Gurwin’s Annual Photo Contest — Providing Quality of Life Enhancement for Our Nursing Home Residents
One of the first things that visitors to our 460-bed nursing & rehabilitation center notice is the beautiful artwork on the walls. These are the winning photos from our annual photo contest, and they never fail to spark a conversation, stimulate a memory or just bring a smile.
The contest, which is in its 32nd year of providing beautiful and meaningful photos for our residents, family members, staff and visitors, runs each year from February 15 through April 15, typically garnering more than 700 entries annually in 12 categories. Cash prizes are awarded in each category, and a Best-in-Show is chosen. What makes the contest unique, however, is the length of time the winners are displayed at the Center; once the enlarged and framed photos spend two years in the Helen and Nat Tiffen Gallery in the main corridors, they are moved to the resident units, where they are enjoyed for many more years by residents and staff.
Amateur photographers from all over the country enter with the hope that their photos will be selected. Three professional photographers serve as judges, and the hanging of the winning photos is anxiously awaited each June by residents and staff alike. The Tiffen Co. – a leading manufacturer of glass filters and other fine products for digital, still, video, motion pictures and television – is the sponsor of the contest, and their annual support is makes the contest possible.
In addition to the 12 categories judged by the professionals, there is a Resident Selection prize that is as coveted as the Best-in-Show honor. This is because a panel of the residents themselves choose a handful of selections that they would like to have hanging in their home, and those are enlarged as well.
“It isn’t about the prize,” says one entrant, who has entered her work for more than a decade. “I love entering the Gurwin Contest because I know that, if chosen, my photos will hang for many years, and bring enjoyment to the residents living there. That makes me feel good.”
Perennial judge Tony Lopez, of Tony Lopez Photography, marvels at the ever-increasing quality of the submissions. “Years ago, when the contest first started, we received snapshots. Now, the contest has gotten extremely competitive, with some very talented amateurs entering their work. Some of the photos are really stunning, and they look awesome enlarged and hanging in the gallery at Gurwin.”
The 12 categories are as follows: Altered/Enhanced, Children, Landscapes, Nature, New York, Pets, People, Sports/Action, Still Life, Travel and Wildlife. In addition, a Student category offers an opportunity for students aged 18 and under to enter and be judged accordingly. Winners are selected on the basis of clarity, composition, subject matter and suitability for display at the Gurwin Center.
Next time you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and take a look at the photos gracing our walls. If you would like to enter next year’s competition, contact our Gurwin Public Relations office at (631) 715-2562, or email publicrelations@gurwin.org to have your name placed on our contest announcement list.
