And the winner is…
The A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery announced works that have been accepted into the 30th Through the Eye of the Camera Annual Juried Photography Exhibition. The exhibition will be on view to the public May 9 through June 20, 2025 at 500 N. Indian River Drive in Historic Downtown Fort Pierce. The Members Opening Reception for the exhibition is on Friday, May 9 from 6:00-8:00 pm, with welcome and remarks at 6:30 pm. Members are admitted free; Not-Yet Members are $20. (All artists who participated in the competition are welcome to attend with one guest.)
For three decades, the Museum has continued to call photographers of all levels to enter their best work for the popular annual exhibition that closes the season. Each year, a new independent jury panel considers submissions and recognizes excellent examples with awards and cash prizes.
This year, the judges voted to accept 58 entries out of 196 submissions in four categories: (1) Animal subjects; (2) Flora & Landscape subjects; (3) People/Portrait subjects; or (4) Open, for subjects that are not included in the three other categories. From these, 22 awards were given, including three “Best” awards, 1st-2nd-3rd in each category, and awards of merit.
The top 8 award winners for 2025 are:
- BEST OF SHOW – Balancing Act by Joe Campanellie (Palm Coast)
- FIRST PLACE, ANIMALS – Watchful Gaze by Maureen Mackenzie (Port St. Lucie)
- FIRST PLACE, FLORA & LANDSCAPE – Into the Fog by Joe Campanellie (Palm Coast)
- FIRST PLACE, PEOPLE/PORTRAIT – The Legend Willie de Cuba by Mark Stall (Port St. Lucie)
- FIRST PLACE, OPEN – Time Will Tell by David Bence (Vero Beach)
- BEST BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY – Grayscale Lily #2 by Richard Knight (Vero Beach)
- BEST FILM or TRADITIONAL RAW PHOTOGRAPHY – Hungry Hammocks by Jeffrey Frohlich (Stuart)
- DIRECTOR’S CHOICE – Agelaius’ Song by Anthony Thompson (Port St. Lucie)
In addition to the 22 awards conferred at the beginning of the exhibition, at the end, visitor votes are counted for a special People’s Choice award. A complete list of all photographs and artists accepted in the exhibition is available at https://www.backusmuseum.org/juried-shows.
This year marks the 30th juried photography exhibition organized and hosted by the Backus Museum. “Looking back at the history, it is pun-intended ‘eye-opening,’” says J. Marshall Adams, Executive Director. “Thirty years ago it was a struggle for some institutions to consider photography as Art, with a creativity and craft equal to that of traditional studio practices. The Backus Museum was looking further ahead, recognizing that the innate talents of the photographic artists in our community, and later beyond, were worth exploring, encouraging, and celebrating. And today in a new millennium, that foresight has been answered: we all now have powerful imaging tools literally tucked into our pockets, and we routinely share photos with millions worldwide in an instant every second of every day. Through the Eye of the Camera offers an exciting opportunity to be inspired and empowered by what you see.”
In another bit of history, this year’s Best of Show artist Joe Campanellie is only the second artist to be awarded this honor twice since 1995; Campanellie first received the Best of Show award in 2023’s Through the Eye of the Camera. (The first artist to receive this distinction was Susan Pantuso, who took the top award in 2009 and again in 2017.)
| AWARD | CATEGORY | TITLE | ARTIST |
| Best of Show | Animals | Balancing Act | Joe Campanellie |
| Director’s Choice | Animals | Agelaius’ Song | Anthony Thompson |
| First Place | Animals | Watchful Gaze | Maureen Mackenzie |
| Second Place | Animals | Birth Announcement | Krystial Comins |
| Third Place | Animals | Silent Whispers of Love | Maureen Mackenzie |
| First Place | Flora & Landscape | Into the Fog | Joe Campanellie |
| Second Place/
Best Black & White Photography |
Flora & Landscape | Grayscale Lily #2 | Richard Knight |
| Third Place | Flora & Landscape | Rodeo Beach Tree, CA | David Bence |
| Award of Merit | Flora & Landscape | So Vain | Nancy Alderman |
| Award of Merit | Flora & Landscape | Heart of an Old Man | Dawn Currie |
| Award of Merit | Flora & Landscape | Seasons Change, Memories Stay | John Furlong |
| Award of Merit | Flora & Landscape | Tree of Life | Jennifer Jones |
| Best Film or
Traditional RAW Photography |
Flora & Landscape | Hungry Hammocks | Jeffrey Frohlich |
| First Place | People/Portrait | The Legend Willie de Cuba | Mark Stall |
| Second Place | People/Portrait | May the Sun Shine on Your Face | Rick Modine |
| Third Place | People/Portrait | Gallery Stroll | Gregory McIntosh |
| First Place | Open | Time Will Tell | David Bence |
| Second Place | Open | One Way | Greg Rodgers |
| Third Place | Open | Moon Magic | Frances Gallogly |
| Award of Merit | Open | Solace | Jeffrey Frohlich |
| Award of Merit | Open | Solitude on the Surface | Maureen Mackenzie |
A selection of award-winning art will be featured in social media posts throughout the exhibition.
