Over the 10 years we’ve been holding the Focus on Nevada photo contest, a lot of things have changed. We’ve remixed categories, switched up judges, and watched a hundred cool photo trends come and go. But we’ve discovered one enduring truth: Between the visual splendor of Nevada and the boundless creativity of its photographers, we can never say that we’ve seen it all. Every year, surprise and delight arrive in the form of not just fresh images, but whole new ways of seeing our cities, our landscapes, and our people. Congratulations to all our winners, and thanks once again for opening our eyes.OUR JUDGESMs. AyeVeeLiterary artistBridget BennettPhotographer/professor, UNLVBeverly ChillzMusicianJoe DumicB&C CameraNancy GoodGallerist/artist, Core ContemporaryAndrew KiralyEditor, Desert CompanionHeidi KyserDeputy editor, Desert CompanionWarren LeePhotographerScott LienSenior designer, Desert CompanionAaron MayesPhotographer/curator, UNLVChristopher SmithArt director, Desert Com
May 11, 2021
Wow. if we’ve learned one thing over the past year, it’s that a virulent global pandemic can’t even touch the resilient mojo of avid photographers. The honorees in this year’s Focus on Nevada photo contest seem to have taken the assorted bummers of COVID as an artistic challenge, sublimating them into images that pop with raw, longing beauty - but just as often hum with the tensions and subtle dramas of domestic life that we got to know all too well. Congratulations to our winners and honorable mentions - and thanks as always for inspiring us to look at Nevada with a truly fresh perspective.