Student Finalist in Photo Competition

Knox College student John Williams has been named a finalist in the 30th Annual College Photography Contest. Only the top 8% of more than 13,000 entries were selected as finalists in the competition, sponsored by the magazine Photographer's Forum.

"This means a lot for my photographic career," said Williams, a sophomore from Hartland, Wisconsin. "It's a great resume booster and helps me get my name out into the photographic community."

Photos at right, submitted by John Williams to Photographer's Forum: a night scene in Galesburg; two men and a cow at a local farm; icicles; all copyright John Williams, used with permission.

Williams is currently a co-editor for photography of "The Knox Student," the weekly campus newspaper. Williams credits two mentors -- Knox faculty member Michael Godsil, instructor in photography; and student Evan Temchin, who was photography editor of "The Knox Student" last year and is the paper's managing editor this year.

"Evan has been my biggest photographic mentor," Williams said. "I also thank professor Godsil for all that he has taught me, and for encouraging me to enter this competition."

Williams submitted three images to the competition. Selected as a finalist was his photo (right) of Dan Collopy and Bill Hennenfent helping a cow stand up after she gave birth so she can tend to her newborn. Williams took the photo last May on Collopy's farm, as part of an assignment in Godsil's course in digital photography. The photo will be published with the other finalists and winners in the magazine's "Best of College Photography Annual 2010."

This is the second time that one of Godsil's photography students has won finalist honors in the Photographer's Forum contest. Farah Ahed, an anthropology major from Pakistan who graduated from Knox in 2007, was selected as a finalist in 2007.

• Farah Ahed Selected Finalist by Photographer's Forum

Photographer's Forum is a quarterly publication that showcases work by American and Canadian photographers.

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 47 states and 48 countries. Knox's "Old Main" is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Photo below: Evan Temchin and John Williams, right, in the office of The Knox Student