2016’s Northwest Exposure winning photos

Published 1:30 am Sunday, January 29, 2017

From stunning landscapes and winding trails to smiling faces on trails, 2016 truly was an incredible year for Northwest-inspired photography.

The Washington Trails Association’s annual photo contest — Northwest Exposure — celebrates outdoor photography and the community of hikers that explore Washington’s trails. The contest ran from Aug. 17 to Oct. 19 and featured five categories. Winners in each category received prizes from our sponsors and were featured in Washington Trails magazine and online.

Starting with nearly 4,900 entries, Northwest Exposure judges faced a daunting task of choosing winners from the five categories of the 2016 contest, ending up with just 16 photos in the end. The sheer amount of images submitted this year was only topped by their quality.

Northwest Exposure features five categories with prizes awarded for the top three photos in each category. A grand prize was awarded for the best overall photo. The 2016 categories were: Trailscapes, Hikers in Action, Flora and Fauna, Camp Life and Trail Family.

Here are some of the winning images from the 2016 Northwest Exposure Photo Contest.

Grand Prize: Nick Danielson (Seattle)

“Trails provide guidance to creativity, motivation to run, opportunity to build relationships, and an excuse to eat a lot of chocolate. I am constantly surprised by our amazing trail infrastructure and information in Washington.” — Nick Danielson

1st Place, Camp Life: Andrew Koehn (Edmonds)

“The grandeur of the wilderness provides inspiration and perspective to my life. It is refreshing to remember during stressful times that such places of serenity exist and are accessible to those who seek them.” — Andrew Koehn

1st Place, Flora and Fauna: LeeAnne Emrick (Everett)

“Photography serves as not only my creative voice, but also my motivation. There was a time in my life in which I very rarely got outdoors to enjoy trails and the solitude of being away from everyday life. I picked up photography as a means of a creative outlet after becoming a mom and finding it hard to make time for painting and crafts that I used to do. Somehow the two came together, and I became a hiker. When I’m out working a scene, I feel overwhelmed and awed by the sheer number of ways that a landscape can speak to me. Though it sounds cliché, it helps me forget about the world for just a little while, which is always rejuvenating.” – LeeAnne Emrick

1st Place, Trail Family: Brian Koning (Bellingham)

“Our family has always camped and hiked, and my wife and I have enjoyed an occasional backpacking trip over the years, but we had never taken our kids (4, 6, and 8) backpacking. This trip changed that. It was such a great experience that our kids all agreed that the next time we go backpacking, we have to stay more than one night!” — Brian Koning

2nd Place, Hikers in Action: Travis Mighell (Geneseo, Illinois)

“In short, hiking is cathartic for me. It allows me to maintain mental clarity and helps to keep life in perspective.” — Travis Mighell

See all of the winners of the Northern Exposure contest at www.wta.org/signpost/2016-northwest-exposure-photo-contest-winners.

The Washington Trails Association is the nation’s largest state-based hiking nonprofit organization. The WTA protects hiking trails and wildlands, takes volunteers out to maintain trails and promotes hiking as a healthy, fun way to explore the outdoors. For more information, go to www.wta.org.