Contact:
For Immediate Release
Christy
Muse, Executive Director
Hill
Country Alliance
512.560.3135
Four Hill
Country Photographers Awarded Prizes
2014 HCA Calendar brings Hill Country beauty
all year long
Thirteen exceptional photos of
the Texas Hill Country grace the Hill Country Alliance’s much anticipated 2014
calendar. Among the photos chosen from HCA’s annual photo contest, four
stunning shots were selected for special recognition by an HCA committee of
local artists and Hill Country conservationists.
“Each year when we issue the call
for photos for our next calendar we are impressed, but not surprised, by the
exceptionally lovely examples of natural beauty that are entered in our
contest,” said HCA Executive Director Christy Muse. “It’s no wonder that the
calendar is prized not only by Texans, but nature lovers everywhere who
appreciate the unique qualities of the Texas Hill Country.”
HCA’s Texas Hill Country Calendar
serves as a year-round reminder of the need to nurture this growing region in ways
that protect its beauty and valuable natural resources. Along with
spectacular photography, the calendar promotes land conservation, groundwater
protection, habitat preservation and land stewardship strategies.
The winners of the 2014 Photo
Contest:
Bluebonnet Railroad (Grand Prize) by Tim Huchton. This stunning
photo of bluebonnets crowding a railroad track was taken in April 2013 in
Kingsland. Tim, who lives in Ingram, says he enjoys taking photos of all kinds.
“Nature, landscape and people are all favorite subjects of mine.” More of Tim’s
work – he also teaches photography – can be seen at www.timhuchtonphotography.com.
Batman (First Prize) by Marvin Gohlke, Jr. Marvin took the photo of
his son at the Frio Bat Cave near Concan last summer. “It was our first trip to
the cave and my son was extremely fascinated with the emergence of the bats in
evening … he put his hands up as if he were flying with the bats, which were
darting all around very near him,” Marvin said. “We have recently purchased land
on the Guadalupe River between Kerrville and Ingram, which now not just makes
me a lover of the beauty of the Guadalupe, but also a steward of helping to
preserve that beauty,” Another photo Marvin took on the North Fork of the
Guadalupe River near Hunt is also featured in the calendar.
Grotto at Westcave Preserve (Second Prize) by Mike Murphy. “I made
the grotto image in about 2005 … the weather that afternoon alternated between
sun and gentle rain, giving the grotto an other-worldly character,” Mike said.
He’s a former photography editor for Texas
Highways magazine and has taken photos all over Texas, both for the
magazine and as a freelance photographer. He and his family live on Los
Madrones Ranch, near Dripping Springs, which he now operates for nature
tourism. 
Urban Deer (Third Prize) by Cynthia Burgin. Cynthia caught this doe
finishing off a potted plant and licking her lips as if to say, ‘what’s next?’
on her property which backs up to natural land owned by Schreiner University
and overlooks downtown Kerrville. Cynthia also noted that she had no idea the
deer population was so large and friendly when she moved in and it took a while
to realize that most potted plants weren’t going to survive. Cynthia is also
very active in her local Master Naturalists group and says she takes
photographs wherever she goes, some of which the group uses on its website and
in displays.
The photographs were judged by an
impressive panel including; Colleen Gardner of Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve,
Scott Gardner of the C.L. Browning Ranch, professional Artist Lynda Young
Kaffie and professional author and photographer Brian Loflin.
Calendars are available through
the HCA website, www.hillcountryalliance.org.
Wholesale prices for Hill Country retailers and special bulk order prices for
businesses and organizations are available.
The Hill Country Alliance is a non-profit organization whose purpose is
to raise public awareness and build community support around the need to
preserve the natural resources and heritage of the Central Texas Hill Country.
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