The entries came from California to Florida, Texas to Washington state, even from across the pond. The subjects ranged from beach days to wildlife, boats to lighthouses, and lots and lots of beautiful sunsets – in short, all the things that make the Island eminently photographable.

After reviewing more than 300 images, the judges have spoken. Here are their favorite photos of the year:

First Place
Lucy Dahl, Edgartown

One morning in Menemsha, Lucy Dahl took this photograph of her black lab after a swim. “I love the clarity and detail of this photo,” said one judge. “The contrasting textures are captivating, and the eyes, which feel slightly menacing, are an
intriguing focal point.”

Second Place
Hannah Marlin, Oak Bluffs

The annual fireworks display at Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs delights everyone each summer, especially photographer Hannah Marlin’s mother, pictured here. “This photograph is full of excitement and emotion, not just on the faces of the main subject, but throughout the frame,” commented a judge.

Third Place
Alexander Cheek, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Alexander Cheek took this photo of his niece playing in the rough surf of South Beach on one of the hottest days of the summer. “What a wonderfully pure, ecstatic moment captured at the beach!” said one judge. “The motion in this image is nicely exaggerated by the opposing directions of the water and the sand.”

People’s Choice
Hannah Marlin, Oak Bluffs

For the first time this year, Martha’s Vineyard Magazine readers got the chance to vote for their favorite photo contest submissions. Hannah Marlin’s photo of the schooner Alabama sailing through a thick fog in Vineyard Haven Harbor led the pack, with more than 250 ballots cast in its favor.

Honorable Mention
Carol Arrowsmith, Broad Brook, Connecticut

Remnants of Hurricane Maria last September created a spectacular sunset, witnessed by the photographer aboard the Island Home during the ferry ride from Woods Hole. “I love that the fading storm cloud takes up nearly the whole image.
The boat in the corner gives it scale and depth,” said a judge. 

Honorable Mention
Brooke Bartletta, Hingham, Massachusetts

Brooke Bartletta captured this young girl playing with giant bubbles at the annual Agricultural Fair. “This photograph perfectly encapsulates childhood innocence and exuberance,” said one judge. “The use of black and white reinforces the nostalgic quality.”

Honorable Mention
Juleann VanBelle, West Tisbury

During an “almost full” moon in Katama, Juleann VanBelle kept the camera’s shutter open for several minutes to create an abstract long exposure photo of land and sea. “I find this image episodic and compelling,” stated a judge. “It captures the passage of time, the ocean’s breath, and the sun’s trajectory.”

Honorable Mention
Larry Glick, Sudbury, Massachusetts

Larry Glick used a drone to photograph this floating dock from above, revealing forty-six dinghies vying for room. “The strength of this picture is the composition,” said a judge. “The use of space is very good, which can be difficult in the square format.”

Honorable Mention

Brian Packish, Oak Bluffs

Brian Packish came across this lone snowy owl in the dunes on a sunset trip to Cape Pogue. “For another common subject on our Island, this might be one of the only images of our friend the snowy owl that can be called a portrait rather than a wildlife photo,” one judge commented.

The Judges

This year’s panel included Jimmy Moffat, a West Tisbury summer resident who is the founder and director of Red Hook Labs, an arts-in-education provider in Brooklyn, New York; Chris Morse, the owner of three Island art galleries in Edgartown and West Tisbury; Ray Ewing, an Islander and adjunct professor of photography at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, California; Randi Baird, a professional photographer who lives in West Tisbury; Alley Moore, the art director for this magazine; and Vanessa Czarnecki, this magazine’s senior editor and the editor of Island Weddings magazine.