Thank you to all students who submitted their beautiful photos and congratulations to all our winners!! This year we received 51 photos submitted by 32 students. Photos were judged not only on the picture but also the student’s description/interpretation of the photo based on the category descriptions. There are 4 categories with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place for each category, 1st place photos are shown below. To view all photo submissions and to “like” your favorites, check out the Off-Campus Study at Colby College Facebook page.
Reflections of Changing Climate
During my studies at James Cook University I had the opportunity to do fieldwork on the remote and tropical Orpheus Island, located on the Great Barrier Reef in Northern Queensland. My professors were among the world’s top coral biologists and focused on the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on Great Barrier Reef corals. Displayed is a photo of coral biologist Bette Willis reflected in a pool of Orpheus Island Corals. (Orpheus Island, Northern Queensland- Australia) Submitted by Mary Parks ’16
Delicious
It might be hard to guess how this photo represents skills I acquired while abroad. I’ll be the first to admit it – I didn’t even make the salad. But I took this picture in my last days of traveling in Europe, after nine months studying in Aix-en-Provence, France. I took it on a two-week trip that I planned from start to finish. I took it after teaching myself enough Greek to order the salad. I took it after a night spent talking with locals, in three different languages, about the differences between their lives and my own. I took it when I was happy and hungry and proud of how far I’d come.
I didn’t realize how afraid I was – of so many things – before I went abroad. The thought of spending time with total strangers terrified me. I’d never even flown on a plane by myself, and I worried about every little detail. No magical transformation took place…I didn’t go over and make ten new best friends and live every day like I was on vacation. Growth is as painful as it is beautiful. What they don’t tell you about abroad is how hard the struggle can be.
However, the person who came back from France is someone I like and understand much better than the person who left last fall. I can’t put into words all of the changes I have undergone, but for me, this picture encapsulates what I gained in a year of coming to know myself. I earned this moment on a beach with a simple salad – and it was delicious. (Agia Marina, Aegina, Greece) Submitted by Kaitlin Curran ’16
La Grande Roue à République
This photo was taken in December at la place de la République at the le Marché de Noël in Dijon, France. As République was transformed into a quintessential French Christmas Market, I grew excited to return home for the holidays. However, at the same time I knew that I would have to say goodbye to the city I called home for four months and all of the people who made the city so special to me. Some of my last and favorite memories of Dijon include riding this ferris wheel and strolling through the markets with the lifelong friends I made on this amazing trip. (Dijon, France) Submitted by Clare Stephens ’18
Reflections
My brother and I stumbled upon this deserted boathouse about 2 miles into our hike in Berchtesgaden National Park. This location was not easily accessible, requiring a one-hour boat ride that began at the entrance of the park and ventured across the Königssee. The man in this photo was likely well into his 70’s and stood in this spot for a few minutes before continuing on. I have often wondered what brought him to this very serene and remote part of the park, and how difficult it must have been for him to reach it. The thoughts that ran through his mind as he peered out across the Obersee still remain a mystery to me, and I feel extremely lucky that I was able to not only witness this moment, but capture it as well. (Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany) Submitted by Olivia Pearson ’16
**Update to photo contest**
An additional award was given this year to the photo that received the most “Likes” on our facebook page. The winner for People’s Choice for 2015 was “Sunset at Monte Fitz Roy” by Lidia Henderson ’16
Sunset at Monte Fitz Roy
Located near El Chaltén in Argentinian Patagonia, Monte Fitz Roy is a mountain that stands on the border of Argentina and Chile. Although not the tallest mountain in the region, Fitz Roy’s granite face has long been a challenge for climbers who have attempted to reach its peak. The sun sets behind the mountain in a national park surrounded by mountains like it, glaciers, and lakes. Submitted by Lidia Henderson ’16