The Journalism Club chose six award winners in its recent fall photo contest.
Actually senior Iris Hall won twice: once for a picture submitted in the Family & Friends category, and again for a magazine-worthy Food image.
Freshmen Chey Burke, Jackson Kalil and Bella Lesmerises won for photos submitted in Work & School or Nature categories, and staff member Joyce Etheredge captured the top spot in Pets.
Lesmerises, whose picture appears at left, took her winning image July 8 on her porch, looking over a neighbor’s house.

For this picture “I used my phone, an iPhone 6s. Last Christmas got a ‘professional’ camera and I just recently started using it. It’s a Kodak, I think.”

“I’m very interested in photography. I’m taking a Color and Design class so I can take Photography next year.”

“Photography has been a hobby of mine since seventh grade,” said Hall, who uses a Canon EOS Rebel T1i and an iPhone 11.
She identified the baby in the raccoon costume above as Matt Desrochers’ brother, Dylan, then three months old. “This photo was taken at a socially distant family Halloween party in Goffstown. (Though we are not related, Matt and I are in the same exposure bubble).”
“I love to travel and take pictures of the new places I see (which sadly I have not been to do during the pandemic),” Hall said. “However, I specifically enjoy taking photos of my adventures in the White Mountains and other parts of New Hampshire. I feel incredibly grateful to live in such a scenic and historic state, and by taking photos of it, I can capture that gratitude and revisit it whenever I’d like.”
“I also love taking pictures of pets,” she continued. “Over the summer, I did a photography project with a few friends called “Phodography”, in which we competed to see who could get the most photos of dogs every week. Apart from on social media, I have never published photos of mine before.”
Halloween inspired Hall’s winning cake picture as well.
“The cake pictured is a pumpkin spice cake with caramel buttercream, and a caramel drizzle, decorated with spun sugar, and edible chrysanthemums,” Hall said. “It was a several-hours-long effort by me and Matt Desrochers, and our submission for an autumnal-themed baking contest between his family members on Halloween. The recipe is from New York Times Cooking.”

Kalil took another stunning sky shot, also by happenstance. “I took this photo in the car, last November, near Pelham, New Hampshire. I saw this amazing sunset and decided to take out my iPhone 7 and capture the moment.”
Kalil said he usually likes to take pictures “of nature, my family members, or my dog. I view photography as a fun hobby, but I have never had any of my photos published. I plan to continue capturing the beauty and moments around me.”

Burke captured her storytelling photo by including an empty bench in the lower corner of a horizon shot dominated by colorful foliage.
“In this case I can not remember if I used my friend’s phone or mine. The picture was taken at Stratham Hill Park at the top of the fire tower when my family and I went on a hike. My friend Jerzy and I took multiple photos of the view because it was absolutely gorgeous.”
Burke said she posts most of her pictures on Instagram. “I usually take photos of scenery like sunsets or forests or just the outdoors. I also take photos of my dog.”

Staff member Joyce Etheredge also likes to take pictures of her dog.
“This is six-year-old border collie mix Lucy Lou.  This picture was taken in April 2020 in my backyard in Dunbarton. ”
Etheredge uses a Nikon D7500 with a 18-270mm Tamron lens.
“Photography is a hobby of mine and my specialty is taking pictures of nature.  I love birding and taking pictures of anything that loves to fly.  This is my first publication and I am very happy to share.”
The Journalism Club will host another Photo Contest in late winter. All members of the CHS community are welcome to submit pictures.