Examiner Contributor
Many talented folks from Logan County had an eye for photography, Sunday July 6, and they were awarded for their meaningful and beautiful pictures. Some of the most experienced photographers, as well as novices, submitted their works side by side.
All of their artwork is displayed throughout fair week in the Blue Building of the Logan County Fair.
Hazel Rutan, a soon-to-be seventh-grader at Bellefontaine Middle School, won Best of Show for Youth Photography. She caught a great picture of her uncle’s cat, Millie.
“My mother kept telling me my picture was good, and she would not shut-up about it,” Hazel excitedly said. “Millie,” she mentioned, “is awesome, because she has a head-tilt. So, she is stuck with a sideways head, but that makes her cute.”
John Nicholl is a local photographer that has quite a bit of experience in this genre. He won several awards and two Best of Shows for his efforts this year.
“It’s been a while since I have done that, so I feel pretty good about it,” John said with a beaming smile.
Winning a first-place ribbon in the ‘Land I Love’ category for her beautiful photo of two Tetons was Abbi Knief. Her picture gained her a Best of Show.
Alli was happy with her blue ribbon and said, “It’s very rewarding because I took a lot of photos, last summer, while traveling, so it is nice to win something that gets noticed.”
Mark Collins, another experienced local photographer, won many ribbons, this year, for his picture taking. Mark received one Best of Show and two Reserve Best of Shows for his photography endeavors.
“I have to feel good about it. I take it seriously, and I work hard at this to learn. It’s learning,” Mark said humbly.
Gary Kauffman, co-chair of the Logan County Fair Photography Department, knows this craft. He won Reserve Champion for his Colors of the Season photo and another Reserve Best of Show for his entry in the Black and White-My Best Photo Category.
“I take over 100,000 pictures a year, so hopefully some of them are worthy of putting on the wall at the fair,” Gary shared. “I’m always happy when I win prizes at the fair. I love photography. Just to see my picture hanging on the wall with a ribbon hanging on it kind of validates what I do.”
He hosts a Photography Group called The Logan County Photography Club that is open to anyone that has an interest in photography.
“We meet the first Tuesday of the month out at Camp Myeerah. Just bring you camera and come out.” More details can be found at their Facebook group called “LCPC Members Circle.”
2025 Logan County Fair Photography Results
Open Class Photography- Special Award Categories- Fun On the Farm: 1st place John Nicholl and 2nd place Roxanna Shoffstall
Open Class Photography- Special Award Categories- Agriculture and Farmland Preservation: 1st place Gary Kauffman, 2nd place Jenifer Schreiner, and Roxanna Shoffstall
Open Class Photography- Special Award Categories- This is Indian Lake: 1st place Mark Collins, 2nd place Kyleigh Duff, and 3rd place Gary Kauffman
Open Class Photography- Special Award Categories- Aging Gracefully: 1st place Crosley Lacher, 2nd place Sandra Morris, and 3rd place Becky Nicholl
Open Class Photography- Special Award Categories- Fair Rides 1st place Sandra Morris, 2nd place Mark Collins, and 3rd place Gary Kauffman
Grand Champion: Crosley Lacher and Reserve Grand Champion: Mark Collins
Open Class Photography- Novice- Faces: 1st place Wendy Rutan, 2nd place Aryn Forsythe, and 3rd place Terri Mees
Open Class Photography- Novice- My Best Photo: 1st place Wendy Rutan, 2nd place Elizabeth Rosebrook, and 3rd place Terri Mees
Open Class Photography- Novice- Land I Love: 1st place Crosley Lacher, 2nd place Kyleigh Duff, and 3rd place Darlene Forsythe
Open Class Photography- Novice- Scenic Picture:1st place Crosley Lacher, 2nd place Kyleigh Duff, and 3rd place Darlene Forsythe
Open Class Photography- Novice- My Best Photography- Black and White: 1st place Elizabeth Rosebrook, 2nd place Wendy Rutan, and 3rd place Terri Mees
Grand Champion: Crosley Lacher and Reserve Grand Champion: Wendy Rutan
Open Class Photography- General- Color- My Best Photo: 1st place Mark Collins, 2nd place Laura Duff, and 3rd place Alli Knief
Open Class Photography- General- Color- Multi-Colored Flower: 1st place Sandra Morris, 2nd place Laura Duff, and 3rd place Alli Knief
Open Class Photography- General- Color- Land I Love: 1st place Alli Knief, 2nd place Mark Collins, and 3rd place Virgil Lewis
Open Class Photography- General- Color- Colors of the Holidays: 1st place Mark Collin, 2nd place Kathleen DeVault, and 3rd place Laura Duff
Open Class Photography- General- Color- Wildlife: 1st place Kay Ressler, 2nd place Gretchen Magato, and 3rd place Laura Duff
Grand Champion: Alli Knief and Reserve Grand Champion: Mark Collins
Open Class Photography- General- Black and White- Music: 1st place Laura Duff, 2nd place Roxana Shoffstall, and 3rd place Terri Mees
Open Class Photography- General- Black and White-My Best Photo: 1st place Mark Collins, 2nd place Kathleen DeVault, and 3rd place Sandra Morris
Open Class Photography- General- Black and White- Play Time: 1st place Sandra Morris, 2nd place Laura Duff, and 3rd place Junah Tingley
Grand Champion: Mark Collins and Reserve Grand Champion: Laura Duff
Open Class Photography- Color- Advanced- My Best Photo: 1st place John Nicholl, 2nd place Gary Kauffman, and 3rd place Becky Nicholl
Open Class Photography- Color- Advanced- Multi-Colored Flowers: 1st Place Gary Kauffman, 2nd place Virgil Lewis, and 3rd place John Nicholl
Open Class Photography- Color- Advanced- Camera Tricks: 1st place Gary Kauffman, 2nd place Virgil Lewis, and 3rd place John Nicholl
Open Class Photography- Color- Advanced- Time Lapsed Photography-Nighttime: 1st place Gary Kauffman and 2nd place John Nicholl
Open Class Photography- Color- Advanced- Colors of the Holidays: Gary Kauffman, and 2nd place John Nicholl
Grand Champion: John Nicholl and Reserve Grand Champion: Gary Kauffman
Open Class Photography-Advanced Division-My Best Photo: 1st place Gary Kauffman, 2nd place Becky Nicholl, and 3rd place Virgil Lewis
Open Class Photography- Black and White – Motion: 1st place John Nicholl, 2nd place Becky Nicholl, and 3rd place Gary Kauffman
Open Class Photography-Black and White-Abandoned Things: 1st place Virgil Lewis, 2nd place Becky Nicholl, and 3rd place Laura Duff
Grand Champion: John Nicholl, and Reserve Grand Champion: Gary Kauffman
Open Class Photography Youth, Open Subject, 1st place Hazel Rutan, 2nd place Mallory Vickery, and 3rd place Hazel Vickery.
Grand Champion: Hazel Rutan, and Reserve Grand Champion: Lincoln Stone