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Rollie McKenna Community Photo Contest

In an effort to preserve and celebrate the town’s artistic legacy, we are proud to present a community-wide photography contest. Named for portrait-photographer Rosalie “Rollie” McKenna, this annual photography contest is held to inspire new generations of photographers, as well as to continuously document our changing town by the people who live in it. We also hold this contest in memory of Rollie McKenna, who left a photographic legacy to Stonington and the world through her determination, creativity and passion for photography. May we always remember the path she forged for women in the arts.

Rules :

  • The theme for 2025 is “Aging Gracefully”. Rollie was best known for her portrait photography, and her images of Stonington residents are some of our most requested materials in the archives of Historic Stonington. Before her death, Rollie McKenna was working on a project about aging artists called “Gleanings”, and this year’s theme is in honor of her unfinished work. In order to ensure we are documenting the town to the best of our ability for future generations, submissions must be a portrait photograph of a current resident of Stonington. Portraits submitted must document a person over the age of 65.
  • Photographs must be entered with a caption that includes the following information: Subject’s name, date and location where it was taken, contestant’s name, and a brief explanation of how the image relates to this year’s theme.
  • All ages are welcome to participate.
  • Photographs must have been shot within the past year (2024)
  • All photographs entered will be retained in the archives of Historic Stonington. We reserve the right to use these photographs with a credit line to the photographer in advertising or promotional materials.
  • Winners will be selected by the community by popular vote.
  • First place wins a Family Membership to Historic Stonington. In addition, the first prize winner will have access to the Maurice LaGrua darkroom at the Woolworth Library, and act as an honorary photography fellow. Second place wins a Family Membership. Third place wins an Individual Membership. The three winning images will be displayed at the Lighthouse Museum for the 2025 season.
  • McKenna Honorary Photography Fellow has access during Library open hours to the Maurice LaGrua darkroom for one year. Chemistry materials are provided by Historic Stonington, but film and paper must be supplied by the fellow. If the winner has no experience in dark room techniques, lessons can be arranged. Two copies of any images produced in the darkroom will be donated to the Stonington Historical Society, and serve to increase our modern documentation of the town for posterity.

 

  • Interested participants will submit a digital photograph file to Chelsea Mitchell, Library Director of the Woolworth Library and Research Center. Please only submit jpeg, tiff or png files. Resolution is very important, and must be at least 300dpi for inclusion in the contest. Submitted photographs are printed and framed at the expense of Historic Stonington and displayed for two weeks at the Lighthouse Museum at 7 Water Street, Stonington. Please submit photographs with the appropriate information to Chelsea Mitchell at library@historicstonington.org by April 1, 2025.