Publication date: June 4, 2008

Palo Alto Weekly Photo Contest Winners: Nice shot

Winners of the Palo Alto Weekly's 17th annual photo contest explore both digital and traditional techniques

Unleashing their lenses on the people, places and particulars of the Peninsula and beyond, this year's Photo Contest winners present us with a contrast of intimacy and detachment.

The playful vibrancy of bright fingernails on cool drinks ("Summer") and the warm hues of a shared morning moment ("Morning Light") are juxtaposed with the steel and concrete structures of industrialized society ("Goin' to Guinness," "Bay Bridge � Post 9/11" and "Windowframe").

And some of this year's winners manage to capture both structure and beauty within the same frame ("Red Lanterns," "Heavenly Spirals" and "Bamboo Lanterns").

Maybe it's a philosophical statement by our panel of judges: that in a digital world becoming more mechanized with each passing day, we need warmth and intimacy more than ever.

Or, maybe these were just the best photos.

This year's sponsors include University Art, the Palo Alto Art Center, Jungle Digital, Bear Images Photography and Palo Alto Online.

First-place winners in the adult categories each won a $250 cash award, a $100 gift certificate to University Art and a one-year membership to the Palo Alto Art Center. Second-place adult winners received $200 in cash and a $100 gift certificate to Jungle Digital. Third-place winners received $100 and a $100 gift certificate to Bear Images. Youth first-place winners received $75 in cash and a $25 gift certificate to University Art.

Photo Contest Judge bios

Photos that were chosen for exhibition

Peninsula People

First Place