The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) and the Town of Sahuarita are proud to announce the winners of the second annual Sahuarita Photography Contest. The mission of this creative placemaking project is to encourage creativity and exploration while illuminating the Town of Sahuarita through a diverse array of perspectives. This community-wide competition features local photographers of all skill levels and walks of life.

Photographers competed by submitting their work across six categories that represent various aspects of the community, including: Life in Sahuarita, Places in Sahuarita, Plants and Wildlife, Digitally Altered Artistic Images, Youth Photography, and Portraits of a Community. More than two hundred photos were submitted across the categories by residents, youth, and photographers visiting the area. Competitors were not required to be local residents, but all photos had to be taken in the Town of Sahuarita to be considered by the panel of professional jurors. 

In its second year, the photography competition saw a 30% increase in submissions compared to the inaugural competition. The participants were encouraged to consider the 30^th anniversary of the Town’s incorporation this year in their submissions, reflecting on the people, special events, and personal memories of this year. 

Sahuarita photographer Aubrey Prestwich took first place in the ‘Life in Sahuarita' category with her entry, Senior Year. Prestwich bought her first “nice camera” in 2010 to take pictures of her kids. Since then, her photography has taken her throughout the United States and, most recently, across the pond to England. But loves that she has been able to call Sahuarita her home since 2012, sharing, “Being here has made the busy days a little easier by not having to travel too far for photoshoot locations. The desert spots make for perfect backgrounds. The trails, several spots around the lake, and other structures in the community have made many appearances in my photo shoots.”

For her contest submissions, she focused on photos that would tell a story. “Quarantine with Type 1 Diabetes” was her own family’s personal health story of dealing with the uncertainty of quarantine with a newly diagnosed diabetic. She says, “Photography has given me a way to tell not only my story, but also the stories of others.”

The Youth Photography category was open only to photographers under the age of 18 to showcase their skills behind the lens. Sahuarita High School student Brooke Bowman won first and third prizes in this category for her submissions, “Leaves in the Limelight” and “Angel in the Details”, as well as second place in the Portraits of a Community category for “Happiest at Home”. 

While Brooke’s hopes are to eventually study biology and join the Air Force’s medical service, she sees photography as a lifelong hobby or a potential second source of income. “My grandma worked for a photographer for most of my life, so I kind of grew up around it”, she shares. “I didn't do much with it until it became an option as a class for me to take at Sahuarita High as a sophomore. I never had much time for it before because of sports but I suffered an injury that forced me to take time off, so I picked up photography.”

Wildlife researcher, essayist, and illustrator Beth Surdut earned First Place marks in the Plants and Wildlife category for her photo, “The Eye of the Heron”. She has used photography for research material, but this is her first-time taking part in the competition and her first time winning. 

Reflecting on her winning photo, Beth shares, “We had walked full circle around the lake, and were  about to leave, when I saw a second Black-Crowned Night Heron standing on land, watching a fisherman, who occasionally tossed a fresh-caught treat to the bird. The fisherman’s young son was moving around with kid energy, going from his dad to his mother, who was sitting in a low chair and offering juice. The bird waited, just far enough away from the activity, but close enough for good fortune. The scene was reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting of an idyllic day in the park. I left thinking that it is so lovely that this community place exists.”

The contest awarded more than $2,000 in cash prizes to the First, Second, and Third Place winners in all categories, with winning photographs published locally and online in a series of media outreach and social media promotions. The photos will be installed at Town Hall in August, and the winning photos are available to view now on the Sahuarita Photography Contest website along with several honorable mentions per category: https://www.sahuaritaphotos.com/2024-winners.html 

2024 WINNERS

LIFE IN SAHUARITA

1. FIRST PLACE: Aubrey Prestwich: Senior Year
2. SECOND PLACE: Erin Ray: Cow Story Time
3. THIRD PLACE: Raquel Cook: Fiesta at Blue Hour
4. HONORABLE MENTION: Aubrey Prestwich: Batter Up
5. HONORABLE MENTION: Aubrey Prestwich: Riding in the Rain
6. HONORABLE MENTION: Linda Williams: Sahuarita Lake Stroll
7. HONORABLE MENTION: Erin Ray: Goats, Turkeys and Books!
8. HONORABLE MENTION: Tyler Rushing: Sunset Huddle
9. HONORABLE MENTION: Sharla Palmer: A Little Fun and Sunshine