2025 JURY PANEL
Walter E. Lara is Photography Instructor at the Florida School of the Arts at St. Johns River State College. A native of Peru, Lara graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology, studying Graphic Arts and Biomedical Photographic Communications. A Registered Biological Photographer (RBP), he has exhibited in art galleries since 1985 and participates in regular exhibits with faculty colleagues. He is author of two books on photographic techniques: A View from the Wild Side and Advanced Media Lighting Design. Lara freelances in scientific and commercial photography, including projects in hospitality, manufacturing, and works with artists abroad. During the summer months Lara travels and volunteers at the Guana Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve and collaborates with marine bioscience professionals.
Dana Niemeier is a professional portrait photographer based on Florida’s Space Coast, specializing in business portraits, headshots, and family photography. With over a decade of experience, Niemeier is known for creating polished, personality-driven images that help clients look confident and approachable. She is a Certified Professional Photographer and the 2025 President of Florida Professional Photographers. Niemeier is also a past President of the Professional Photographers of Central Florida and has served on the Professional Photographers of America Council for four years. Her work reflects a deep commitment to quality, service, and elevating the professional photography community.
Robin O’Dell is the Executive Curator at the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts in Tampa, Florida, where she oversees the collection and is responsible for curating over a dozen exhibitions every year. She is also a contributing writer for The Artisan Magazine, as well as Creative Pinellas’ Arts Coast Magazine. O’Dell was formerly the Curator of Photography at the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida and has also worked with the Keith Haring Archive in New York City, the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, NY, the Tampa Museum of Art and the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art.
ALL DATES AND PROGRAMMING SUBJECT TO CHANGE; PLEASE CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR ANY UPDATES OR CANCELLATIONS.
Also Currently on View
The A.E. Backus Museum presents The Moods of Nature, the latest in its series of long-term outdoor exhibitions on its campus at 500 North Indian River Drive in Historic Downtown Fort Pierce, Florida. For this presentation of nine mural installations on the Outdoor Mural Plaza, the Museum has tapped into the rich institutional history of the organization to invite nine award-winning artists from the past thirty years of annual juried photography exhibition Through the Eye of the Camera. They were asked to submit their own interpretations of a famous quotation by the Museum’s namesake artist to grace the walls with fresh and inviting images.
The artists participating in The Moods of Nature invitational exhibition include Austin Bell (Tallahassee), David Bence (Vero Beach), Manuel Carela (Port St. Lucie), Joe Campanellie (Palm Coast), Dawn Currie (Indian Harbour Beach), Bob Gibson (Tequesta), Erika Masterson (Satellite Beach), Susan Pantuso (Fort Pierce), and Michael Ricciardi (Vero Beach). The exhibition and Outdoor Mural Plaza are accessible to the public without charge, even on days or hours when the Museum is closed to the public. The images and information about the artists can also be viewed at https://www.backusmuseum.org/mural-plaza. The Moods of Nature will be on display for three to five years.
About the A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery
Since its founding in 1960 and the first day the doors opened in 1961, the A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery has been a center and catalyst for creativity and culture in our region. The Museum houses the nation’s largest public presentation of artwork by Florida’s preeminent painter, A.E. “Bean” Backus (1906-1990), and also continues its more than sixty-year tradition of exhibiting and celebrating the paintings of the original Florida Highwaymen, who got their start here. In addition, the Museum organizes and hosts changing exhibitions from artists of regional, national and international acclaim. The Backus Museum was recognized as the 2022 Best of the Best Community Choice Award for Best Art Gallery; and the 2021 Best Tourist Attraction – 2018 Best Museum / Best of the Treasure Coast by the readers of Indian River Magazine.
Schedule: Regular Hours through June 20 — Wednesday – Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM; Sunday, 12 Noon to 4 PM. Admission is $5 per person; AARP, AAA, and Veterans with appropriate ID receive a $2 discount. Students with school ID, children under 18, active duty military, and current members are always free. Visitors are asked to follow the latest public health guidance for the safety and comfort of guests, staff, and volunteers.
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