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What An Eye!

 

We continue to be amazed at the incredible images captured on Sanibel Island … by photographers of all ages!

Winners were recently announced for the 9th Annual “Ding” Darling – Theodore Cross High School Photography Contest.

High school students from Southwest Florida competed for prizes that included a Canon digital SLR camera package, chartered class trips to the refuge, Tarpon Bay Explorers excursions, and copies of Waterbirds: Portraits and Anecdotes from Birding Adventures by contest namesake Theodore Cross.

Organizers admitted that they had great difficulty in narrowing down the choices from the 270 images submitted.

“Being able to put on this contest with so many passionate and creative young photographers is so exciting,” said Sierra Hoisington, DDWS associate executive director.  “Their different perspectives and ability to find the beauty in anything is so special.  Their choice of subject matter may seem unique to us, but I believe their outlook on life is something we could all learn from.”

To view the winning student photos from this year’s contest, click here.

For those who may not know, contest namesake Theodore Cross lived part-time on Sanibel Island.  He was a well-known writer on civil rights issues, marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., advising the Johnson and Nixon administrations on anti-poverty programs, and writing the influential book Black Capitalism, among others.

Cross also created “Birders United,” a birding website that ranked legislators according to their record of bird protection support.  Later in life, he decided to indulge his love for birds and photography and traveled the world to chronicle his adventures.  Cross published Waterbirds in 2009 at age 85, just months before his death in February 2010.  He photographed often at “Ding” Darling, and a number of the images in his book reflect his love for the Refuge.

His publisher described Waterbirds as “The book John James Audubon would have made if he had used a camera.”  NPR’s All Things Considered called Cross’ collection of 179 images and countless anecdotes “spectacular.”  The New York Times described it as “part visual encyclopedia, part memoir.”  

 

 

 

 

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