PLACES IN SAHUARITA

1. FIRST PLACE: Sharla Palmer: Good Day Sahuarita
2. SECOND PLACE: Sandy Ostroff: Chrome Spheres on Pond
3. THIRD PLACE: Steve Piepmeier: Monsoon Sunset
4. HONORABLE MENTION: Tyler Rushing: The Woman Under the Bridge
5. HONORABLE MENTION: Debra Sieloff: Cactus Beauty at Llano Grande Park
6. HONORABLE MENTION: Paul Livingston: Cold War Titan
7. HONORABLE MENTION: Joseph Retsky: Monsoon
8. HONORABLE MENTION: Debra Sieloff: Cactus Colors at Llano Grande Park

PLANTS AND WILDLIFE

1. FIRST PLACE: Beth Surdut: Eye of the Heron
2. SECOND PLACE: Kim Holmes: Looking at Lunch
3. THIRD PLACE: Bobby Smith: Fighting Hummers
4. HONORABLE MENTION: Sathavy Weldon: The Gazer
5. HONORABLE MENTION: Bobby Smith: Untitled
6. HONORABLE MENTION: Brooke Bowman: Inner Beauty
7. HONORABLE MENTION: Diane Marr: Black-Crowned Night Heron
8. HONORABLE MENTION: Eliannah Davis: The Buzzing Bee

DIGITALLY ALTERED ARTISTIC IMAGES

1. FIRST PLACE: Joseph Retsky: Sahuarita Collage
2. SECOND PLACE: Dave Bisharat: Sahuarita Festival Mirror
3. THIRD PLACE: Aubrey Prestwich: Quarantine with Type 1 Diabetes
4. HONORABLE MENTION: Sandy Ostroff: Pecan Grove
5. HONORABLE MENTION: Nicole Beaver: Summer Days
6. HONORABLE MENTION: Alan Medlow: Milky Way Over Sahuarita
7. HONORABLE MENTION: Mary Beth Livingston: Lydia’s Face
8. HONORABLE MENTION: Sathavy Weldon: Enclosed in an Alternate Universe

YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHY

1. FIRST PLACE: Brooke Bowman: Leaves in the Limelight
2. SECOND PLACE: Genesis Villa-Lopez: Fuegos Artificiales
3. THIRD PLACE: Brooke Bowman: Angel in the Details
4. HONORABLE MENTION: Tyler Rushing: The State
5. HONORABLE MENTION: Tyler Rushing: LDR Woman
6. HONORABLE MENTION: Tanner Palmer: Cars, Sunshine, Sahuarita
7. HONORABLE MENTION: Eliannah Davis: CocoPuff

PORTRAITS OF A COMMUNITY

1. FIRST PLACE: Erin Ray: A Boy and His Goats
2. SECOND PLACE: Brooke Bowman: Happiest at Home
3. THIRD PLACE: Aubrey Prestwich: Just Like Grandpa
4. HONORABLE MENTION: Tyler Rushing: Joy Outside
5. HONORABLE MENTION: Angelica Duran: Golden Hour
6. HONORABLE MENTION: Paul Livingston: Wheels Up!
7. HONORABLE MENTION: Erin Ray: Young Love
8. HONORABLE MENTION: Sathavy Weldon: Clinging to Childhood

The full list of winners, honorable mentions and photos can be viewed at https://www.sahuaritaphotos.com/.

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About the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance  
The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation, preservation and advancement of the Arts.  SAACA strengthens the bonds between people, place and purpose through collaborative, arts-driven experiences.  SAACA (formerly the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council) was created to develop cultivated programming that spotlights local creatives and celebrates unique culture, while providing direct opportunities for artists to make and sell their work.  To date, SAACA has created over 500,000 arts-driven experiences, from innovative community festivals and cultural celebrations to creative sector development, and accessible arts enrichment programs. SAACA continues to grow in footprint and in impact while working to pursue the mission of strengthening the bonds between people, place and purpose.   

Town of Sahuarita Parks & Recreation
The Town of Sahuarita is the 6th youngest incorporated town in the State of Arizona and celebrated its 25th birthday on September 20, 2019. Sahuarita is a regional partner with other municipalities, educational institutions, non-profits, and business leaders in Southern Arizona, and recognizes the importance of arts and culture in creating and sustaining well-rounded communities. For more information on the public art partnership between the Town of Sahuarita and SAACA, please visit www.sahuaritaaz.gov/parks.