Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal
When she didn't place at the state Skills USA competition as a sophomore at Carson High School, Caitlin Cosens resolved to turn it around as a junior.
"It was motivating mostly," she said. "I was like, I'm going to come back next year and just kill it."
She did, winning the state photo competition this year for Skills USA, a showcase for career and technical education students.
But even she didn't anticipate how well she would do at the national competition in Kansas City on June 20-25.
Although she was sure she did well in the competition, which included a submission of two prints taken previously as well as completing a variety of assignments during the convention, her confidence was shaken a bit when she saw her competition's work.
"That was kind of nerve-wracking," she said. "There were a lot of good photographers there."
Despite the stiff competition, she placed second overall.
"I didn't think I was going to get nearly that high," she said. "It was very exciting to see my name up there and go on stage in front of so many people."
Her photography teacher at Carson High School, Brian Reedy, said she deserved the honor after working so hard, even coming in to practice every other day since school let out.
"She really committed heavily to doing well on this. Everything I asked of her, she did," Reedy said. "That's what makes winners."
She also received supplemental coaching from former photography teacher Susan Taylor and professional photographers Steven Ellison and Rick Gunn.
Cosens, 17, isn't sure what career path she'll pursue after graduation next year, but she knows photography will always be a part of her life.
"It helps me put my mind at ease," she said. "If I'm upset, I just go out and take pictures, and everything else goes away. It's like a comfort zone."
She prefers landscapes, but shoots anything that catches her eye.
"I see the world in a box," she said. "I'm always thinking about what would make a good picture. I definitely know it when I see it."