DAF announces 2023 Photo Contest winners

Published Jan. 9, 2024
By Debbie Aragon
AFIMSC Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – The Department of the Air Force recently announced the winners of the 2023 Air Force Photo Contest.

Following this year’s theme of “101 Days of Summer,” a judging panel evaluated almost 400 entries on impact, creativity and technical aspects, with winners from various skill levels and ages selected in both traditional and, for the first time, composite photography.

“By offering the new category of composite photography, it allowed artists to work on a photo they took and alter it with digital software and artificial intelligence,” said Susan Lear, Air Force Services Center community services analyst and photo contest program manager. “One of our winners really used their imagination and created a photo from two photos … he took a photo of someone in a T-Rex costume and placed it onto another photo so it appeared as if the dinosaur was walking on water.”

The new category will be offered again next year.

In addition to entries in the composite category, Lear was excited to see multiple winners from more installations.

“This is really wonderful because it tells us those bases are really promoting the contest on their social media and offering classes to help artists improve on their skill level and imagination,” she said.

For example, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, had five winners this year and Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, had three.

Congratulations to the 2023 winners:

Traditional Photography

Adult Accomplished: 1st Place “Summer of Baseball” by Lenney Tangog, Hill AFB, Utah; 2nd Place “Alight” by Tiffany Lewis, JBSA; and 3rd Place “Monarch and Zinnia” by Sarah Luiggi, Robins AFB, Georgia

Adult Novice: 1st Place “The Arch” by Tina Dumaplin, Beale AFB, California; 2nd Place “Summer Pollinators” by Donna Besley, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma; and 3rd Place “Canyon of Wishes” by Jacob Dudkowski, Yokota AB, Japan

Teen 13-17: 1st Place “Mirror Lake” by Nicolas Epling, Edwards AFB, California; 2nd Place “Liquid Poetry” by Audrey Hunsaker, Patrick SFB; and 3rd Place “Lighthouse Stairwell” by Collin Oler, Patrick SFB

Pre-Teen 9-12: 1st Place “Bloom Where You Are” by Macey Knowles, Fairchild AFB; 2nd Place “Reflection” by Thor Winn, Minot AFB, North Dakota; and 3rd Place “Teddy Bear Picnic” by Lydia Brown, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho

Youth 6-8: 1st Place “Flowers on the Walk” by Zoey Richardson, Fairchild AFB; 2nd Place “The Wave” by Ellie Oler, Patrick SFB; and 3rd Place “Summer Fun in Hawaii with Mickey” by Donavyn Pucci, Hill AFB

Composite Photography

Adult Accomplished: 1st Place “Summer Nights” by Kandance Richardson, Fairchild AFB; 2nd Place “City Shadowscape” by Jeana Ortiz, Andersen AFB, Guam; and 3rd Place “Seasons of Summer” by Michael Miko Borbon, Yokota AB

Adult Novice: 1st Place “Lavendar Haze” by Tory Cannon, Beale AFB; 2nd Place “Full of Wonder” by Hattie Knowles, Fairchild AFB; and 3rd Place “Paw Prints in the Sand” by Amanda Schaefer, JBSA

Teen 13-17: 1st Place “Peeking Through” by Layne Knowles, Fairchild AFB; 2nd Place “Reflecting Sunsets” by Elliott Erredge, JB Andrews, Maryland

Steve Reffey with the AFSVC community programs team was on the judging panel for the 2023 contest.

For next year’s contest, Reffey said his biggest helpful hint would be to crop images for impact.

“(While reviewing submissions), I would sometimes see a branch jutting into the photo that very easily could have been cropped out of the image,” he said, “and check to make sure the image is level, which is also easily corrected using a cropping tool either in Adobe products or other products on the market.”

He also recommended following principles of art like the rule of thirds and Da Vinci’s golden ratio.

When it comes to the composite category, Reffey said he expects more entries next year with the rapid acceleration of text to image AI companies.

Although the next photo contest won’t take place until the fall, Air Force and Space Force artists can begin forming submissions now for the next creative contest; the 2024 Air Force 2D and 3D Art Contest.

“Folks should start working on their entries now so they’re ready to submit when the contest opens March 1,” Lear said. The art contest will run through April 30. More information on this program will be available about a month before the contest opens.

Poster art for the 2023 contest with the title 101 days of Summer — 2023 Photo Contest Winners

SLIDESHOW | images | 2023 Photo Contest Winners

photos of the first, second and third place winners — 2023 Photo Contest Winners

SLIDESHOW | images | 2023 Photo Contest Winners

photos of the first and second place winners — 2023 Photo Contest Winners

SLIDESHOW | images | 2023 Photo Contest Winners