2025 DSHS Photo Contest Winners

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SECRETARY'S CHOICE
Community Support: We get through together: "I caught this scene, two frogs resting on a chard leaf, in my garden. It reminded me of the many times I have witnessed or received support from DSHS during tougher moments."
Photographer: Nichole Ossa 

 

PHOTOGRAPHERS CHOICE
A Stormy Sunday Morning at Cape Disappointment: "I have spent countless hours at this location waiting for the perfect shot. I go for the weekend and stay at the family cabin during a King Tide, every year. This year, we went with our daughter's family for our grandson's birthday. After an ice cream cone, we headed to the park on a whim to look at the waves from the autumn storm. I didn't even have my good camera with me, and I was mainly focused on spotting sea lions and birds with the kids when I happened to snap this photo just with my cell phone. After all the time I've spent trying to capture the perfect shot, it was this moment with family that delivered. It was a serendipitous moment!"
Photographer: Rheanna Green

TECHNICAL - 1st Place
Waves Crash at Cape Disappointment State Park:"Camping at Cape Disappointment State Park taking photos of surf hydraulics."
Photographer: Robert Salsbury​

TECHNICAL - 2nd Place
Blue Hour at Storm King​: "We wake up at Midnight to start a 3 hour drive from Tacoma to Mt Storm King in Olympic National Park. Conditions were just right as we reach the summit. The cool air filled the lake below and the sun was at the right level in the sky that day to give us the best sunrise I have seen at Mt Storm King."
Photographer: Mark O'Donnell

TECHNICAL - 3rd Place
Heart of the Cascades: "Colchuck Lake, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA."
Photographer: Bo-Andrew Weissenburger​

ARTISTIC - 1st Place
Happy Bubbles
Photographer: Charlene Ramirez

ARTISTIC - 2nd Place
Vista House, Mount Spokane - Accessible Overlook​: "There are many paths to the Mt. Spokane Vista House.  You can hike, ski, bike, run, and travel to the summit by car.  Situated in the Mt Spokane State Park, accessibility is key.  I have stood on this summit many times in all weather and am always struck with the beauty of the  panoramic view of the Inland Northwest stretching out beneath this peak.  Many mountain tops are inaccessible to all, but the Mt. Spokane State Park has made accessibility a priority.  Anyone can visit the vista.  DSHS also makes accessibility a priority, something I believe that we are all interested in making happen.  Next time you are in the area, consider finding a path to Vista House."
Photographer: Tim Gerlitz

ARTISTIC - 3rd Place
Flight Over the State​: "View from the window while flying from Spokane to Seattle.  Showing the beauty of our state and region."  
Photographer: Katie Mesaros​

ARTISTIC - Honorable Mention (tie)
Westport Marina - Fisherman's Boardwalk: "I absolutely love capturing moments and making memories through photography, with my family and our beloved fur babies, while exploring the beauty of our state. Photography is such a meaningful way for me to preserve these adventures and share the joy we experience together."  
Photographer: Sanela Maksic

ARTISTIC - Honorable Mention (tie)
Blanket of Leaves
Photographer: Karmen Baker

DSHS IN ACTION - 1st Place
Maple Lane February 2025: "This was such a beautiful quiet moment I captured leaving work that day in February. I feel the barbed wire fence in the photo brings an interesting element into this photo.  Although the fence is scary looking  and many would describe our residents in this manner, I have experienced some  beautiful and touching moments  with residents and peers behind this barbed wire at Maple Lane.  We find peace and beauty in the oddest places." 
Photographer: Kerry Carroll

DSHS IN ACTION - 2nd Place
A Morning at Maple Lane​: "During my brisk morning walk I stopped to enjoy this beautiful morning sunrise."
Photographer: Christina Hobbs

DSHS IN ACTION - 3rd Place (tie)
It is Not Every Day You Get to Work With a Helicopter​: "This is a photo taken while my son was working with a helicopter crew.  A true highlight to his day and proud mom."
Photographer: Penny Bradon

DSHS IN ACTION - 3rd Place (tie)
Window of Opportunity​: "This Summer I completed my master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling in Everett through WWU's university partnership. During my very last day in class, I looked up and noticed that the DSHS building at which I had completed my internship and then begun my permanent role as Voc rehab counselor could be seen through the window. As I completed my two years of study to better serve individuals in my community, I could literally see the direction I was going to take this education and experience. It was a cool full-circle moment."
Photographer: Lorraine Floyd

DSHS IN ACTION - Honorable Mention
Maple Lane Magnolia
Photographer: Krystle Osgood

DSHS EMPLOYEES & FAMILY - 1st Place (tie)
Jumping Into Summer
Photographer: Rena Perez

DSHS EMPLOYEES & FAMILY - 1st Place (tie)
Generational Love
Photographer: Rena Perez

DSHS EMPLOYEES & FAMILY - 2nd Place (tie)
Snow Day​: "This picture occurred on a snow day in Washington state on the streets of Vashon Island - and all you can see is joy and joy is something we should aspire to bring to the workplace, to others, and to those we serve. It can be infectious in a good way."
Photographer: Lindsay Morgan Tracy

