Ken Jochim, of Carson City, took this photo of Washoe Lake, which is featured on the cover. "This pictures show how beautiful this area is," he writes.
From a sliver of a moon above a mountain ridge to the reflection of the Sierra Nevada in Washoe Lake, the four winning entries of the Nevada Appeal photo contest all evoked the same theme - the beauty of Northern Nevada as the reason why people have chosen to live here.
As part of the Nevada Appeal's annual almanac, Carson Discoveries, the Nevada Appeal asked for photo entries to show why you choose to live in Carson City or the surrounding area. All winners are featured in Carson Discovers 2007.
First-place winner, Ken Jochim, who has lived in Carson City since 1984, was chosen from more than 400 entries for his photo of the Sierra Nevada reflected in Washoe Lake. It is featured as the cover shot of Carson Discoveries 2007.
"Wow, this is great. I'm really excited," Jochim said after being told he was the winner.
"I've always admired the reflection of the mountains in the lake. I took that shot around 7 a.m. or so. I like to go out early in the morning looking for stuff - wildlife and other shots - especially around Washoe Valley."
Jochim, 58, purchased a Canon EOS digital camera a little more than a year ago and considers himself an amateur photographer. He won a $150 Best Buy gift certificate.
The same beauty can be said for Victor Mannahan's "October Sky" photograph, winner of the People's Choice Award.
Shot just after sunset with a Canon S2 on a tri-pod, Mannahan, 36, remarked at the color of the evening sky.
"I had never seen that color in the sky before and had to grab my camera and take a picture," he said. "This is wonderful. Awesome. I didn't expect to win."
The photo was shot from his backyard in Mark Twain. He won a $50 Best Buy gift certificate.
Richard Roche, of Dayton, won second-place with his photo of "Lompa Barn" on East Fifth Street. He will receive a $100 Best Buy gift certificate.
Del Johnson, 34, of Carson City is the third-place winner for his shot of "Blue Crescent Moon," taken in April 2006.
"I had just went digital and was messing around with it (camera) when I took that shot," Johnson said. "I took it from my front porch off Jacks Valley Road. This is great."
Johnson used a Canon 20D. He said he's been taking pictures for a little while and is aspiring to be a professional photographer. He will receive a $75 Best Buy gift certificate.
"It was twilight at the time and I used the tri-pod to take the photo, just before the moon set."
Too see the all of the winning photos, along with other submissions, grab the Discoveries almanac in today's paper.
• Contact Rhonda Costa-Landers at rcosta-landers@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.