Portland Schoolteacher Wins Grand Prize in Columbia Gorge Photo Contest

Winning image captures sunlit Oregon white oak trees at Mosier Plateau Trail

Friends of the Columbia Gorge (Friends) has announced that Dave Edwards Noyes of Portland has won the grand prize for "GorgeGram: Framed in Beauty," Friends’ ninth annual photo contest. Six category-winning photos, a special camera phone sub-category winner, and nine honorable mentions were also announced. All winners and honorable mentions were selected by professional photographers Debbie Asakawa, Paloma Ayala, and Vince Ready, all three of whom have experience in landscape and portrait photography as well as conservation advocacy. 

View photo galleries of all category winners and honorable mentions.

Edwards Noyes' grand-prize winning photo of Mosier Plateau Trail:



Edwards Noyes' grand-prize winning photo was taken in spring 2023 at Mosier Plateau Trail on the Oregon side of the Columbia River using a Sony ILCE-7RM3A Mirrorless Camera with a 24-70 mm lens. "I was not expecting this gorgeous scene to unfold before me when I visited Mosier Creek Falls for my first time in spring 2023," said Edwards Noyes, a music teacher at Sojourner Elementary in Milwaukie. "The gnarled wisdom of the oak, the golden evening sunlight catching in the arching branches and the new grass, and the trail meandering through it all made me stop in my tracks. In that moment, so perfect, I felt a sincere gratitude to be in the midst of such splendor. I've hiked hundreds of miles up the creeks and along the cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge, and still this beautiful landscape continues to surprise and inspire." 

“There are so many different elements present in this picture," according to contest judge Paloma Ayala, a Hood River-based professional photographer and graphic designer who has served on the board of directors of Columbia Riverkeeper and the Next Door. "Resilience, an invitation, and a charming afternoon. This picture speaks about the land’s resilience. The oak trees are a good symbol of strength and fragility. Their fire resistance qualities, their resilience to the bending wind and even their proximity to urbanization showcase this. We see a solitary path, an open invitation to enjoy nature and absorb the solitude of an afternoon bathing in a soothing backlight." 

The three-judge panel was assisted by Friends staff, who helped screen entries and develop a slate of finalists for the judges’ review. The contest called for photographers to submit photos in any of six categories: Night Photography, Scenic Eastern Gorge, Scenic Western Gorge, Underwater, Waterfalls, and Wildflowers and Wildlife. A camera phone sub-category was added that included photos of any category taken with a cell phone. In addition, Friends awarded a prize to a special "Staff Pick" category. 

Over the past nine years, Friends' photo contest has received nearly more than 3,500 entries and given photography enthusiasts—professional and amateur alike—the opportunity to capture the sense of awe and wonder that the Columbia Gorge instills in both its residents and the millions of people who visit the Gorge each year.

GorgeGram: Framed in Beauty Winners