DSHS EMPLOYEES & FAMILY - 2nd Place (tie)
New Friends: "While Hip Camping in Okanagan County, our bulldog, Elwood, met a horse for the first time. They were fast friends."
Photographer: Lindsay Morgan Tracy

DSHS EMPLOYEES & FAMILY - 2nd Place (tie)
Cooling Off
Photographer: Aaron Alvarado

DSHS EMPLOYEES & FAMILY - 3rd Place
Cold Mornings​: "The beauty of early morning duck hunt in Cusick, WA."
Photographer: Jason Forsyth

DSHS EMPLOYEES & FAMILY - Honorable Mention (tie)
Gone Fishin:​ "Circa 2008 my husband taught our daughter how to fish during one of our favorite summer lake days. This photo captures the moment she was learning and by the end of the day she successfully reeled in a few sunfish."
Photographer: Shari Riley

DSHS EMPLOYEES & FAMILY - Honorable Mention (tie)
Nina: "Cats are such mysterious and wonderful pets. This is Nina, named after the legendary Nina Simone. We adopted her a little over a year ago from a young family who needed to rehome her, wanted to avoid taking her to the animal shelter. She sat perfectly still for this “photo shoot” about five days after coming home with us. She settled right into our home and still enjoys posing for the camera."
Photographer: Shari Riley

DSHS VALUES - 1st Place
Wheelchair Delight: ”Our 4-year-old daughter is severely developmentally delayed. In late 2024, she was fitted for a gait trainer (walker) as well as a wheelchair. As her primary caregiver, I learned to navigate DSHS services, such as Developmental Disability Administration and Medicaid (Apple Health). In order to get her gait trainer and wheelchair, we needed to utilize all three of her insurances (including my State medical and Medicare). In early 2025, she received both devices. We take her wheelchair everywhere with us. She is able to go to developmental preschool, doctor's appointments, restaurants, and friends' houses with it. This young DSHS/DDA client is incredibly happy to exude her independence, and she never views her chair as a limitation. It is so wonderful to see the joy on her face and in her life. Almost better than that is witnessing how she spreads joy to others as she happily rolls around this world that we share.”
Photographer: Kirsten Turner

DSHS VALUES - 2nd Place
A Girl and Her Cat: "This picture shows what DSHS values--a happy, healthy child. Families are incredibly important, as is parenting. Children come first for a lot of parents, and that is how it should be. We pour our hearts and souls into our children, and we do everything we can to keep them joyful and keep their innocence. I am fortunate to say that this is my daughter. She is one of the most joyful creatures I have ever seen. She skips and jumps everywhere she goes; she giggles and goofy grins. She loves life, reading, and her cat. In this picture, you can see she is on a pile of books. One of the great parenting joys is seeing your child reading. I am so glad that she does. As she continues to learn to read, she can share story-time with her furry friend, Cookie." 
Photographer: Kirsten Turner

DSHS VALUES - 3rd Place
Operation Pillow Talk: Pillowcases for the Soldiers: "For several years I collaborated with fellow coworkers in the Community Service Office to sew pillowcases and send them to active military serving for our Country.   At first it was employees and friends.  We sent 50 cases the first year.  We had such a great response from the troops we decided to make this a yearly endeavor.   Soon we found quilting groups, girl scout troops, the Skills Center Fashion and Design classes, relatives, neighbors and church groups  stepped up and joined in adding more and more pillowcases to the boxes we sent over.  All donated were bright colors, superheroes, infant and children prints, sports teams, batiks, stripes, plain colors with colorful print bands, holiday prints, homey memory prints, made of cotton or flannel that remind them of home and good memories.   Over the years we reached out to 2 elementary schools after a participant showed a teacher the cases she had made and invited the teacher to join in the sewing. What happened that day resulted in an unimaginable gift. The children designed their own cases and wrote letters to the soldiers, which they stuck inside the cases. We went from sewing 50 cases to sending over 500!   We now needed supplies.  Because of this I enlisted the help of my Odd Fellows Lodge #3 in Vancouver who funded our endeavor, create brochures and a banner to help us raise funds and hang when displaying our pillowcases.   Every year the Vancouver Pearson Air Museum volunteered their staff and hanger (shown in the picture)  to help us show off our beautiful creations to their parents,  friends, classmates, and others before boxing them up and taking them to the USO in Tacoma.    I was honored and proud to be a part of this group."
Photographer: Tari Lennox

DSHS VALUES - Honorable Mention (tie)
Ivory​
Photographer: Cynthia Johnson

DSHS VALUES - Honorable Mention (tie)
Walking in Style: "After spending a total of nine of her first 12 months in the hospital, our little girls development was severely delayed. Due to medical treatments (including peritoneal dialysis), she was unable to participate in--much less tolerate--"normal" baby things like tummy time. She did not beginning to crawl until her fourth year of life. Just before turning four, she was able to get a gait trainer, or walker, ordered through insurance (including Apple Health). Through the help of this device, we're hoping she will begin to walk on her own. With her, it's always an adventure!"
Photographer: Kirsten Turner

 

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Contact us with questions or comments at:  888.793.2567 (toll-free), 360.902.8260, DSHS_Photos@dshs.wa.gov