The Photo Arts Club of Toledo saw its most successful set of submissions for this year’s annual photo contest.

Amateur photographers across the region doubled the number of submissions the club received last year, said Jack Myers, competition chair for the Photo Arts Club of Toledo. It makes for a robust show on display through May 6 at the Secor Center at Secor Metropark, 10001 Central Ave., Berkey. The center is open between noon and 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

The Photo Arts Club of Toledo was founded in 1975, and this year marks its 35th annual juried photo contest. The contest is open to amateur photographers —  those who make no more than 51 percent of their income from photography, Myers said — and this year accepted submissions between Feb. 14 and March 15. 

“Typically in the past we had somewhere around 300, 350 entries,” Myers said. “We’re not quite sure why, but this year it jumped up to 724 entries.” 

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Karen Pugh was a judge in this year’s competition. She explained the criteria used to anonymously score the photo submissions.

“Each photo is put in front of you and each photo has three criteria: composition, technical, and artistic. And each photo in each category is scored one to nine,” Pugh said. “Artistic is how you would look at it from the artistic standpoint of quality, from one to nine. And [then] technical. A perfect [score] would be 27 points. That’s rare, and to be honest nobody ever gets a zero.”

A total of 60 awards were given out this year. Each category offers a first through third place prize as well as a number of honorable mentions.

Prizes start at $50 for first place, $20 for second place, and $10 for third place.

“You always wonder a little bit while you’re judging how you’re comparing to the other judges’ impression of a photo, and almost always when it gets to the top photos we’ll all look at them and realize how consistent we were in the judging for the winners,” Pugh said.

Kelly L. Chalfant is one of multiple first place winners, winning her prize in the animal category. She said that she was honored to receive high scores across the board after years of entering the competition.

“Last year I actually won best in show with another picture of two horses, and then this year I had several entries. I entered 10 photos this year and was lucky, very blessed. I got first in the animals category, third place in the animals category, second place in the monochrome category, and an honorable mention in the open,” Chalfant said.

Chalfant is a full-time human resources manager for the city of Perrysburg, but runs a small photography business on the side with her husband, also named Kelly Chalfant. Their photography business is titled Photography by Kelly and Kelly, and they can be found shooting multiple horse shows and air shows in the summer.

While Chalfant’s husband did not participate in the competition this year, she said that they both have a deep love for photography that inspired her to join the Photo Arts Club of Toledo last year.

“They have been so welcoming and so helpful with educational opportunities,” she said. “They cater to all levels of photographers, so if there is anybody in the area that’s interested in getting involved, you don’t even have to have a camera.”

All submissions to this year’s competition are currently on display at Secor Metropark.  

Myers explained the club’s long-standing ties to the venue. 

“About 20 years ago, Art Weber with the Metroparks pushed to have [the Secor Metropark building] expanded and dedicated as the National Center for Nature Photography, and then he would have annual photo contests open to the public and he would get national photographers to bring their exhibits in to hang in the gallery,” Myers said. “So that’s where our display is, in the Secor Center.”

The Photo Arts Club of Toledo offers membership to all amateur photographers in the region, and provides resources to members such as educational programs, contests, niche photo interest groups, and access to a community of photographers with equipment to sell and tips to share.

“We have information about what’s called our ‘improve your photography class seminars.’ It’s five consecutive Tuesdays where we show people how to use their cameras,” Myers said. “We [also] have a studio group which works with lighting. So if you want to take a portrait photograph in a studio setting or if you’re outside and you want to take photos outside, how to use reflectors, strobe lights.”

After seeing the rise in interest for this year’s contest, organizers are looking forward to future engagement with photographers in the region.

Pugh said it was thrilling to judge such a diverse set of photos, and she thinks the annual competition is a great opportunity for new photographers, young and old, to see comparable work by other photographers in the region and hang their photos in a juried show.

“One of the nicest things is that the youth category has been increasing,” she said. “It’s just so much fun to see some kids light up when they see their photo up on the wall.

“I guess that would be the most significant thing. Of many contests regionally, this one, if you enter, you’re guaranteed to be on display.”

First Published April 13, 2023, 12:00 p.m.