38th Annual InFocus Competition, Exhibition & Sale 2025   

Jamestown Community Hall
18246 Main St. Jamestown, CA


December 26, Thursday – OPEN SMARTER ENTRY at 6:00 a.m.
February 24, Monday – COMPETITION CLOSES at 6:00 p.m.


April 11, Friday – RECEIVE ACCEPTED ENTRIES from Noon – 5:00 p.m.
April 12, Saturday – RECEIVE ACCEPTED ENTRIES from 9:00 a.m. – Noon

April 13, Sunday – Show opens to the public with RECEPTION from
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.


SHOW DATES:
Wednesday April 16 – Sunday April 20, Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday April 23 – Sunday April 26, Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday April 27, Noon – 3:00 p.m.

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Winners 2024

People's Choice Award
Half Dome Lightening Strike - by Jason Jeffery
Landscape

Student's Choice
Smile - by Stephanie Cholez
 Animals

BEST IN SHOW 2024
DUST TO DUST...
​LARRY ANGIER

 CHARLES MOORE AWARD & HM People
LOVE IS IN THE AIR
​LARRY ANGIER

WINNERS PAGE

ALL IMAGES CHOSEN TO HANG IN THE SHOW

ALL IMAGES ENTERED

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WINNERS IN 2019

WINNERS IN  2020

VIRTUAL SHOW OF 2021

 WINNERS IN 2022

WINNERS IN 2023

WINNERS 2024

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2024

• New location in Jamestown California
• 342 Images were entered and 169 Images were hung
• 63 Photographers were included
• 360 Jamestown Elementary Students visited from K-8th Grades
• More than 400 Visitors Attended
• 16 images were purchased benefitting Artists and Arts in Tuolumne County
• Two new Judges, Dean Taylor and Richard Behee joined Jan Lightfoot

This was my first competition.
​The experience was far more than I expected. 
Ken Cawley

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Columbia Elementary School Guests in 2019

In 2019 We had 1st - 5th graders from Columbia Elementary School attend this years show. They were asked to pick their "People's Choice" Award and to write, in one word, why they chose the image they chose. Here are some of their responses.

• Sparkles, peaceful, ice blue, lava, sunlight, relaxing, inspiring, emotional, incredible, sad, calming, graceful, soothing, unique, smug face, rays, magical, role model, extraordinary, touching, solitude, freaky, gloomy, bright. 

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​Some didn't follow directions and had more then one word responses and are well worth noting...

• ​"Epic scenery."
• "I wish it's the way life would be, no crying, no sad moments, just soothing."
• "If you get stressed out you can think about this, it's like calm."
• "To see the story of my life."
• "It's like a whole galaxy right there!"
• "This one reminds me of my heritage."

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"When I asked a young 3rd grader why he picked this one as his favorite his reply was, "Because I like history...because I feel like I am there...because I remember it when I walk away.""
"I asked him if he wanted to be a Judge next year!"

​Laurie Lehmann~Committee Member

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In 2016 

• 157 Images were hung in the show. 5 categories were featured. 
• More then 600 people visited the Gallery in Columbia this year
• More then 600 people voted for the Peoples' Choice Award
• The 2nd & 3rd Grade classes from Columbia Elementary School attended the Show- More then 80 students in all
• Columbia College brought more than 20 students from a photo class
• Two of the Judges did a walk-through to share their insights into the judging choices
• Video's of the walk-through were posted on our website

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In 2017

• We had 332 online entries and 166 Images hung in Angelo’s Hall
• We had 6 categories. A new category for our 30th Anniversary, Images of Tuolumne county, was added. This image winner was chosen by the Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau.   
• We had over 1,064 visitors come through the gallery.
• We had more then 250 Columbia Elementary Students from 1,2,3,4,5 grades visit the gallery. They learned about the categories and they chose their favorite image  
• ​We had over 833 Peoples' Choice Award Ballots cast
• We had two new judges representing many years of photography experience between them                     

In 2018

• We had 975 People vist this year's show
• We had 6 categories
• ​94 Photographers entered photos
• 226 Columbia El students attended
• Of 398 images entered, 191 Images were hung in the gallery
• 954 Peoples' Choice ballots were counted
• We had 3 new judges that we will invite back again next year.

