Los Alamos Arts Council Board President Chris Monteith, left, along with Los Alamos Arts Council Executive Director Marlane Hamilton present Norman Doggett with a $100 check for winning the Daily Postcard photo contest for the first quarter of 2017. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

Norman Doggett’s award-winnning shot of Ashley Pond. Photo by Norman Doggett

By KIRSTEN LASKEY

Los Alamos Daily Post 

Norman Doggett, who works at the Bio Science Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory, was driving to work in January when he noticed a magical winter scene at Ashley Pond. Doggett explained that he had gotten into the habit of keeping his camera with him as he drove back and forth to work so he seized the opportunity to snap a picture of the pond.

“I felt lucky to have my camera,” he said.

That picture was featured as a Daily Postcard in the Los Alamos Daily Post and has also won the Daily Postcard photo contest for the first quarter of 2017.

The photo contest was started when Los Alamos residents Robert and Ann Wells established a fund at the Los Alamos Arts Council. The purpose of the fund is to award a prize of $100 to the photographer who submits the best photo of the quarter published in the Los Alamos Daily Post. Three independent judges select the quarterly winner without knowing the names of the entrants.

Doggett said, “It’s a very pleasant surprise, of course.”

Photography, he added, is a hobby he has taken seriously for three years. Winning the Daily Postcard contest is not Doggett’s only recognition. He mentioned last year he submitted a photograph to New Mexico Magazine for a photography contest the magazine was holding and learned in January it had won in its division and the photograph was featured in the February issue.

“That was neat to have that,” Doggett said.

Doggett also uses his camera skills to help local organizations.

“I also donate a lot of my time and photo skills to not-for-profit businesses,” he said. For instance, Doggett provided photographs for a calendar Mesa Prieta Petroglyph Project sold as a fundraiser.