Belle Fourche student shines at Dahl Mountain Photo Competition
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Story and photos by Siandhara Bonnet, Rapid City Journal
during the Dahl Mountain Culture Festival. eith Sandness looks around about Sandness submitted about 10 pieces to every 10 seconds walking through his contest and had five selected by three judges, favorite prairie close to his house to including the Journal’s staff photographer get a different, new perspective. The 17-year-old keeps his right hand on Grace Pritchett and Sandness’s mentor Steve Babbitt, a professor the 150-600 mm lens tripod of fine arts and mass foot as he walks toward the communications at Black familiar grassland. "Anywhere in nature Hills State University. “Anywhere in nature is my is my favorite place, favorite place, regardless of Dahl Assistant Curator Jeannie Larson said this is if I’m taking pictures or not,” regardless of if I’m he said. her second year doing the taking pictures or not." show, but can already see Sandness, of Belle Fourche, - Leith Sandness Sandness’s growth. took second place in the adult Photographer amateur category for the 17th “I can see that he paid more attention to the Annual Dahl Mountain Photo Competition and Exhibit, compositional elements,” she said. “He really has an eye for it. He’s 17… the first time he entered the category and his fourth year entering the contest. He’s working hard and diligently to master his craft, I hope he continues school for it.” The contest is a juried photography Larson said the contest had about 240 photo exhibition based on mountain culture. The exhibit is open from March 12 to April 24 entries and the judges selected 66 for the 8 ELEVATE • APRIL 2021
