STHS photographers tops in state-wide contests

South Tahoe High School students were honored for their award winning photography during Tuesday's Lake Tahoe Unified School District board meeting.

Guadalupe Ruiz and Tristan Klasko received recognition for their first-place award winning photographs submitted to the California Streaming Photo Contest sponsored by the California County Offices of Education. They each won a camera, tripod and other gifts. Their award winning photos will be used on a calendar distributed to teachers across the state.

During the judging process for the CSU California Through My Eyes contest, the panel pulled out the top six percent of entries, and then from there they selected five first place winners for the whole state and STHS students won four of those: Kira Culp, Alexzandria Balme, Sophia Mora, and Alyx Carlson.

Additionally, Kira came in second in the Congressional Art Contest.

Their teacher, Candy Lincoln, takes students on field trips each year, including one to San Francisco, to work on their photography.

The theme for the contests was "Exploration." Students had to write about their photos, and the six STHS students who came in first and won honorable mention have their descriptions below:

Guadalupe - My camera gives me freedom and an excuse to explore the world. This photo was taken on my first visit to San Francisco, Chinatown for the 2017 Chinese New Years celebration. I went to San Francisco to create images of several different cultures that make up parts of the city. This was a great adventure for me, as I am a Hispanic high school student from an small isolated rural town. The people, food and customs were wonderful to experience and capture in images. My dream is to travel the world as a professional photographer. I am working on a photography portfolio about California that is an exploration and celebration of the cultures that make up our state.

Alyx - Exploration of what I believe. I wanted to take a picture that would send a strong message to those who viewed it. It has been a difficult year for people in the United States with changing political values and beliefs. I am a minority woman. This year I did a lot of exploring many issues that directly effect me, my family and friends. I hope that when people see this image, they will be inspired to make and internal journey to explore their ideas of what equality could bring to us and our precious world. This photograph relates to the theme of "exploration" because it shows that to see equality in every human regardless of their race, gender, religion, or sexuality requires us to not see with just our eyes. Rather to explore the ideas with our minds, to visualize equality, peace and balance in our world. Hence the blind folded statue of Lady Justice is projected onto my diverse group of friends. Before her stands my friends who are young men and women who are part of the gay community, different ethnicities and different religions. I hope people can see them with their eyes, hearts and souls.

Kira - It isn't often that myself, or people I know, are given the opportunity to explore a new culture and find understanding in a different way of life. This past September, I went to a two day Pow wow in Bishop, California. Throughout the two days I spent photographing and meeting an immense number of kind and beautiful people. I discovered a love for a different culture. The ability to explore and be open-minded can open up many paths in one's life. The moment I saw the older Pow Wow Princess help position the crown on the tiny younger union Pow Wow Princesses head, I realized how lucky I was to be able to be apart of this amazing experience.

Tristan - This photo was taken in Minden, Nevada. When I took this picture I was looking for something that said exploration of reflections. Looking at this picture made me look at all the other pictures and see that everything is different. Everything is unique in its own way. Every day is different. Every adventure is different. No matter how many times you do it, you do it differently.

Sophia - Sometimes we are forced to undertake an exploration by something that happens to us. This past year, I have seen things in the news and feel people attitudes changing towards Mexican Americans and Immigrants. My ancestors have served in the U.S. military during wars and worked to help make California a great state. Now, it feels like we are being looked at as possible criminals and that we may not belong here. I projected the World War II recruitment poster onto my friend modeling in a traditional Folklorica dress to remind people that we have fought and contributed to America for a long time. I really like how it says, “AMERICANS ALL”.

Alexzandria - Focus. The farmers market in San Francisco was loud and had more going on at once than my hometown has in a week. There was music, people shouting, traffic, booths with all kinds of things, hundreds of people and a group practicing parkor. Even with all of the distractions of the farmers market these talented young men and one woman were able to leap and flip from one concrete surface to the next with ease. The members of this group where all at different skill levels and very supportive of each other. Some were learning what seemed to be the basics, jumping across walkways and onto things; others were a little more advanced, adding tricks into their jumps and making it look easy. There was one guy who stood out among the rest, his moves were more graceful and he seemed to be helping everyone. As I was photographing a younger boy who was just learning I snapped two photos of someone back flipping over the walkway from one concrete block to the next. I quickly look at the photos I had just taken hoping I got a good shot and found one of a take off and one of him mid flip looking to his landing. I was happy to have got a good shot but I wished I had gotten the whole sequence rather than just the beginning. I quickly identified who had done the flip and followed him with my camera waiting for another chance to get the sequence. We were supposed to be leaving the farmers market before we started watching the group and we had already been there 15 minutes so I knew I wouldn’t have much time. Right as my photography group started to leave I saw my opportunity. I quickly raised my camera and took six photos. I didn’t have the chance to look at them before leaving. I thanked some of the guys and ran after my group. Once in the car I looked at my photos and saw 5 photos of the guy I’d been trailing doing a flip. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the photos. My favorite photo of them all is the second; he is just starting to take off and looks directly at my camera. Lately my life has felt kind of out of control and overwhelming. I love this photo because it reminds me that even when life seems to be spiraling out of control and all you can clearly see is yourself its important to look outside yourself even if it’s only for a second. That momentary exploration helps puts everything into focus.