Photo wins honor, a place on directory cover

17 qualified entries narrowed down to first-place winner

Published: April 9, 2015

This photo by Deacon Robert L. Morris of Heber Springs, taken at St. Albert Church, won first place in Arkansas Catholic’s annual contest and will appear on the cover of the 2016 Diocese of Little Rock Directory.

The tabernacle and a red sanctuary light at St. Albert Church in Heber Springs, captured by Deacon Robert L. Morris of Heber Springs, won first place in Arkansas Catholic’s annual photo contest and will appear on the cover of the 2016 Catholic Diocese of Little Rock Directory.

Morris will receive photographer’s credit in the directory, a one-year subscription to Arkansas Catholic and a copy of the directory.

Second place in the contest was won by Robert C. Alexander of Little Rock, who submitted his photo of a statue of Mary looking over the cemetery at Subiaco Abbey.

Gus Van Veckhoven of Pine Bluff won third place with a night image of St. Joseph Church in Pine Bluff, covered in snow and glowing in the street lights.

Honorable mentions went to photos entered by Alexander and by Kira Tidwell of Camden. A notable number of entrants took advantage of recent winter weather to capture a snow-covered feature of their parish church.

This year’s contest attracted 17 qualified entries. Other photographers entered the contest from Charleston, Ratcliff, Fort Smith, Bentonville, Hot Springs, Stuttgart and Camden.

Eligible subjects were any architectural element or detail of a Catholic church or institution in Arkansas.

Photos were judged by the newspaper staff based on composition, technical quality, visual appeal and suitability for the directory cover.