Zoya Lynch, the only woman entered in Out of Bounds: Tales From the Backcountry photo competition, has taken the top prize of $1,000.
The Revelstoke resident's photo "Shadow Quest" is a monochrome image with a group of skiers making their way up a mountain at Rogers Pass.
"When I'm ski touring, going up hill, I get pretty inspired to take good photos," Lynch said in an interview when the show opened.Ê
Lynch, who has been a professional photographer for the last three years, but has been shooting for the last six, is drawn to all kinds of subjects, not just sports shots. "I like shooting everything from recreational tourism, adventure sports, weddings, landscapes, nature shots," she said.
The winner of the People's Choice award and a two-day snowcat trip with Backcountry Snowcats is Bradley Slack for his photo "Blue Room". Just three votes behind Slack in that category was Sean St. Denis for his photo "Into Heaven." He wins an Arc'teryx jacket.
All three winning photos do not show skiers, said organizer Andrea Mueller of the Whistler Arts Council, suggesting a shift in public preferences.
"The exhibit looked amazing this year thanks to all the talented photographers who submitted their work," Mueller said, adding their Cabin Fever launch party was the biggest yet.
Workshops offered by Blake Jorgenson's Outdoor Photography Summit during the competition were sold out.
Five photos from the exhibit sold, Mueller added.
— with files from Alyssa Noel —
