Butterfly floats to Best of Show in Dewitt County photo contest | DeWitt

Butterfly floats to Best of Show in Dewitt County photo contest | DeWitt

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Sweet Nectar Time

Sherry McRae’s Best of Show photograph, “Sweet Nectar Times,” also won first place in the Miscellaneous category.




“When they called me I let out a big yell and started crying,” said Sherry McRae. “I strive to be the best I can and it’s so rewarding to be recognized.”

McRae, of Sun City near Georgetown, won best in show in this year’s Dewitt County Shutterbugs photo contest.

Her winning photograph titled, “Sweet Nectar Times,” features a swallowtail butterfly sucking up nectar from a zinnia. The photograph was taken in the yard of a master gardener she knew, McRae said.

“It was toward the end to where the flowers were just about spent, so they were giving up their nectar and the swallowtails were just going crazy,” McRae said. “The colors just attracted me and the lighting was just so good, so I just took my time and composed the image.”

McRae shot the winning image on a Canon 5D Mark IV with a 1.4x teleconvertor, attached to a 100-400mm lens. The photo was shot hand held and she spent about 30 minutes working to get the perfect shot, McRae said.

“The swallowtails were a bit skittish when I was around, so I had to really back off the distance to let them get comfortable,” McRae said.

The longtime photographer said her focus has gravitated toward capturing the essence of nature, specifically birds, as the years went on. There isn’t a need to travel far to make beautiful photos, some photos are made near the comfort of her own home, she said.

“I have my own backyard setup, I don’t have to travel far,” McRae said. “Most of my photography is around Georgetown.”

As far as the future, McRae said she is looking forward to continuing building her craft, learning from other photographers and finding more interesting things to put in front of her lenses.

“Photography is just being out there and being with nature,” McRae said.







The Start of a Disaster

First place in the Action category.










Hanging Around

First place in the Animals category.










Antwerpen Station

First place in the Architecture category.










Emerald Toucanette

First place in the Birds category.










Pilgrim's Rise

First place in the Black and White category.










Follow the Leader

First place in the Creative Effects category.










Nodding Onion

First place in the Flowers/Plants category.










Dad Horse State Park

First place in the Landscapes/Scenic category.










The Professor

First place in the Portraits category.










Mr Coachwhip

First place in the Youth Junior Division.










Outlook

First place in the Youth Senior Division.




Duy Vu is the photo editor for the Victoria Advocate. You can reach him at 361-574-1204.

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