fifth streets.

There were 62 entries in the open category. Kelly Nachtigal captured second and third places with “Resting Place,” an autumn photo taken at Broadway and Grandview; and “Let’s Dance,” a picture of dancers preparing to perform at the Bethel College Fall Festival. Two pictures were selected for honorable mention – Michelle L. Voth’s photo of the “Santa Fe RR Caboose” at Sand Creek Station Golf Course and LeAnna K. Buchta’s “Blue Sky Park Water Tower” photo taken at the Pod Park near Centennial Park.

There were 36 photos entered in the Downtown Category, which celebrated the City of Newton’s selection in 2022 for the state’s Main Street program. Nachtigal again had the runner-up photo, “150th – City Celebrates,” which captured the lights of the Ferris wheel at the city’s sesquicentennial celebration in June. Wendy Nugent had the third-place photo, “Skies Open For St. Mary’s,” and also the honorable mention photo, “Storm Clouds at the Old Mill.”

Winners receive prizes of $100, $75 and $50 for the top three spots and $25 for honorable mention.

Photographs were judged based on the quality of the images, technical merit, creativity, subject matter as it relates to Newton, and the appeal of the images to potential visitors.

Twelve submitted entries were chosen for the Best of Newton 2023 calendar, which will be available at various locations later this month and during the Five Places of Christmas. Calendars will be available throughout the holiday season while supplies last at Newton City Hall, the Chamber of Commerce, Prairy Market & Deli, Norm’s Coffee Bar, and Carriage Factory Art Gallery.

Nugent’s “Storm Clouds at the Old Mill” was chosen for the cover and also will be featured in the calendar for the month of May. Photos by Nachtigal, Voth, Wonders, Emilia N. Welsch and Monty Graber appear in the calendar as well.

In addition, some contest entries will be selected for an exhibit at Carriage Factory Art Gallery that will begin on Saturday, January 7, and conclude on Friday, February 24.

Lastly, all photographs that did not win prizes in the judging are eligible for $10 in Chamber Checks through online voting on the Choose Newton Facebook page. Voting will be open through November 30, and everyone is welcome to cast their ballots by hitting like on any of the entries. The three photographs with the most likes will receive honors.

For the first time, the contest utilized an online entry portal through the Choose-Newton.com website that was utilized by 29 photographers to submit more than 80 images.

Choose Newton combines tourism, community development, and general marketing efforts. The Choose-Newton.com website is the go-to place for development news, new businesses, events, and all things pro-Newton.