Stunning images that celebrate the diversity of wildlife and ocean habitat found along Laguna Beach’s protected shoreline are on display for a limited time.
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The Laguna Bluebelt Coalition recently recognized amateur and professional photographers in its 15th annual Bluebelt Photo Contest. The event held at the LCAD Gallery along Ocean Avenue awarded prizes to photographers in several categories. Their photos are on display through Aug. 16.
2nd Place in the Professional Category: Seth Willingham with Electric Sharks. (Photo courtesy Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest)
3rd Place Professional Category: Noah Gilbert with Seaside Supermodels. (Photo courtesy Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest)
Cliff Wassman with Moonrise. Honorable Mention in the professional category. (Photo courtesy of Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest)
Kaelan Housewright won first place in the amateur category with Baba’s Festive Creamsicle. (Photos are courtesy of Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest)
Mark Garcia won 2nd Place in the amateur category. (Photo courtesy of Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest)
3rd Place Amateur Category: Robert Wenger with Dream Job (Photo courtesy of Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest)
Rick Musto with Anakin Anemone won Honorable Mention in the professional category. (Photo courtesy of Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest)
Sarah Lichtenberg won Honorable Mention in the amateur category. (Photo courtesy of Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest)
Veronica Gray won Honorable Mention in the professional category. ((Photo courtesy of Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest)
First place Professional Category: Jordan Manning with The Quiet Connection. (Photo courtesy of Laguna Bluebelt Photo Contest)
The purpose of the contest is to recognize and celebrate the natural wonders off the Laguna Beach coastline, with a special emphasis on the Marine Protected Areas, which are designated beaches, coves and rock outcroppings along five miles of the town where no wildlife, rock, shell, crustacean, or fish can be touched or removed.
“The photo contest documents the animals and the habitat that’s in the Marine Protected Areas,” said Anne Girtz, a civil engineer and member of the Bluebelt Coalition. “It’s this citizen scientist and documentation of the value and the diversity of critters that are in (the MPA) areas.”
This year’s winning photographers include Jordan Manning, of Dana Point, who received first place in the professional category with a photo capturing a moment beneath the kelp where he encountered a curious harbor seal.
Manning said he photographed the harbor seal, known as “Waffles,” which has gained national attention for her friendliness toward divers, in November.
He said the protections along so much of the city’s shoreline make it unique and “because of that, it allows the animals to thrive and flourish rather than having to worry about people running around the kelp with spear guns or taking their fish. They know we’re just there to observe and not going to harm them.
“She sees people, and she just comes straight up,” he added, “zero fear in her eyes.”
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Seth Willingham, of San Juan Capistrano, won second place in the professional category, after capturing a group of leopard sharks in his photo. Third-place professional category winner Noah Gilbert, of Los Angeles, caught two male pelicans with vibrantly colored red and yellow plumage at the peak of the breeding season.
Kaelan Housewright, of Los Angeles, who won the amateur category first-place award, with his image of a sea slug, titled “Baba’s Festive Creamsicle,” which was photographed last summer in the intertidal zone near Rockpile Beach.
Mark Garcia, of Irvine, who won second place in the amateur category, found a mother harbor seal with her pup on a lazy afternoon at Treasure Island Beach.
Robert Wenger, of Laguna Beach, who won third place in the amateur category, showcased a hardworking lifeguard in his photo “Dream Job.”
The photo contest draws entries from all over, said Jinger Wallace, a Bluebelt member and contest organizer.
Honorable mentions in the professional category went to Cliff Wassman, of Laguna Beach, Rick Musto, of Laguna Niguel and Veronic Gray of Laguna Beach.
Sarah Lichtenberg, of Costa Mesa, took home an honorable mention in the amateur category.
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