Calling All Photographers
The OCWS sponsors a photography contest and you are invited to participate! As you might have guessed, the subject is “wine,” but this can mean many things to many people.
Do you have a great shot of the sun filtering through the vines just before picking? Or an action shot of wine being poured with some great swirls in the glass? Perhaps a romantic shot of a couple toasting each other?
These are a few ideas, and I’m sure you have many more of that great shot involving wine in some way.
Each month the photography committee will select a Photo of the Month for publication in an upcoming Wine Press as well as on the OCWS website. The ultimate goal is to publish an OCWS calendar consisting of the 12 best photos of the year. These may or may not be the 12 monthly winners.
If you have any questions, email Jim@JBurk.net.
Jim is the OCWS photographer and head of the OCWS photography committee.
This award-winning photo goes to OCWS member Jay
Newell for his shot at the French vs. Italian Wines Mini-
Tasting he and his wife, Betty Jo, hosted in March.
This month’s Photo Contest winner is Damian Christian for his shot of the fermenting tanks at the David Coffaro Winery in the Dry Creek region in Sonoma County.
Congratulations to Tricia Shelton, who won again this month with
her picture of a Heart Hill Wine Tasting at Niner Wine Estates in
Paso Robles.
Longtime Orange County Wine Society member Liz Corbett garnered Photo of the Month honors for her shot of Eberle Winery’s cave the night of their “Christmas in the Caves” dinner party in Paso Robles. The annual Black Tie Dinner is a highly anticipated toast to the season.
Kevin Coy used his iPhone 14 to capture this award-winning shot
at MoniClaire Vineyards in Healdsburg after the OCWS’s 2023
Double Gold award presentation.
OCWS member Bernie Fornadley shot his winning photo on the
Napa Train Ride in 2015 using his Android phone camera.
OCWS member Tricia Shelton beautifully captured the Mojave
Desert skyline with her shot “Wine and Sunset” taken at Lake
Havasu, Arizona.
OCWS member Theresa Nelson toasted to good times at the OC
Fair this summer, pairing her dessert with a glass of port.
The Photo of the Month is courtesy OCWS member Dorothy Pemberton, who was vacationing in Bordeaux, France, when she snapped this winning picture in front of the Grand Theatre. Dorothy, who admits this is her first photo ever, says she loves big, bold Italian wines—always Cabernet.
CL Keedy’s winning photo of Vinsantaia at Castillo di Poppiano in Tuscany was taken with his iPhone and the only light is from the window. This is where Vin Santo Wine, a unique dessert wine of Tuscany, is aged for years before being bottled.
The Photo of the Month winner is Orange County Wine Society member Paul Garfield. His beautiful shot was captured at the Hitching Post Winery in Buelton.
The Photo of the Month winner is Orange County Wine Society member Mike Iglesias. The picture of the wine cave was taken at Helwig Winery in Amador County, California.
The Photo of the Month winner for March is OCWS member Kevin Coy, who captured this shot in October 2023 at Taylor Fladgate Port house in the Vila Nova de Gaia area of Portugal.
George Kerr shot this cabernet vineyard on Mt. Veeder in Napa. The property belongs to the St. John the Baptist de La Salle brotherhood, part of the order of Christian Brothers. The Christian Brothers developed the vineyards in 1868 and produced wine until 1989. They currently lease the vineyard to Hess Winery.
This month’s winning photo is courtesy of member Virginia Kawai.
Orange County Wine Society member Shilo Bartlett captured the beauty of “Limerick Lane Old Vines with Wild Mustard” near Limerick Lane Cellars in Healdsburg, California, with a Nikon camera.
OCWS member Kevin Coy did it again with his captivating shot from the 16th-century historic cellars of Fattoria Della Tales in Montepulciano, a medieval hilltop town in Tuscany, Italy.
OCWS member don Phillips (right) snapped this month’s willing photo using a self timer. “We were touring Dos Alamos Winery in Bulgaria and the winemaker gave us a special treat consisting of a barrel tasting of Gamza,” Don says. “A fantastic day!”
OCWS member CL Keedy garnered accolades for this shot of Rafanelli Winery in Healdsburg taken in the parking lot of the Sonoma County Winery capturing the fall flora with vines and olive trees in the background.
Paul Garfield snapped this winning photo in the Vega Winery tasting room in Buellton featuring the wine bar with the reflection of the American flag. “I liked the way that a wine glass seemed suspended and mirrored,” Paul said. “The uneven polished surface of the bar created an interesting effect.”
Sue England was cruising in Hubbard Bay, Alaska, when she snapped this picturesque shot using her iPhone Pro Max. “This was a bucket list trip for my family,” says Sue, who joined the OCWS in 2019. “When packing, for some reason, I felt I didn’t need my beanie…’til we got there. So, I had my glass of wine, new beanie and was looking out at the most tranquil and picturesque site I’d ever seen. I wanted to remember the whole feeling.”
Craig Rowe, another second-time winner, shot this picture at Robert Young Winery in Geyserville
using his iPhone 13 Pro in Pano mode. “We have been members of the wine club for 19 years and
this was our first visit since RY built the tasting/event location called Scion house,” Craig says.
“The picture was taken from the lawn adjacent to Scion house.”
Orange County Wine Society member George Kerr is the winner of the photo contest for May. Visiting Napa earlier this year, George beautifully captured the season of regrowth in Oakville with the Groth Vineyards tower in the background.
This month’s repeat winner—Orange County Wine Society member Manuela Harral—snapped her Photo of the Month in Neive-Borgonovo, Italy, with her iPhone.
Orange County Wine Society member Kevin Coy garnered recognition for the winning photograph last month. Coy snapped this scenic picture in Lodi at Acquiesce Winery and Vineyards using his cell phone.
The photograph of the Month winner for January 2023 is Orange County Wine Society member Craig Rowe with his shot at Brick Barn Wine Estate in Buellton taken in December 2022 with his iPhone.
The above photo was taken by six-year OCWS member Manuela Harral while on a Viking River Cruise with husband Scott on the Rhine River, Sankt Goarshausen, Germany, in October 2021, heading from Prague to Paris.
The winner of the OCWS’s November Photo Contest is Tamara Reddy for her shot of the Mendocino coast taken at the Pacific Star Winery in Fort Bragg. Congratulations, Tamara.
This photo was shot on Charles’ cell phone.
Congratulations, Charles and Penny!
– Jim Burk, OCWS Photographer
This was shot at Halter Ranch Vineyard in Paso Robles using a Canon 70D with a Sigma 17-70 mm lens.
Congratulations, Sue!
– Jim Burk, OCWS Photographer
The subject is Sam Clark at the Bellante Family Winery. Congratulations, Kim, great shot!
– Jim Burk, OCWS Photographer