Five years and still a very popular annual event – the Sulphur Springs Worldwide Photo Walk, which will be held from 4-6 p.m. or the “golden hours” on Saturday evening, Oct. 11 at the newly renovated City Hall in Sulphur Springs.
Commemorating the event’s fifth year, a tour given by City Manager Marc Maxwell will be the highlight and a prime location with 100 years worth historical aspects for participating shutterbugs. An added bonus with many subjects will be the Hopkins County Fall Festival Battle of the Bands being held at Muddy Jake’s Sports Grille and Pub.
“The Hopkins County Courthouse is wonderful, but I think City Hall is the most beautiful building in town. We have paid close attention to the details [during its restoration] to make it new and usable yet striking a delicate balance with the grand old building,” said City Manager Marc Maxwell, excited about the Photo Walk. “From what I’ve seen there is some real talent in the photos from these Walks.”
This year’s co-leaders will be event veteran Cooper Review Editor Cindy Roller and Sulphur Springs News-Telegram Photographer Jon Lance, who has stepped for former co-leader Luis Noble. Lance has been with the Sulphur Springs paper for just over a year while Roller has been at the Review for three years following work at the News-Telegram. The local Photo Walk, which is part of a worldwide event, is sponsored by the Sulphur Springs Downtown Business Alliance.
“I am very excited that Jon Lance is joining the Photo Walk team this year. I knew Cindy would want another co-leader to fill my spot for this year, and I'm sure Jon will do a magnificent job,” said Luis Noble, Graphic Designer at Echo Publishing Company. “It's wonderful how much interest has grown in our walk over the years, which keeps us excited to put it on now for the fifth consecutive year.”
Lance recently described the Photo Walk process.
“This is my first year, but I am so excited,” said Photographer Jon Lance, who also owns and operates The Bald Guy and Wife Productions: Videography/ Photography with his wife Tanya. “This event is for anybody who has just a camera phone to on up to high level DSLR cameras (digital single-lens reflex professional cameras) and we are going to out for two hours, take a walk, explore, take photos and learn about your camera. We [Lance and Roller] will answer questions and help you along the way.”
Registering is easy. Just visit http://kelbyone.com/photowalk/locations/ and enter 75482 and look for Sulphur Springs, TX United States (Downtown/Celebration Plaza) and click the green “join this walk” button. It is fast and free.
Besides being free, there are wonderful prizes. First place winner will receive a gift certificate for framing at Texas Art and Frame, A Full year membership to Kelby One – online educational classes (a $249.00 value) plus entry into the worldwide competition and local recognition for photography work in both the News-Telegram and Cooper Review. Second place will receive a tripod donated by The Appliance Hospital. Third place will win a $25 gift certificate for Muddy Jake’s Sports Grille and Pub. The top eight photos entered locally will earn ribbons and displaying of the work at local downtown businesses. Maxwell also hopes to house some of the winning photographs in the display cabinets at City Hall.
Over the past five years local Photo Walkers have been given special tours of the Hopkins County Courthouse, the First United Methodist Church, Heritage Park during Indian Summer Days, fall Market on Celebration Plaza and hidden alcoves of Main Street.
Once the event is complete, photographers are encouraged to edit their image using Adobe Photoshop and submit it via the Worldwide Photo Walk website. A panel of local judges will review the photos. Those interested in attending the event should register ahead of time and should bring some basic items including extra batteries and memory cards. Winners will be contacted.
More information about the Sulphur Springs event can be found on Facebook at Sulphur Springs Worldwide Photo Walk, by emailing ssphotowalks@gmail.com, contacting Roller at the Cooper Review at (903) 395-2175 or Lance or Noble at the Sulphur Springs News-Telegram at (903) 885-8663.
Lance and Roller are looking forward to this year’s event as are the nearly 17,097 walkers signed up worldwide. Just look for a mob of paparazzi, but photographers focusing different subjects on Saturday evening, Oct. 11.