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Hernando Today

Shooting with a passion

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By JODY BOWES

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: September 9, 2009

Snowden Technologies provides information systems solutions for the mining industry. They sponsor an annual worldwide photography competition, "Celebrating the Mining Industry," which offers large cash prizes in various categories, and a People's Choice prize, which has yet to be awarded.

This year more than 1,000 photographs were submitted from more than 50 countries. One entry that made it into the final round of 65 finalists came from Hernando County. Spring Hill photographer Carol Teal said she is thrilled to have one of her submissions selected.

Teal said she's "happy to be able to represent the mining industry right here in Brooksville, and to know that my photo made it to the final round of judging and that it will be on display all around the world for the next 12 months."

Teal's photo of limestone screenings was one of three she submitted, all taken at Brooksville's Vulcan Materials Co.

Teal is an amateur photographer who claims a lifelong passion for "capturing the beauty around me and sharing it with others."

She especially enjoys children, pets and nature.

"I like finding and capturing the beauty in nature and even in simple things," she said. "There's so much beauty around us, and sometimes we walk right by it and never see it."

Teal especially likes shooting at the Nature Coast Botanical Gardens, Aripeka, Pine Island and Bayport.

"Sometimes I just take my camera and ride around looking for things to shoot," she added. "In winter, the sunsets are especially gorgeous."

Teal's love of children is evidenced by her current profession. She is a certified teacher who does substitute teaching and tutoring.

"Children are always fun to photograph," she said. "They change so much. There are so many moments in a child's life that may never happen again. In photos you can relive those moments over and over. That really applies to all photography, because even our environment changes quickly."

"Pets are great, too," she continued. "To many people, pets are one of the family. I love taking pet portraits. Animals and children are always dependent on others, and need a lot of love and attention. I love capturing that. I also really want to shoot weddings."

Teal's 13-year-old son Justin also enjoys photography. One of his submissions on the BetterPhoto Web site was a finalist in its monthly contest. Justin recently served as a model at a photo shoot for the Florida State Photography Group of which Teal is a member. Teal said she's learned much through this group and through BetterPhoto where she displays her work ( www.betterphoto.com/?cteal).

"There are some talented photographers on BetterPhoto who give me great advice," she said. "I enter their photo contest almost every month. I have four second-place wins and numerous finalist and Editor's Pick awards."

When Teal discovered the Snowden photography contest, she couldn't resist entering.

In addition to the obvious prize money as motivation, Teal said it was "the challenge of shooting something I knew so little about and knowing I was competing against people from all over the world. I wanted to show that mining has its beauty, too, that it's not just all machines and dirty work. It's important to people all over the world."

Teal set to work and discovered Brooksville's Vulcan Materials Co.

Teal was given a grand tour of the facility by Alan Pagels, Vulcan's safety, health and environmental coordinator. She learned from Pagel that schools and fossil groups often visit the mines because "there's a lot of stuff out there. They've dug-down to what was once under water. You can find fossils of sea creatures."

Teal said Pagel's hospitality and willingness to explain the mining process was invaluable in her choosing areas and subjects to shoot. One day in June, Teal decided to shoot an area full of mounds called limestone screenings. The color and shading struck a chord in her and she got what turned out to be her lucky shot. Snowden chose Limestone Screenings as one of its 65 finalist entries.

Teal's photograph is currently in the running for the People's Choice 2009 Award. The winner is chosen through online voting. Entries can be seen at www.snowdengroup.com by selecting Events then Snowden Photo Competition and People's Choice 2009. Teal's entry is at the top of page three.

Teal has entered other international competitions, and says that she learns a lot about other industries and has a good time shooting. "Enjoying what I do makes photography special to me, and that's more important than winning."

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