The theme, "Cemeteries", has been a favorite topic of my students for years. Indeed, our camera club often travels to old mining and ghost towns in search of old graveyards. There is much to learn about the history of our area by studying the old stones and markers. And some times you stumble upon a marker that is so poignant that its meaning and circumstances remain with you for days.

What is always striking about my students' work is that it is rare that one student will end up with images like another's. Each person brings with them a view of death and the importance of remembrance that colors their interpretation of the scenes before them. These often result in beautiful and meaningful images.

This contest must have touched many of you the same way. We had many more than the usual number of entries, but what is more striking was the level of artistic expression and skill in these images. It was very hard choosing the winning images which is why I have included more than I usually do on this page.

The Grand Prize goes to Irene Suchocki and her image "Enduring Love." I found the image to be compelling and deeply meaningful in a personal way. The mood and tone of the image heightens this effect. And finally it is the creative angle from which the photo was taken that creates lines that move the viewer into the image. It is striking that someone created such a monument to someone that meant so much to them. I think that Suchocku's image pays homage to that love in a powerful way.

Suchocki will receive a copy of ACDSeePro 2.0 by ACDSystems, as well as the Shuttermom Gold Package from shuttermom.com, and Power Retouche. Photoshop plug-ins for high quality photo editing, retouching and image editing.