Meet the volunteer Northwest Exposure judging panel
Each year, a wonderful panel helps judge our Northwest Exposure Photo Contest. In addition to a few WTA staff members and representatives from our sponsor Glazer’s Camera , these volunteer judges use their expert eyes to sift through thousands of stunning photos from all over the state. Get to know these amazing photographers and hear some of their top tips.
Archana Bhat (she/her), Travel Advisor
What is your best piece of advice for photographers?
The best gear to have is what is on you, whether it's your mobile phone or whatever camera you have. It's not so much about the quality of the camera as the moment being captured. The newer phones are incredibly good, and it's harder and harder for me to whip out my big lenses and gear on hikes when my iPhone does such a great job!
How did you get started with photography?
I first got into photography as a way to capture my newborn twins. Then I started adventuring as a way to get some "me-time." I really enjoy landscape photography but also love dabbling in the little details of the flora and fauna while hiking. Photography lets me really appreciate the outdoors, and it feels like a full circle because both my kids enjoy getting out on hikes and adventures even without me these days.
What do you look for in a winning photo?
The composition and light are really important to me, as well as post-processing that is done well to bring out the scene. Photos, for example, that tell a story trump one that is overly saturated or posed.
What makes the Northwest Exposure Photo Contest special?
It's really fun to see the variety of hiking photos from across Washington state, and each year the caliber of the content keeps getting better. As a judge, it inspires me to explore new hikes and locations that I have not yet experienced. I think this photo contest is a great way for WTA supporters to be inspired every month when the calendar comes out.
Buff Black
Your favorite piece of camera gear?
My favorite piece of photo gear is whatever I have nearby, which nowadays is often a smartphone.
What do you enjoy most about photography?
I most enjoy balancing the artistic and technical aspects of photography, often on the fly, while chasing the light in a metropolis or wilderness.
What do you look for in a winning photo?
In a winsome photo, the overall composition usually has to be there. Cropping a photo to the best aspect ratio is a good place to start.
What makes the Northwest Exposure Photo Contest special?
It’s great to gather once a year with fellow judges for the Northwest Exposure Photo Contest and to be deluged with compelling images captured in our photogenic state.Then we have to work together to narrow the images down. What a fun challenge!
Doug Diekema (he/him), pediatrician
Your favorite piece of camera gear?
A telephoto lens — not simply to photograph wildlife, but because it helps me isolate parts of a landscape that make it special. The temptation for all of us is to focus on the large, grand landscape and capture everything we see. Sometimes, the best photos isolate a part of that landscape and focus our attention on the elements that make it so special.
How did you get started with photography?
I’ve been enjoying photography since my grandfather passed along an old box camera (with a shutter and a non-adjustable aperture) to me when I was about 10 years old. Landscape photography has always been my passion, and it has helped me appreciate and capture the beauty of nature and the elements that make the scene in front of me so compelling.
What do you look for in a winning photo?
Composition, light, color, texture and sharp focus are all important, but most of all, the image has to make me feel something, whether it’s a sense of joy or wonder or simply a desire to be in that moment.
What makes the Northwest Exposure Photo Contest special?
It’s an opportunity to showcase the wonderful landscapes that make up Washington and the people who recreate in those places.
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