For some residents, East Lansing might mean their home, family or a favorite moment spent with friends.
Since May, residents could snap a picture of what they thought was unique about East Lansing for the City Scenes Photo Contest.
The contestants were divided into three categories: children, youth and adults.
Ali Solomon took first place in the children’s category with her picture of the Division Street Parking Garage.
The picture was taken from the parking ramp, 121 Charles St.
“I chose it because I like this blue color with the other orange colors,” the 8-year-old said.
Solomon, who already owns three other cameras, hopes to eventually be a photographer for National Geographic.
The prizes for the contest range from a free Kodak camera to gift certificates to East Lansing restaurants.
Herb La Cross took first place with his entry, a picture of Andromeda, the statue in the median of Grand River Avenue, early in the morning.
He not only received a free camera but also had his photo framed and matted for free.
For five months La Cross staked out the statue, he said.
“It had to do with getting to know the statue,” La Cross said.
The final shot was taken at 2 a.m., with the moon shining on the statue.
“For me, it is a historical piece of public art that gives a connection to East Lansing and history,” he said. “The drama of it is the celestial nature.”
Other pictures entered into the contest ranged from friends gathered among the fountains at the Family Aquatic Center, 6400 Abbott Road, and snow-covered homes lit with Christmas lights to different angles of city buildings which are rarely seen by the public.
The contest was the idea of Councilmember Beverly Baten, who entered a photo of herself and a fellow MSU hockey fan at Homecoming.
Baten used her entry to help peak interest in the contest, which she hopes becomes an annual event, she said.
“I just wanted to try and capture the Homecoming, MSU and the city,” Baten said.
The photos may become part of a calendar or just placed as pictures in buildings around the city, she said.
Cheryl Rice, an adjunct faculty member for the Lansing Community College photo department, served as one of the judges for the contest.
“I know a lot of people have stereotypes of East Lansing, and it was really interesting how people viewed the city,” she said.
