Judging the entries in the 2009 Ranch & Rural Living Photo Contest was harder than ever. We received more photos this time than we have in several years—and all of them were very good, well composed pictures with interesting subject matter.
Photos were judged by Jim Bean of Jim Bean Professional Photography in San Angelo, Texas, as well as by staff members. Entries were viewed this time on a computer monitor, one by one. Prints were scanned and viewed on the montor as well. Judges were blind as to who took the photos. They were judged on merit only.
The first place winner of the Rural Life and Landscape category, by Connie Thompson, was reproduced on the cover of our September magazine. A photo of a young Charro, or Mexican cowboy, rating second place in the People category and taken by 12-year-old Emma-Leigh Coffman, wound up on the cover of the October magazine. Winners are reproduced below.
—Editor
Category: People
| 1st Place | 2nd Place | |
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| 3rd Place | 4th Place | |
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| Honorable Mention | ||
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Category: Animals & Nature
| 1st Place | 2nd Place | |
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| 3rd Place | 4th Place | |
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Honorable Mention
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Category: Youth
| 1st Place | 2nd Place | |
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| 3rd Place | 4th Place | |
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| Honorable Mention
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Category: Rural Life & Landscape
| 1st Place | 2nd Place (tie) | |
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| 2nd Place (tie) | 3rd Place | |
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| 4th Place | Honorable Mention | |
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