14th Annual Thousand Islands Life Photo Contest

Hello everyone! We are thrilled to have been asked to become the new judges for the annual Thousand Islands Life Photo Contest. We know we have huge shoes to fill, taking the reins from Chris Murray and Lyne Roberge, as well as honoring the late Ian Coristine, who initiated the contest.

Acting as judges will be a learning experience for us, placing the key elements of an exciting image foremost in our thoughts and helping to shape our own images in the future. With guidance and support from our predecessors, we are ready to review all the River photos we will receive.

Now in its 14th year, the contest provides River photographers a chance to share their vision of the region, and the best contest entries are always a treat for the TI Life audience, an opportunity to soak up a variety of stunning River scenes in early winter.

The closing date for submissions is December 6. Please send up to three high-resolution JPEGs with captions to: susansmith@ThousandIslandsLife.com.

Editor Susie will forward all the images blind, for us to review, so please remember to remove ALL watermarks and metadata from your images. We will then work together to select three medal winners, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, who will be featured in the December issue. Books about the Thousand Islands and certificates ready for framing will be awarded to those winners. We will also recognize several images as honorable mentions.

Judging art is very subjective, but there are recognized elements of a photograph that can be used to guide the selection of a "best image", such as composition, use of light, visual impact, storytelling, and technical excellence. More important than winning is the personal journey toward more impactful images. There is great satisfaction derived from improving one's craft.  

With so many types of cameras available today, what matters most is the photographer's creative vision. Photographs that were previously published in TI Life articles or on TI Life's Facebook page can be submitted. Again, send your images to Susie Smith at susansmith@ThousandIslandsLife.com by December 6. We cannot wait to see your very best River images!

By Larry Asam and Erin McCarthy Greene

Larry Asam has lived in and around Stowe, VT, since 1974, where he taught skiing, then spent several winters at Snowbird, UT, continuing to teach skiing. In the 1990s, he started photographing Vermont weddings. By 1997, wedding photography became his full-time occupation, and this continued for almost 15 years. Now his photography is mainly focused on nature, old boats, and the people he encounters. Since 2014, Larry and his wife, Kym, have been part of the Grenell Island community. He is also the current vice president for the Thousand Islands Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society. His photo gallery can be viewed at https://rivergloss.com/.

Erin McCarthy Greene is a documentary and fine art photographer who explores and captures the Thousand Islands of northern New York State and any other place she travels. She is a former English teacher, and in January 2025, she retired from the Thousand Islands Sun newspaper, Alexandria Bay, after more than a decade there as an editor. She is an affiliate photographer with The Tilly Project (https://thetillyproject.org/), which offers end-of-life portrait sessions for family pets, including large animals and exotics. She can be reached at emccarthygreene@gmail.com, and her work can be viewed at erinmccarthygreenephotography.com and on Instagram at @emccarthygreene1. Erin and her husband, Richard, live year-round in Thousand Island Park on Wellesley Island.