A Christmas Carol: A Crim-Dassler Photo Contest

Well, I hope you have been enjoying the album of entries from the first Crim-Dassler Christmas photo contest sponsored by The Dassler Effect, Edward Crim Photography, and Forest Park 365. [On a side note, be sure check out Forest Park 365, as this is its last day of really great, year-long project.]

Well, here you go. First, the results (the top 15 are listed), then an introduction of our 6 judges, which is followed by the complete alphabetical listing of the entries as they originally appeared along with photographer information.

With regard to the results, you will notice that there was originally a tie for 2nd place, which I resolved by emailing four additional judges to help me break the tie (thanks Jen A., Josh W., Amanda S., and Lloyd J.). Finally, many thanks to the accounting firm of Dawn-Marie-Fox-Das which certified the results (thanks, sis).

Most importantly, thank you, contestants, for some lovely and thought-provoking images, and congratulations to the winners! And, readers, please do feel free to comment and tell us whether the judges got it right or which images you feel “wuz robbed.”

Well, without further preamble, here are………..

The Results

The Dassler Effect 1st Place Prize of $100: “I Heard the Bells” by Karen Rice (49 pts)
The Edward Crim Photography and Forest Park 365 2nd Place Prize of $50: “Frightful” by Karen Rice (47 pts)
The Edward Crim Photography and Forest Park 365 3rd Place Prize of $25: “Earth Stood Hard as Iron, Water Like a Stone” by Chandra Mininger (47 pts)
4th Place: “Deep and Crisp and Even” by Adrian Das (45.5 pts)
5th Place: “And Glory Shone Around” by Trees Burton (43 pts)
6th Place (tie): “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” by Emily Klaasen Wilson and “I, Said the Sheep” by Daniel J. Kasztelan (42 pts)
8th Place (tie): “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Jessica Tumminello and “Run Over (What Grandma Saw)” by Mike Hofner (41 pts)
10th Place: “Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Jennifer Sodergren (40.5 pts)
11th Place (tie): “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” by Virgil Das and “Walking in a Winter Wonderland II” by Eddie Jones (40 pts)
13th Place (tie): “Walking in a Winter Wonderland III” by Adrian Das and “While Shepherds Watched” by Gracie Das (39.5 pts)
15th Place (tie): “The Holly Bears a Berry, As Red as any Blood, And Mary Bore Sweet Jesus Christ, To Do Poor Sinners Good” by Katy Owens and “Joy to the World” by Melanie Blunk Dolan and “Oh, What Fun it is to Ride” by Melanie Blunk Dolan (39 pts)

Meet the Judges

Matthew Peter Blazer has been running the non-profit Riverside Gallery since Nov. 2007. It amazes and annoys him how many great photographers there are out there (annoys him because many don’t have crazy nice cameras). Matt believes art and artists are a key component of good culture, and of the eventual healing of the world.
- Riverside Gallery
- High Score: 10, Low Score: 3, Average Score: 6.76
Edward Crim is a professional photographer who lives and works in St. Louis, Missouri and who is spending the current year photographing some aspect of Forest Park each and every day.
- Edward Crim Photography, Forest Park 365
- High Score: 9, Low Score: 2, Average Score: 6.02
Odetta Fields is an English schoolmarm to over 130 students at local St. Louis high school. A long time resident of Missouri, she grades papers, plays violin, collects jewelry, and proudly wears Sisterlocks. Odetta has traveled to over five countries and loves listening to stories of people from around the globe. She hopes to one day publish a book and become a lovely wife to a lovely man.
- High Score: 10, Low Score: 3, Average Score: 6.63
Tim Garrett is a professional dabbler living in St. Louis. Some of his photobooth photography can be seen here: www.photoboothart.com. Also, an ongoing yearly photography project can be seen here: www.fullchordpress.com. He is currently at work on a web-based list making tool. Coming soon to www.blisto.com.
- High Score: 8, Low Score: 4, Average Score: 5.73
Barry Sherbeck is a photographer, visual artist, and multimedia designer in Madison Wisconsin. He loves the power of the still image. He’s a husband and father of two daughters
- http://www.barrysherbeck.com/index.cfm , http://www.camerab.com/camerab.cfm , http://barrysherbeck.blogspot.com
- High Score: 9, Low Score: 2, Average Score: 5.94
Heidi Vincent love of photography began at a young age; she spent hours watching her father capture weddings snap by snap and even more hours watching him place glossy white paper into a magic solution to bring our colors and contrast. From her days watching her dad develop photos in the dark room she learned to appreciate what makes photography so very timeless: it can take you back, pull you out, draw you in, or simply freeze a moment forever. Although, she seldom holds a camera herself, she is often on the other side of the lens watching and waiting for the magic she knew as a small child.
- High Score: 9, Low Score: 1, Average Score: 5.03

Entries

Daniel J. Kasztelan, Billingsville, Indiana

Nancy Graham, Langley ,B.C

Maurya Hofner, Springfield, Illinois

Trees Burton, Birmingham, UK

Jennifer Sodergren, St. Louis, Missouri

Katy Owens, St. Louis, Missouri

April Mininger, St. Louis, Missouri

Emily Klaasen Wilson, Hawthorne, New Jersey www.emilybwilsonblog.com

Abi Svoboda, St. Louis, Missouri

Adrian Das, Godfrey, Illinois

Chandra Mininger, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Tanya Mark, St. Louis, Missouri

Karen Rice, St. Louis, Missouri

Dora McGee, St. Louis, Missouri

Gracie Das, Godfrey, Illinois

April Mininger, St. Louis, Missouri

Katy Owens, St. Louis, Missouri

Karen Rice, St. Louis, Missouri

Angela Vories, St. Louis, Missouri

Daniel J. Kasztelan, Billingsville, Indiana

Virgil Das, San Antonio, Texas

Dora McGee, St. Louis, Missouri

Jessica Tumminello, St. Louis, Missouri

Annemarie Maciorowski, Chesterfield, Missouri

Raymond Blanton, Dallas, Texas

Melanie Blunk Dolan, St. Louis, Missouri

Barbara St. John, St. Louis, Missouri

Jeremy Huggins, St. Louis, Missouri

Raymond Blanton, Dallas, Texas