Media Release

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For immediate release
August 21, 2006

Canmore photographer wins 2006 Banff Mountain Photography Competition Grand Prize

Beyond showing simply an individual, group, or landscape, great photographs reflect conditions, experiences, and feelings. Recently awarded first prize in the 2006 Banff Mountain Photography Competition, Andrew Querner’s image Cirque of the Unclimbables clearly reveals the uncertainty felt by his companions as they face inclement weather in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

“After spending a comfortable night made interesting by a display of aurora borealis, Michael Henrichsen, Rich Cannings, and I awoke to inclement weather atop Pitch 8 of the Lotus Flower Tower in Canada’s Cirque of the Unclimbables,” says Canmore-based Querner. “Climbing in a remote alpine setting introduces a great number of variables, weather included, that can conspire to spoil a successful ascent. With alpine climbing, sometimes the only certainty is an overwhelming sense of ambiguity.”

Querner’s image topped a collection of more than 2,100 photographs from 27 countries submitted to the 11th annual competition. The 2006 Banff Mountain Photography Competition is presented by National Geographic and Dunham, with assistance from the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.

The 2006 Banff Mountain Photography Competition jury included award-winning photographer Alec Pytlowany, curator Lisa Christensen, and photographer/writer Jerry Kobalenko. In addition to the Grand Prize, the jury chose winners in five subject categories and one regional category. Another ten photographs received special mention. Winners include:

Grand Prize

Andrew Querner of Canmore, Alberta, Canada, was awarded the Grand Prize for his photo Cirque of the Unclimbables. Querner wins $1000 CDN plus prizes from competition sponsors.

Category Prizes

The following photographers won category prizes and will each receive $500 CDN plus prizes from competition sponsors:

• Best Photo – Mountain Adventure: Wyoming Jump,Bobby Model, Nairobi, Kenya
• Best Photo – Mountain Culture: Priorities,Dusty Demerson, Crested Butte, Colorado, USA
• Best Photo – Mountain Environment: Clothing the Spirits,Luke Duggleby, Bangkok, Thailand
• Best Photo – Mountain Flora and Fauna: Mountain Bluebird,Peter Dettling, Canmore, Alberta, Canada
• Best Photo – Mountain Landscape: Ice to Sky,Darrell Wilks, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Yellowstone to Yukon Region Prize

Brian Bastinelli of York, Pennsylvania, USA, was awarded $500 CDN for the best overall photograph from the Yellowstone to Yukon Region (Y2Y) for his photo Madison River Elk Rut. This prize was sponsored by the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. For more information, please visit www.y2y.net.

Special Mentions

In addition, each of the following photographers received Special Mentions:

• Marc Adamus, of Corvallis, Oregon, USA, for Crater Lake
• Monica Dalmasso of Chamonix, France, for Stop Global Warming!
• Michael Elkan of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, for Dirt Bike Trails
• Jeff Friesen of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, for Carmanah Creek
• Robin Loznak of Great Falls, Montana, USA, for Death in the Mountains
• Chris Noble of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, for Aspen Trunks
• Verena and Georg Popp of Vienna, Austria, for Floating Beech Leaves
• Kathy Stegman of Arroyo Grande, California, USA, for Rapids
• Mike Unrau of Vineland, Ontario, Canada, for Homeless Woman with Child
• Richard Wear of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for Wolf

The winning images will be exhibited at The Banff Centre from October 2006 to September 2007 and will also be exhibited at select locations in North America and abroad.

The Banff Mountain Photography Competition is presented by Mountain Culture at The Banff Centre, which promotes understanding and appreciation of the world’s mountain places by creating opportunities for people to share — and find inspiration in — mountain experiences, ideas, and visions.

Check out winning photos

High-resolution files are available for print publications upon request.

Published photos must be incorporated with coverage of the Banff Mountain Photography Competition and include a copyright symbol with the photographer’s name, the photograph’s title, and the prize title and competition name (e.g. “Best Photo, Mountain Culture, Banff Mountain Photography Competition 2006”). This information must appear directly above, under, or beside the photograph. Failure to display the correct photo credit with the photograph may result in the user’s liability for the full commercial value of the photograph.

The 2006 Banff Mountain Photography Competition is presented by National Geographic and Dunham, with assistance from the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative.