A picture is worth a thousand words and what I hear is "Grand Champion"...

This was Boy's 4th year to compete at the Wise County Youth Fair in the 4-H Photography competition. This was Boy's 4th year to win GRAND CHAMPION! The past 3 years, he won for the Story Board competition. Story Board is where you mount 3-5 pictures that tell a story beginning to end. He has used a lunar eclipse, a snow angel, and the raising of a flag to tell stories. However, this year he took it up a notch and won GRAND CHAMPION Black & White. This category had tons more entries. The competition was stiff. I could not be more proud of him. Photography is in his blood. His Grandma loves to take pictures. I love to take pictures. And so the tradition continues. In fact, one of my favorite picture-taking experiences was last summer when Grandma took us to the Butterfly Exhibit at the Botanic Gardens. We spent the day snapping photos and having lunch at El Paseo. Good times. Boy also had an awesome experience getting a personal tour of some very magical places around the Hill Country thanks to some friends we made through our FF/Church. I can't wait to let them know that a few of Boy's Hill Country pics are headed to State. Speaking of State, Boy qualified 3 pictures to advance to the State Competition at the 4-H Round-Up this summer. Last year he also had 3 qualify and 2 of those won Best of Show. He set a Wise County record with that honor and cashed in some nice prize money. I would love to see this "hobby" turn in to something that he could pursue as a career. We will just have to wait and see. For now, enjoy his view...

GRAND CHAMPION/State Qualifier (Black & White Animal)

1st Place Digital Darkroom/State Qualifier

(taken near Marble Falls, TX)

1st Place Elements of Design Color/State Qualifier

(Longhorn Cavern State Park near Marble Falls, TX)

3rd Place Elements of Design Black & White

(Longhorn Cavern State Park near Marble Falls, TX)

3rd Place Plant/Flora Color

Lake Buchanan (and probably my favorite photo from the Marble Falls trip)

2nd Place Animal Wildlife Color

(Mount Nebo Arkansas)