When you hear the word, “photo,” do you think of that selfie of you and your friends you posted on Instagram from your best friend’s party?  The #nomakeup #nofilter one you regret letting everyone see?  Or even that pretty cool picture you took of the city from your plane window?  This semester, Geneva students have completely altered the average high schooler’s definition of the word “photo.”  From a simple pair of shoes to a scenic, panorama-like view of the Fox River, photography students are capturing random moments and turning them into something beautiful.  They have proven that photography isn’t always about the way you look or where you are, but that you can find something worth saving in everyday life.
Since the fall, GHS alum Ellen Kamps from the Kane County Regional Office of Education (ROE) has been holding a photo contest for high school students across the county (including schools like Batavia, St. Charles East, North, and Larkin) to show off their photography skills and compete with others in the community.  Every week she chooses the top ten entries and posts them to kanecountyconnects.com.  At the end of the semester, the first place winners will be judged to see whose is “the best of the best.” So far, Geneva has been placing multiple times a week, with works by:

Eileen Burke

Nika Akers

Makayla Koehn

Samantha Phillippe

Tom Miller

Kate Rogers

Hannah Barnes

Allyson Karas

Jordan Andersen

Sierra Baginsk

Meredith Liedberg

If you are a photography student looking to show off your skills, challenge yourself, beat a Batavian or all of the above, this contest is perfect for you!  Submit entries to your photography teacher or to [email protected] each week. Results will be posted each Wednesday, and you can view the works of previous winners on the website as well.  Good luck and happy snapping!