Dallas photographer wins Parks contest

The winners for the 21st Annual Gordon Parks International Photography Competition have been announced. 98 entries were received this year from both amateur and professional photographers from all over the United States and several foreign countries.

The finalists were judged by Toni Parks -- daughter of Gordon Parks -- along with Bobbi Baker Burrows, Photography editor at Life magazine, and photographer Adger Cowans.

Photographer Sonya Hebert of Dallas, Texas, took first place honors and a check for $800 with her photograph, "At the Edge of Life #3." Hebert is a staff photographer at the Dallas Morning News.

Chris Zuppa of St. Petersburg, Fla., won second place and $400 for his photo "Obama," and third place honors and $200 went to Billy Weeks of Ringgold, Ga., for "The Batter."

Honorable Mention Awards of $100 were given to Alissa Everett for her photo," Starving," Michael Holahan for "A Soldiers Prayer," and Hebert for "At the Edge of Life #1."

All 16 finalists' photographs are on display at the Gordon Parks Museum/Center for Culture & Diversity at Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton. The free exhibition is open to the public.

In February the exhibit will go on tour starting at Redlands Community College in Oklahoma.

For more information about the photography competition, contact the Gordon Parks Center at (620) 223-2700 ext. 515. To see all of the finalists photographs online, visit the website at www.gordonparkscenter.org.