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Photo Contest Finalists Announced!

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We collected more than 150 photos for this month’s contest. Want to see the finalists? Read on to see and vote for your favorite!

Published Monday, September 22, 2008

UPDATE: Voting is now closed and the winner has been selected. Click here to see who won, and to find out how you can enter October's photo contest!

Earlier this month, we asked for your transportation-themed photos. The result? You flooded our inbox with snapshots of trains, planes, bicycles, cars, horses, Segways, and much more! Read on to see the finalists.

On Friday, our team of intrepid judges duked it out and narrowed the pool down to five finalists. Now we need your help. Scroll down to see which photos caught our eye, then take the poll at the bottom of the page to vote for your favorite. The photo with the most votes by midnight on September 30 will be crowned the winner, and it’ll appear in our November issue.

Good luck to our finalists, and happy voting, readers!

Only five finalists made the cut, but there were several other photos that came close. Wanna see ’em? Click here to see our runners-up.

"Segway Invasion" by Gretchen Kennedy of Chantilly

There's nothing we love more than tourists on Segways!

"Bike Shop" by Mel Darwin of Gaithersburg

We'd really like to know when this photo was taken. It looks so classic!

"Rosslyn Metro" by Tim Kelley of Arlington

Out of the dozens of Metro-related photos we got, this was our favorite. We just love the colors and lighting.

"Fire!" by Angela Pan of Fairfax

We just couldn't believe this one—the plume of smoke is breathtaking! The photographer says that, fortunately, no one was hurt in the fire.

"Drive-by" by Jeff Nyveen of Arlington

This was taken on the George Washington Parkway last June. We want to know how many tickets the policeman gave out that night.

Cast your vote!

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Comments

I like Tim Kelley’s photo.

Posted by: Ross, Oct 06, 2008 01:25:05 AM

Congrats to Tim Kelly! An awesome picture. I notice a lot of cynical voices chiming in on the contest rules. I sympathize- but hey, this is Washington(ian), where there are no rules! I’m confident the contest administrators want to keep the great pictures coming and will therefore reform the contest to truly reflect democratic process not yet another ’Bushified’ election ;)

Posted by: Mel Darwin, Oct 02, 2008 02:15:22 PM

If Kelley could click his camera as fast as he can delete cookies and revote for himself, he might be a great photog!

Posted by: TK coworker, Oct 01, 2008 05:53:19 AM

ATTN Washingtonian Blog Admin:

PollDaddy has the option of blocking repeat voters by IP address......Use that option next time you run a photo contest.

Posted by: ATTN Washingtonian Blog Admin, Oct 01, 2008 04:51:24 AM

Tim Kelley must have gotten everybody he knows to Delete their History and cookies so they could keep voting for him over and over all day HAHAH

Posted by: Haha, Oct 01, 2008 04:47:09 AM

So it’s midnight now, but it looks like the polls are still open. What gives?

Posted by: Mary Letharski, Sep 30, 2008 09:04:01 PM

Do you work for the marketing department or are you a photographer!!!??? I am really confused! Love the metro pic Mr. Kelley ...awesome as always and would never expect anything less!!!

Posted by: Planet Zorn, Sep 30, 2008 03:40:37 PM

Mr. Tim Kelley has done a great job here! TK ALL THE WAY!!!!

Posted by: Jukie Broms, Sep 30, 2008 02:51:49 PM

I completely agree with the person that wrote:

"Snapshots. What you’ve chosen for the finalists are nothing but simple snapshots."

Posted by: Anonymous, Sep 30, 2008 02:12:41 PM

Metro picture all the way!!!!

Posted by: vin martinelli, Sep 30, 2008 02:11:32 PM

Awesome!

Posted by: Luana Huffman, Sep 30, 2008 12:38:21 PM

Angela, your shot is amazing! Glad to know that on one was hurt.

Posted by: Cecil , Sep 30, 2008 12:19:44 PM

Snapshots. What you’ve chosen for the finalists are nothing but simple snapshots. The bike shop photo is the best for color, composition, hint of humour. The rest of these (including the over done metro escalator shot that looks to have used a fisheye lens thus tricking the viewer into thinking it is an "arstsy shot" (fact: 99% of fisheye shots would have been better off having never been taken)).

There are several more shots in the runners up that are actually nice photos which transcend the boring snapshotness of this drab collection of finalists.

In the future this photo contest would benefit from higher standards.

Posted by: Most of these photos are lame, Sep 30, 2008 10:20:33 AM

Nice pics

Posted by: Tony, Sep 30, 2008 08:47:52 AM

Great Shot Angela

Posted by: Danny, Sep 30, 2008 08:45:29 AM

I’ve seen this young photographer Angela Pan’s other works and was really taken by them. Let’s give her some support!!!

Posted by: alice Corney, Sep 29, 2008 09:26:20 PM

You rock Tim you beat angelas picture by far keep up with the good work tim.

Posted by: Emily , Sep 29, 2008 07:26:34 PM

this is a really cool pic Angela. do you have and pics other pics in different publications?

Posted by: Nick , Sep 29, 2008 12:44:59 PM

Angela, Your Fire photo was Phenomenal! I look forward to viewing more of your work in the November Issue.

