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Show Ray, Marie Kirkland Are Real Competitors In Presenting Pictures By GARY R. BLODGETT Clipper News Editor BOUNTIFUL -- Ray and Marie Kirkland are real competitors. THEY BOTH love the outdoor life and the challenges that go with photographing wildlife. Both are world reknown for their nature slides and photographs many of which have won top honors in national na-tional and international competition. competi-tion. Marie, for example, just won the Charles A. Kinsley Memorial Trophy Tro-phy from Eastman Kodak Company. Com-pany. Competition was in the Photographic Society of America (PSA) International Exhibition. SHE IS the only woman to win this award in the Nature Division. Her entries were judged from among the best in the world. They included color slides of a scenic view; a weasel in the snow; and a closeup of a moth. Her award-winning award-winning pictures appeared in the Davis County Clipper Oct. 3. Not to be outdone, Ray was winning win-ning Best of Show in both the Davis County and Utah State Fairs with different exhibits. He also won a first place ribbon in the county fair and three blue, two red and one white ribbons in the State Fair. BETWEEN THE two of them, they have garnered literally hundreds hun-dreds of ribbons and trophies from county competition to international inter-national exhibits. But they've had more than a half century -- that's right, more than 50 years of "shooting" together making them one of the "longest - in - nn i i'ii' i k ia i running" couples in the world of photography. RAY AND Marie are a modest couple -- but very proud of their accomplishments. Even today, they will spend hours, even days, seeking out the "perfect picture" to be photographed under the most perfect conditions available. That's why their basement photographic room is completely filled with hundreds and hundreds of ribbons, medals and trophies. MARIE EXPLAINED that they are no longer "snap shooters." She said they go out together -sometimes days at a time -- to seek one particular picture. Once they traveled 200 miles a day for five consecutive days for one picture. "We are not satisfied with the average or mediocre picture. We want the best and we'll do almost anything to get that just-right picture pic-ture on film," said Ray. "If that means wading in snow up to our hips or sitting in the swamp getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, then we'll do it. AND THEY have done it; many, many times. The "Best of Show" portrait Ray exhibited in the State Fair took days to capture on film. It was a closeup of an owl and appeared to be more of a painting than a photo. It is beautiful and Ray has had several sev-eral offers for duplicate prints. "BUT WHEN you tell them the price, it scares some of them off," he said. "They just don't realize what I went through to get that picture pic-ture and how much that portrait means to me." The Kirklands belong to four camera clubs in the area in addition to being active members and exhibitors ex-hibitors in the Photographic Society Socie-ty of America. In that organization, both have held leadership positions. posi-tions. "WE'RE COMPETITORS in every way," says Marie. "We enter en-ter exhibits nearly every week -- 40 to 50 a year -- and spend a lot of time judging throughout the United States and Canada. We haven't toured Europe or the Far East, but we have visited many places throughout the United States and Canada where we spend additional time photographing." She emphasized that competi; tion each year is new and more challenging than before. "There's a lot of new techniques and nothing remains stagnant. It keeps us on our toes." SHE SAID they have made friends from around the world --which --which more than compensates for the time and effort put into preparing prepar-ing for an exhibit. Marie got her first camera at age 16 and both have had an intense interest in photography all their lives. They retired from the nursery business in 1959 and have been "photography partners" ever since. DO THEY still get excited about winning a blue ribbon or other top photo award? "Of course we do," said Marie. "Photography competition is more challenging than ever before - and the thrill and excitement are still there." :;i |