Our judges are ready for your pictures that celebrate your memories camping and RVing in lovely Camp Cardinal in Hayes. Your picture could win you up to $1,000 in the first-ever Camp Cardinal Photo Contest, so we’re introducing you to the judges one by one. We have lined up a panel of 5 esteemed community members who will judge the submitted photos on originality, technical excellence, composition and overall story.
Remember, winners will be announced through Instagram and Facebook and on the website on or about Dec. 1, 2023.
Judge: Rob Ostermaier
His bio in a nutshell: Rob is the lead staff photographer at Gloucester-based Consociate Media, where he often photographs the outdoors (he adores a good sunset, and he can always spot a bird). Prior to joining the marketing and public relations firm in 2020, he was an award-winning photographer for 17 years at the Daily Press. Rob studied at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and graduated from Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication.
What Rob looks for in a photo: “Light composition and moment. If it’s outdoor scenery or an animal, I look for light and composition. You want that beautiful light that you get in the morning and the beautiful light you get in the evening. Even storms have their own beauty. If it’s scenery, light is the most important thing I can think of. That’s why I’m often getting up at 4 a.m., to meet the sunrise.
“Now if you’re photographing people doing things, the composition is still somewhat important, but the moment becomes most important. You want to capture somebody reacting in the moment, laughing and having fun in the moment, something that tells the story. Composition still matters; light is less important. The moment is in the storytelling. Even in a poorly composed photo, if you capture a person’s face, that can pull you into the photo. Combine light, compositions and a great moment and you’ve nailed it!”
What Rob enjoys about Virginia outdoors: “It’s God’s creation and it’s always different depending on what time of the year you’re outside. You can go to the same place all the time and you’re going to find something different each time. When you consider our area with the interaction between water and land, it makes it that more special.”
