Inaugural SCCi Photo Contest Winners Announced

Inside SCCi’s Neversink Preserve in Jackson County, Alabama. Photo by Matt Tomlinson/flickr

The Southeastern Cave Conservancy (SCCi) has just released the winners of its first annual photo and video contest, held earlier this year.

Based around their new marketing campaign Sharing the Secrets, photographers were encouraged to submit photographs and/or videos taken in and on one of SCCi’s 30 preserves, sorted into the four categories—Secret Beauty, Secret Adventure, Secret Life, or Secret Water.

Submissions began January 1st and ran through February 14th. The winners were announced at our membership appreciation event, Frick’s Cave Open House, on February 28th.

In total, there were 126 photographs submitted by 15 photographers. The five categories, including best of show, were judged by professional photographers who were both cavers and non-cavers.

The winners are Sean Roberts for Secret Beauty for his photo inside Limrock Blowing Cave, Dave Bunnell for Secret Adventure for his photo inside Neversink Cave, Caitlin Neal for Secret Life her snapshot inside Tumbing Rock Cave, and Sean Roberts again for Secret Water from another shot inside Limrock Blowing Cave. Meanwhile, a photo inside Fern Cave–Surprise Pit landed Amy Hinkle a nod for best in show.

The sixth prize, People’s Choice, was taken home by Theral Mackey with a shot of fungi inside Neversink Pit. The photos, shared online in a Facebook gallery, were voted on using Facebook likes, the winning photo received 72 votes/likes, 17 more than its closest competitor.

Check out the SCCi’s annoucement directly to see the shots.

[via SCCi]