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In 2019

• We had over 900 people visit the show
• 237 Columbia Elementary students visited the show
• Hickman School participated for the first time
• 460 images were entered and 178 images chosen to hang in Angelo’s Hall
• We had a Peoples' Choice award where 631 participated
• New this year, we had a Students' Choice Award where 275 students participated
• 102 photographers entered images and 76 were represented in the show
• Of the 6 categories, 3 were new categories  to the show
• A photo workshop with Judge Michael Phaling was offered to anyone who entered
• There was a walk-thru discussion with Judges Michael Phaling and Charlotte Gibb on the last day of the show

 

In 2020- Covid 19

• 85 photographers entered 377 images in 6 categories. At the end of the online jurying there were 66 photographers, of whose work 181 images were chosen to hang in the show.
• All photographers received a special one year InFocus membership to Tuolumne County Arts.
• The committee, with the help of our sponsors, purchased 10 new panels and more lights to make the show even brighter than before.
• We offered a one day virtual sale day where the photos were at a 25% discount. We sold 11 images with $1,255 going to photographers. 
• 145 people saw the show. This was a very challenging year.

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In 2021- Virtually

* We had 455 images entered
* 180 photographers entered images
* We had photographers from California, Oregon, New Jersey, Maine, S. Carolina & Great Britain
* We added 180 artists to the Tuolumne County Arts Membership
* We had 81 photographers "virtually" hang images in the show
* We virtually hung 187 images in the show
* We awarded 27 cash prizes
* We had a hugely successful Zoom Awards Presentation with 3 pages of attendees
*In August 2021 we had 661 views of our virtual show

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Comments: 2021

"Thank you so much for putting together this virtual art show. It has helped fill the void left by not being able to gather and view in person. The photographs are a joy to see and I'm grateful to every person from the photographers, to the committee members, financial supporters, and all who made this possible. Very cool."

"A friend told me about this and I was very impressed with all the photos, beautiful and amazing."

"I am never disappointed with the quality of work shown. Thank you!"

"I was thrilled to read that my image had been chosen this year. Thank you for making this event happen in these challenging times." 

"It’s a lovely show. I enjoyed sitting by the fire last night watching the images roll by. There are a number I wouldn’t mind having."

"Beautiful show! I entered, didn't win, but love the ones that did! FABULOUS! to say the least."

"Thank you very much for this wonderful honor."

"Always honored and humbled. Thank you"

"Thank you all at Infocus for the work you did to keep this show going. It's been fun to have an art moment again...."

"Thanks, guys, for all the behind the scenes work you all do. Another great show you can all be proud of producing in spite of it all this year!"

2022

2023

• Virtual Reception with the Judges, Kim Komenich, Jan Lightfoot and Sam Shaw. 28 people attended
• 367 entries submitted
• 181 images hung
• 80 photographers entered and 63 photographers presented finished work
• Gallery Open for live viewing for 8 days
• 80 photographers became TCA members
• 6 categories- Blue Zone-Natural Movement new category
• 287 People voted for People's Choice and 119 for Students Choice
• We had more than 550 people tour through the show
• 4th and 5th grade Columbia Elementary School students attended
• When we launched this years winners we had over 1,924 views of our website
• We sold 11 images mostly on our SALE day
• Our People's Choice and Student Choice award winner was the same image!

The year of SNOW-MAGEDAN

• Judges were Susan Bovey, Jan Lightfoot and Jeff Luhn
  
• 291 entries submitted
  
• 164 images hung
  
• 62 Photographers presented works
• 278 People voted Peoples Choice Ballots
  
• 192 Students voted Student Choice
  
• New category– All Things Tuolumne County. Sponsored by Visit Tuolumne County
• 2nd-6th Grade Students attended from Columbia Elementary School
  
• We sold 14 images
  
• Weather really hampered the event this year. Snow, rain, power outages and even a TORNADO WARNING

COMMENTS 2023
"This event is 10,000 more inspiring then I thought it would be! " Swen Swenson

STUDENTS 
"I picked this one because it is beautiful and the colors in it are so good together" Iceland Coastline 

"I like this one because it brings back childhood and dreams"  Someday Sunny

"It is very clever"  Lost Sole

"Because it looks like lava but it's water being reflected by the sun."  Where Fire Falls 

"It makes me think of my horse that died and his name was Johny" Icelandic Farm Horse

"It speaks to me."  White Sands in Yucca

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2024 Sponsors