Johnny Bradley’s first foray into a photo contest proved fortuitous.
Bradley, a 36-year-old Lemon Grove resident, captured first-place honors in the adult category of the annual Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest run by the Helix Water District.
Bradley, a landscaper by trade and part-time nature photographer, captured the prize with a photo he snapped this past March at Lake Jennings titled “Open Field.” Bradley also was the contest’s second-place winner with a photo he titled “Sun Star.”
“His photos were impressive and they speak for themselves,” said Vince Dambrose, public affairs representative at Helix.
The contest asked shutterbugs to take their best photograph at the Lakeside reservoir between March 1 and May 31 keying on the theme “Life at the Lake.” The contest also included 11 entries from March 2020 from shutterbugs who entered before COVID-19 closed the lake — and the contest — last year.
Bradley said he was out shooting photos with a friend at the lake on March 12 when he was approached by Kira Haley, recreation manager at Lake Jennings. He said he showed Haley some of his shots and she encouraged him to enter the contest. Bradley entered three shots, the maximum allowed.
“I told her I had no clue the contest was happening,” Bradley said. “I never do those type of things, I never wanted to enter a contest because in my head, I’m like, ‘I’m not going to win.’ I guess for a lot of photographers, there is self doubt. You feel like you could always do better.”
He said winning the contest has encouraged him on to continue shooting and he is taking a photography trip with a friend to the Trona Pinnacles to celebrate his 37th birthday in July.
Bradley said he hoped his winning Lake Jennings shot — which includes a picnic table overlooking the lake as the sun breaks through some dark storm clouds — evokes in people’s minds happy childhood memories of going to a lake with family and friends.
He said he had been shooting a great deal of photos at the spot for a long period of time with black storm clouds blocking the sun — and then suddenly 20 minutes later, the sun broke through.
“Photography is skill, but it’s also some luck of the draw,” Bradley said. “You make do with what you can.”
Bradley said he took some black & white photography classes while attending Mount Miguel High School, but gave up shooting after his teenage years. He said he picked the hobby back up about seven years ago and purchased a Nikon D800, and then added two lenses, a Nikon and Tokina, to improve his work.
Now in its 10th year, the contest drew 61 entries from throughout San Diego County.
The top adult category photographers, the titles of their work and prize money:
- First Place — Johnny Bradley, “Open Field” $150
- Second Place — Johnny Bradley, “Sun Star” $100
- Third Place — Jeff Morin, “Ladies on a Lunch Break” $50
- Honorable Mention — Erik Hyman, “Deep Pier” $25
The top youth category photographers and the titles of their work:
- First Place — Aaron De’Souza, “Cacti by the Lake” $150
- Second Place — Gabriel Heilpern, “Fishing on the Lake” $100
- Third Place — Lillian Heilpern, “Trees with Reeds” $50
Contest winners also win free passes to the lake and discounts for camping at the lake’s campground.
The district honored the winning photographers at an online awards ceremony June 23 at a board meeting.
The winning photos are also available on Lake Jennings’ Facebook page at facebook.com/LakeJennings and on the district’s website at hwd.com
Helix Water District provides water treatment and distribution for more than 275,000 people in the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa and Lemon Grove, the community of Spring Valley and parts of Lakeside. Helix also provides treated water to Padre Dam, Otay and Lakeside water districts.
Lake Jennings, at 10108 Bass Road in Lakeside, is one of two reservoirs that Helix Water District owns. It has a storage capacity of 9,790 acre-feet.
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