2019 Westways Photo Contest runners-up

These entrants to the 2019 Westways Photo Contest may not have taken home the top prizes, but they still captured the judges' attention.

“Huntington Beach is my home beach. It’s where I grew up surfing, fishing, swimming, and lifeguarding, and is by far my favorite place in Southern California. This day during mid-February was stormy for most of the day. But later in the afternoon the clouds started to break, and I knew this was going to be a magical sunset. Sure enough, this sunset was one of the best sunsets I have ever seen.”

“A light snowfall days before gave an extra element to this idyllic scene in the Eastern Sierras.”    

“I was enjoying the locals and their interactions with one another when one of them acted like he had seen an old friend. This guy turned from the rocks and headed straight toward me, like he hadn’t seen me in years. He swam directly for me, forcing me to move out of his way, barely missing me by a couple of feet.”

“This was taken along the Enchanted Highway in southwest North Dakota. There was a classic Midwestern thunderstorm in progress, but near dusk, a break in the clouds provided the illumination for this shot.”

“This photo was taken on Christmas Eve when my mom and I headed down to the beach to watch the sunset. I have been fascinated by marine wildlife since childhood and spent a few years volunteering as a naturalist both on whale-watching boats in Orange County and as a docent at the tide pools in Laguna Beach. The image was captured using my Canon Rebel T6i and features a tide pool sculpin being devoured in a single gulp by a snowy egret.”

“My husband, Denny, and l live in Lake Elsinore. We took friends to see the poppies on the day 50,000 others came to our small city to see the famous poppies.”

“This image was collected during a weeklong fall visit to South Dakota—my first ever—with three longtime friends and fellow photographers (the “Four Foto Friends”). As luck would have it, the morning broke clear and crisp, under a brilliant sun highlighting the famous busts of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln viewed through the surrounding forest.”

“Thanks to the recent rains, these normally dry hills came to life with California’s gold: the poppy. Of course, I just had to see this rare natural event in person. It was truly amazing.”

“This beautiful couple built their nest in the San Gabriel Mountains in California. I watched in amazement for hours when only the female was sitting in the nest. When, all of a sudden, the male flew in, and I captured this amazing moment. It’s something I will never forget. Now, months later, they have two babies that have hatched and are doing wonderfully. It won’t be long until they are gone, but I’m so lucky to have witnessed this wonder.”

“Due to heavy rains over the winter in Southern California, the poppy fields were in full bloom. This rare event was featured on the local and national news channels. I used a Canon T4 Rebel camera to capture this shot.”

“I traveled to Oregon in hope of photographing the Oregon coastline. When my boyfriend and I arrived, the weather forecast was overcast and rainy, so we decided to change our plans. A quick Google search provided hikes with waterfalls nearby. Shortly after beginning the 2-mile descent toward Lower Kentucky Falls, it started to rain. We threw on our ponchos and, once we arrived at the falls, I couldn’t believe my eyes.”