Meet The Winners

MICHELLE ALLESINA, 38, Tustin

About me: I have lived in O.C. since I was 10 years old and currently reside in Tustin with my husband and son. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts and love photography, especially travel photography. I spend my time volunteering at school and church as well as doing restaurant graphic design.

About winning: I love this image of my son because it evokes the mystery and ambience of the exhibit and his involvement in that experience at Discovery Science Center.  It's exciting to know that my image will be used to illustrate one of our great venues in Orange County.  There are so many wonderful things to see and do in OC that people can come visit over and over and always see something new and different.

TOM GRIFFITHE, 67, Anaheim

About me: Retired graphic design manager.

About winning: Winning a juried contest validates that the photos I take bring value and enjoyment to those who view them.  My shot of beachgoers strolling Crystal Cove beach at sunset was to entice viewers to want to enjoy the same pleasure.  The photo of Angel Stadium reflected in a pair of sunglasses caputured Orange County's favorite team in a unique way that hopefully created visual interest.

 

ANNA JISON, 51, San Clemente

About me: I live in San Clemente with my family. I was an accountant but gave it up so I can be flexible for my kids. My home-based custom sewing business plus kids did not give me room for photography. Now, both kids are in college, giving me the time to learn SLR's and everything else. My passion for it grew; at 51, I feel 15 again.

About winning: I was in Bangkok when I got email that I won. My husband was pleased as this was the first photo contest I've joined. Glad I made it before UPS closed when I mailed my entry because we were off to Asia next day. I picked Mickey because its simplicity speaks volumes – fun, family, friends and a very OC landmark. Photographing people and culture interests me, and my travels have afforded me to feed this interest. I'm happy the judges considered my work.

JOHN MAIRS, 41, San Clemente

About me: After my wife and I had our daughter and our son, we decided to buy the Sony A100 SLR (entry level) camera. We wanted to document our children's lives with better quality than a point and shoot camera. I work in marketing and I love art and design.

About winning: When I first purchased my camera a year ago, I didn't anticipate how much I would truly love taking pictures (and not just the pictures of my wife Robin, our 4-year-old daughter Madison, and our 2-year-old son Chase). I take our Sony A100 with me whenever we leave the house and I take pictures of my wife and kids constantly. I originally started taking pictures because I wanted to capture all the precious moments our family has together. Whenever there is time, I try to experiment with the camera and learn how to properly use all the settings that were completely foreign to me this same time last year. Entering this contest has been a great experience. Often I get excited about a picture I have taken, but I always wonder what others would think. Now I know, thank you!

KIM MARRERO, 34, Anaheim

About me: I enjoy photography and taking pictures wherever I go. I am the yearbook advisor for John Glenn High School in Norwalk, CA. So I enjoy taking pictures all of the time. I grew up in Orange County and enjoy all that the OC has to offer.These pictures display the  best of what OC has to offer.

About winning: I was surprised and elated that I had won the Active OC prize package and the Best Action Shot. I was excited that my photographs were going to put on the website and also be included in the OC magazine. I have been taking pictures all of my life and this past year, I have really started getting more creative. However, Action pictures have always been my best area. I am a high school business teacher (John Glenn High School Norwalk, CA) and I last year I started advising the yearbook staff. I hope this will also inspire my yearbook staff members to go out and get great photographs for this upcoming year. I grew up in Anaheim (Graduated from Katella HS in 1992) and have always loved the OC lifestyle. I also have worked at the Disneyland Resort (1990-2002), so I have always been invovled and loved Orange County. So when I saw this advertisement at the OC Fair this year, I had to use my talents and try to see what would come of it.

LINDSAY NICOL, 25, Silverado Canyon

About me: I Was born in Anaheim, CA and have lived here all my life. I graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a Beachelor of Arts in Anthropology. At age 20, I was diagnosed with a rare disease called Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH). I volunteer at UCLA Medical, as well as various hospitals around Orange County helping those newly diagnosed with PPH. I have learned to live life to the fullest and live as if there was no tomorrow. My disease has taught me to focus on things that I love such as photography, friends and family.

About winning: As an amateur photographer, I am always on the hunt for a new contest. Picking just one photo from this summer's activities in Orange County was not an easy task. To me, winning this contest was not really about the prize, but showing others who are considering visiting the OC what a great time they can have when they visit. Sometimes the "local" lifestyle is never really expressed in brochures or in websites. In this photo though, you instantly become a OC local. You too could be enjoying a drink from the bar, a shrimp cocktail, and bowl of the World's best clam chowder soup (in a sourdough bowl of course) with your family and friends. I am just glad to show the World a tiny ounce of my lifestyle and how the OC locals love to live.

SOPHIA RUVOLO, 24, Santa Ana

About me: Growing up as a child I was always the type to daydream, envision and often identified myself an imaginative individual. Although I was a shy tomboy kind of girl, I expressed my interests in creative arts through music, drawing, creative writing and inventive ideas. Graduated college in 2006. Communication/film studies with a hobby in photography.

About winning: My friends and family know that I’m a hardcore camera girl. In college I carried a video camera with me everywhere and documented school events, social gatherings, choir performances and reality life from my perspective through a camera lens. I also carry a digital snapshot camera in my purse wherever I go just in case I come across something captivating. I’ve collected a vast majority of photos over the past 3 years only taken with a regular non-SLR digital camera, with hopes of becoming a more skillful photographer with more proficient camera equipment.  I was blessed when realizing my photos were chosen for this contest from simply being one who appreciates life and the creative freedom of photography. Being a storyteller and the ability to capture the essence of life in many forms through a camera lens has allowed me to find beauty in all things. Each photo has a story and each story with a meaning. My inspiration comes from the Lord, my family, friends and the everyday elements of life.