PHOTO CONTEST

Hi guys! Well, I entered another photo contest.  This makes two so far.  It was again with Outdoor Photographer Magazine, and the name of the contest is the 3rd Annual Art of Expression Photo Contest. There are four categories and I chose one to enter four of my photos.  The category I chose was One World in Focus.  This time, I didn't make the finalist list! (*sigh*)

But I've put my entry pics below for you to see.  

There are four categories in the contest: One World in Focus, The Narrative Video, Expressive Portraits, and All About Light.  If you'd like to view and vote on any of the entries in any category, you'll have to register at the Outdoor Photographer website.  The link is below.  To vote, click on the category then pick the photo or video you like and when it comes up, click on one or more stars, depending on how you rate it.  In either case, you'll create one vote for it.  You can vote for as many pics and videos as you like. The photo or video that gets the most votes will be the Peoples Choice winner and will be published in the magazines. Of course, judges at the magazine will pick the big winners, who also will be published in Outdoor Photographer and in Digital Photo, winning cameras and equipment designated for each category.  Voting has started and lasts until midnight August 28th.

Here is the link to the website:  

http://backend.outdoorphotographer.com/photo-contests/3rd-annual-art-of-expression.html?utm_expid=3851644-7&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.outdoorphotographer.com%2Fcontests.html

WALDO CANYON FIRE UPDATE

This says it all:   100% contained!  Through various fund raising venues, over $500,000 was raised for the fire victims!  I live in a great community.  Even the firefighters, many of whom came from other states, remarked that they had never seen such support and gratitude as they did from Colorado Springs and the surrounding affected areas.  Work continues, however, on erosion control in the burn areas to help prevent flash flooding.

LATEST NEWS -WALDO CANYON FIRE

No doubt you've heard about the Waldo Canyon Wildfire near my hometown of Colorado Springs.  Having lived here most of my life, what seemed  impossible became reality.  Like the rest of the nation, we have experienced record-breaking high temperatures.  So it was a 'perfect storm' waiting to happen here.  The national news covered every sensational detail and our local stations covered every live press conference twice daily, and for a while, broadcast nothing else.  This was communication at its best!  But in spite of the heroic work of many fire fighters on the ground and in the air, 346 homes, one popular tourist attraction, and sadly, two lives were lost.  Many more damages remain to be tallied.  Now, the task of supporting those who are homeless and refurbishing our local economy remains.

Although businesses here have lost millions in revenue at the peak of our vacation season, everyone wants the world to know that Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region is open for business as usual!  Evacuees have returned home, highway 24 has reopened and the area attractions are open to visitation.  Although the fire is still active, it is currently 80% contained (and climbing) and the perimeter is not spreading.  The skies are smokeless and blue and we have received much-welcomed rain!

A lot of lessons have been learned here and I'm sure this event will have much to teach to those who may experience something like this in the future.  Here are a few photos that show what it was like here the last several days. I've added one NORMAL view of what you can NOW see here at the end: