Minden resident Pat Stanley had all but given up hope he'd get a photo worthy of entering into the monthly Carson Valley Camera Club contest when he stumbled on a winner while washing his kitchen windows.
"I noticed the droplets of water on the glass and decided to photograph them," he said. "After about 20 pictures I accidentally changed the focus and discovered the image of an inverted backyard cherry tree inside each drop."
Stanley shot the blue ribbon winner with a Canon 40D using a 100 mm macro lens and titled it "Tree Drops."
Second place went to Darleen Dils for her photo, "Watering Everything."
Dils said she was in Reno, photographing geese, when she noticed the back-lit patterns of water spraying through a picket fence. She dodged street traffic to take one photo and was preparing to take a second when the woman doing the watering turned the hose off.
Pat Colon's photo of hot water bubbling from an outlet at Grover's Hot Springs copped third place. The water reflects a myriad of colors from algae and minerals.
Lynda Chen'e, who last month was named the club's outstanding member of the year, was elected to serve as the next president. Other officers will be selected at the club's next meeting, which will be held at a new time and venue: 7 p.m. April 24 at the Carson Valley United Methodist Church, 1375 Centerville Lane in Gardnerville.
Michael Nelson of Grafx 8 gave a presentation on color management.
The winning photos are on display at the Douglas County Public Library in Minden. For information about the club, go to cvphotoclub.com or call (775) 315-7292.
