MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Rebekah Harwell, a 14-year-old freshman at Matthew C. Perry High School here, won first place in the regional portion of the ImageMakers National Photography Contest and moved on to the national level May 18.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Circuit City Foundation have hosted the contest to encourage talented club members to sharpen their skills and pursue careers in photography.
“This is the first time we have a regional winner,” said EugeneClark, the supervisor of the Youth and Teen Center here.“This is just the tip of the iceberg. We are looking for bigger and greater things in the future.”
The Youth and Teen Center first presented the contest to community members 10 to 18 years of age December 2008. Participants had until April 24 to enter all submissions.
Harwell, who fell under the 13- to 15-year age group, competed in the Photo Essay category against nearly 40 participants from the Pacific military bases.
The Photo Essay category required contestants to submit a photograph capturing a social or environmental issue fromtheir area.
Participants then had to provide a short narrative explaining the photograph.
“I didn’t expect to win,” said Harwell. “When I saw it in the Stars and Stripes, I was like, this is real. That‘s cool.”
Harwell’s next step is to send her photograph to the national level with the judging slated to take place July in Atlanta, Ga.
“We’re proud of her and glad we are able to have a regional winner,” said Clark. “We’re looking forward to having her be our first national winner.”
Harwell first became interested in photography through her father, who is also a photographer.
Harwell said she likes taking pictures in her free time and that she and her father often take their camera everywhere they go.
“I like freezing time,” said Harwell. “When you take a picture of somebody not expecting it, you can say, ‘This is what your face looked like for two seconds and I caught it.’”
Clark encouraged Harwell to compete in the ImageMakers National Photography Contest knowing of her talents and interest in photography.
It was her father’s encouragement that made Harwell decide to participate in the competition. “I’d like to thank my dad,” said Harwell. “If he wouldn’t have pushed it, I don’t think I would have pursued it as hard.”
Barry Harwell, a retired Marine and father of Rebekah Harwell, said he was very happy with his daughter’s success and described himself as her number one fan.
“She has an eye for the unusual,” said Barry Harwell. “She takes pictures of something people wouldn’t think of, something out of the norm.”
Already a regional winner of the ImageMakers National Photography Contest, Rebekah Harwell looks forward to more competitions.
“If I don’t win, at least I can give it a try,” said Rebekah Harwell. “All you can do is try.”