Beloved places in the Piedmont

(Read the full article about the contest winners here.)

Although all excellent photos speak for themselves, sometimes comments from the photographer add another layer of meaning.

Kevin J. Beaty, about his photos of the Torance House and Store and of uptown Charlotte: “We used to call it the ‘Ghost House’ when I was a kid, so approaching it late at night to get this shot was particularly scary.” (Read about the house here.) And: “On a warm night, uptown Charlotte is a fantastic place for a long romantic walk ended, of course, with a Sabrett’s hotdog and a Coke.”

Jason Walser, about his photo of a rural Rowan County field: “I snapped this photo of a conserved property in western Rowan County off of White Road. (I) looked east towards the sunrise. Roosters were crowing in the distance when I took this, and it was the only sound I could hear. I … felt like I was part of something special as West Rowan County came alive between 6:30 and 7 a.m. Cows mooing, birds chirping, and roosters crowing. This is a beautiful place that, thanks to conservation efforts, will look pretty much just like this for countless generations to follow.”

Michael J. Solender, about his photo of the Firebird: “One Charlotte place I love is the plaza in front of the Bechtler Museum at the Levine Avenue of the Arts and South Tryon Street. I especially enjoy it at night when the Firebird gleams and the foot traffic from the adjacent Knight Theater spills out onto the plaza. I took this photo when my sister-in-law was in town for a show, and the moment I took the photo the plaza was clear – moments later it was filled with people.”

From Fitz Lee of Charlotte, about his creek photo: “There is about a 50-yard stretch of Briar Creek behind Myers Park High School that I feel is Mother Nature’s proudest display. From most vantage points it appears that you are hundreds of miles away from the city. Beautiful rock-laden waterway covered with low-hanging greenery – great hangout for all kinds of birds.”