We are pleased to announce that Lee Cohen’s photo of Japanese-American flyfishing guide Hilary Hutcheson has won our 2016 Photo Contest. The result, which was rendered into art by graphic artist Igor Crnatovic (see below), will represent The 2016 SHIFT Festival.
Mr. Cohen, who makes his home in Cottonwood, UT, captures a diversity of outdoor recreational activities and the men and women who love to pursue them on our public lands. His website and an overview of all his imagery may be found here.
With the winning image, “we wanted to capture the relationship between conservation and outdoor recreation that occurs with responsible use of our public lands,” said SHIFT Director Christian Beckwith—a relationship that will be celebrated at the 2016 Festival. “We also wanted to showcase people of color in outdoor recreation, because it will take all of us working together to protect these places we love.”
To do so, Beckwith chose Mr. Cohen’s image of Mrs. Hutcheson.
Hilary Hutcheson on the Middle Fork, Flathead River, MT
Hilary Hutcheson started her fly fishing career as a teenage guide in West Glacier, Montana. She went on to become a television news reporter and anchor in Portland, Oregon. Today she’s back to guiding part time on her home water in Columbia Falls, Montana, where she co-owns the outdoor-based marketing firm Outside Media and the network television show Trout TV. In 2015 Hilary also opened Lary’s Fly & Supply, a fly shop in her home town.
Hilary is a nature-loving fun-finder who prefers to sleep outside and rise early for adventure. We’re excited to have her as the “face” of the 2016 SHIFT Festival.
You can follow Hilary on social media @outsidehilary.
