First Place - Jeff Schad

Title: Wave Field

Location: Cedar Island, NC, USA

Date taken: September 2002

Equipment used: Minolta 7000i and 80-200 Minolta zoom lens

Comments: I was taking the ferry from Cedar Island, NC to Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks, when all of the elements of this image came together. I could feel it about to happen, with the calm winds and great atmospherics that rang true with this image.

I started learning about photography when I was growing up on Long Island. My father went to great lengths capturing intense, dramatic black and white images and they left an indelible mark on my mindís eye. My own experiences came scouring my beloved surf spots on Long Island, looking for the ìtimelessî surf photo. Exploring beaches, tide pools and marine ecosystems with a camera made me realize how open the world was to interesting imagery.

Iíve learned that there are many things that can make an image a quality one.I strive for images that capture your attention for just longer than a moment. I hope my images arenít trying to say anything in particular, even though they may speak to you in a specific way.

Photography is freedom to me. Itís freedom to travel, to explore, to meet people and have experiences. Some of my photos have been published in various media before, but I still consider myself an amateur photographer. This allows me to retain this freedom and not be tied down by any media or editorial constraints. My goal is to portray images that seize things that deserve more than just a fleeting glance.