Photographers honored in ‘What Makes Henderson GREAT!’ competition
Residents across the city were tasked recently with showing off what makes Henderson great.
Each year, the “What Makes Henderson GREAT!” photo contest invites the community to submit pictures of landscapes, people and places that capture the spirit of the community.
This year’s winners were announced recently.
Each one has a story about the photo they took.
Pavlina Edwards’ ‘jump’
This is Pavlina Edwards’ second year winning.
“I was really surprised,” she said.
Her photo, “Jump,” features a boy jumping into the arms of his father.
Edwards started talking photo classes at the College of Southern Nevada a few years ago.
“I am a stay-at-home mom,” she said. “I always wanted to take classes, though.”
Along with her classes, she started taking photos of her children.
“Then I started taking pictures of friends and friends of friends,” she said.
The thing she likes about photography most is being able to create a memory for the people she is photographing.
“I love seeing the parents’ faces when they get the final results,” she said.
Aaron Tozier’s ‘The View’
Aaron Tozier is fairly new to photography.
“I have a cousin who is a professional wedding photographer,” he said. “It inspired me to maybe get into it.”
He started out doing a project in which he took a photo a day.
“I would just take pics of things I found interesting,” he said.
One day while hiking in Henderson, he saw a view that took his breath away.
Snap.
The moment became captured in “The View,” his submission for the Henderson contest.
“I was really surprised it won, but I’m very happy,” he said.
Philip Dahlheimer’s ‘Our Tribute’
Philip Dahlheimer has been doing photography since 1972.
“I started when I was 17,” he said. “I started taking pics of everything.”
When he went to college, he started out studying photography. But after an inspiring teacher, he changed his major to physics.
He still would take pictures here and there and even entered a few contests along the way.
In the photo, “Our Tribute,” he decided to show off Henderson Military Tribute Park.
“I wanted to do something to honor our veterans,” he said.
He stood with his camera taking photo after photo until he had just the right light in the background.
Jenifer Grasser’s ‘Somewhere…’
Jenifer Grasser won in the Instagram category this year.
When Grasser needs to get away, she usually goes to Arroyo Grande Sports Complex and Pittman Wash Trail.
“It has such a pretty landscape,” she said. “I will go walking there on my lunch breaks.”
While strolling along the pathways, she always takes photos of the sites she sees and posts them on Instagram.
She received a city of Henderson news alert informing her about the contest and decided to enter.
“I submitted a couple photos,” she said. “I was surprised I won.”
Her photo was called “Somewhere…”
She has lived in Henderson since 2007 and said opportunities such as this are why she loves the community.
“The city it really good at acknowledging its residents,” she said.
Gene Hertzog’s ‘Fun Place in Henderson’
Gene Hertzog, a Henderson resident for 21 years, won for his photo “Fun Place in Henderson,” which captures the playground at Mountain Lake Park.
Hertzog started out as a photographer in the U.S. Army.
When he got out, he moved to Boulder City doing photography for the Bureau of Reclamation.
“I was sent all over the state doing photos,” Hertzog said.
After he retired, he still did photography for several agencies including the Southern Nevada Water Authority and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
“It feels like I never retired because I’m still shooting,” he said.
In his spare time, Hertzog goes around town taking pictures. This year, he decided to submit some of his work to the city.
“I didn’t think I’d win until I got a call a few weeks ago,” he said.
Winners’ images are displayed at City Hall, 240 S. Water St., at cityofhenderson.com and on the city’s Facebook page. They also got a chance to meet with Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen March 19. The city plans to bring the competition back in December. For more information, visit cityofhenderson.com.
Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 702-387-5201.