Posted by: Stephanie McClure, Sep 29, 2008 12:27:19 PM

Angela, U Got The Look! Much Success :)

Posted by: Brandon, Sep 29, 2008 10:30:38 AM

Angela you have such talent!!! I hope God continues to bless you with your eye for great photography! Get it girl!!!

Posted by: Ashley M, Sep 29, 2008 09:14:34 AM

Angelas smoke photo reminded me of mt. pinatubo only on a smaller scale. Great shot Angela.

Posted by: Ric, Sep 29, 2008 09:03:47 AM

To take the photo of fire must have not only taken alot of courage but talent as well. Very impressive

Posted by: Kitchu, Sep 29, 2008 07:26:31 AM

The "fire" photo was absolutely amazing! What skill you have!

Posted by: Ariana, Sep 29, 2008 07:11:34 AM

I love Angela’s work, the contrast of colors of black smoke and red fire is just awesome.

Posted by: Alice Hou, Sep 29, 2008 07:05:43 AM

I vote for Tim Kelly’s pic.

Posted by: Chris Butcher, Sep 28, 2008 05:42:13 PM

I think what I liked most about Tim Kelley’s photo, apart from the colors, light and shadow, was the fact that this was about riding a mode of transportation to get to and from another mode of transportation. Clever indeed, Mr. Kelley!

Posted by: Susan T, Sep 28, 2008 05:03:42 PM

Maybe I’ve lived here too long. Everything about Washington is about politics not merits.The Photo-editors are former High School flunkies, the Design Director chooses colors to match their dinnerware or drapes.The whole city is about connections not quality.Sad really

Posted by: Archie Cruz, Sep 28, 2008 12:36:58 PM

I’ve had the privilege of seeing many of Mr. Kelley’s photos on his website, and I think he has an incredible eye for detail, for seeing the unusual in what most of us take for granted. And, of course the Rosslyn Metro escalators are a form of transportation, an extremely important one. Go, Mr. Kelley!

Posted by: Roy, Sep 26, 2008 02:25:31 PM

@Alexis - according to Wikipedia, the escalator at the Rossly Metro station is "the third longest continuous escalator in the world, at 205 feet 8 inches; an escalator ride between the street level and the mezzanine level takes 159 seconds."

I think thats a pretty cool mode of transportation in and of itself. I know plenty of people who ride escalators and elevators in their office buildings more often than they ride the metro!

But yeah, it is a cool metro picture.

Posted by: Jim Sterling, Sep 25, 2008 03:59:02 PM

I agree the photos are all good. I just commented on what I saw of the photos and other comments. I know it is "Metro-related", but I would rather have seen a pic of the actual train rather than the escalators as a depiction of transportation.

Posted by: Alexis, Sep 25, 2008 07:51:23 AM

I think the judges have done a fantastic job of selecting photos relevant to the theme. These selections portray the diversity of Washingtonian modes of transportation, and each one is excellent. I give the edge to the Metro image, because in addition to being a great photo, I think it depicts the mode of transportation most representative of Washington. Indeed, I would say the Metro is DC’s best transportation asset. I’ve ridden subways all over the world, and (with the possible exception of the new system in Shenzhen, China), I like the DC Metro the best!

Posted by: Pat, Sep 25, 2008 05:01:32 AM

Great choices! It was tough to pick one to vote for because they were all good.

Posted by: Mike Quist, Sep 24, 2008 01:54:14 PM

Is this Kelley guy friends with like everybody? Are we voting based on the photographer or the photo?
I feel that the photos are okay, but I would rather go with ones that actually have a mode of transporation in them (the theme) rather than the "coolness" of the photograph.

Posted by: Alexis, Sep 24, 2008 11:59:09 AM

Lovely as always are Mr. Kellys Photos

Posted by: O F Cute, Sep 24, 2008 08:24:19 AM

Angela Pan....I was taken by your photograph, hope to see more of your work soon

Posted by: Hannah Amanpour, Sep 23, 2008 06:30:55 PM

I have seen many photos by Tim Kelley. There is always something new and original about his work even when the subject is commonplace. Another great photo Tim!

Posted by: Eva Branvold, Sep 23, 2008 07:48:49 AM

Check out the <a href=http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/9416.html>runners-up</a>- I think there are better ones in there than in the finalists.

Posted by: Fred, Sep 23, 2008 06:41:12 AM

The Metro station photo is especially compelling. There is something about the ascent and descent . . .

Posted by: Jonathan, Sep 23, 2008 03:34:40 AM

"Bike Shop" was shot in 1981 while I was working for Peter Garfield, a photographer in Georgetown

Posted by: Mel Darwin, Sep 22, 2008 08:32:17 PM

Love the photo on the GW Pkway. It really came out with nice straight lines of light and the officer cooperated by not moving...

Posted by: Julie, Sep 22, 2008 08:15:03 PM

I, too, very much like the colors. However, this is a Metro station which I used to frequent often so enjoy seeing it again. Mr. Kelley does great photography!

Posted by: Clare Gamble, Sep 22, 2008 07:47:40 PM

these are all great photos. not sure which to pick... maybe big wheel bikes since i love film? such a great selection.

Posted by: chris, Sep 22, 2008 07:27:03 AM

It was great to see a ton of new faces in the contest this month!

The theme for next month’s contest will be announced October 1. If your work wasn’t chosen this time around, check back then for your next chance to be published in the magazine!

Posted by: Emily at Washingtonian.com, Sep 22, 2008 07:07:45 AM