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How Lombard photographer captured her award-winning image

The romance of a little church on an island within a lake, nestled in an Irish valley, draws a steady stream of wedding parties.

It is, as they say, a picture-postcard setting.

And when Sandra Shepard of Lombard captured the scene on a misty winter day, it also turned out to be an award-winning setting. The evocative image Shepard captured won the Daily Herald's April Photo Finish contest and, with it, a $50 gift certificate from PJ's Camera in Glen Ellyn.

Shepard came upon the church, St. Finbarr's Oratory, while exploring the Gougane Barra area with her Irish hosts.

"I went to visit some friends in Mallow, in County Cork," she said. "We went out that morning to take a day trip. It was kind of overcast when we got there. I'm walking down the lane and looked across and saw the church."

Even in January, the Irish countryside maintains its green hues.

"It's pretty green all year round. It was probably 50 degrees that day," she said.

The church is framed by steep, verdant inclines.

"The Irish call them hills. We would call them mountains," Shepard said. "Beyond where you see the hills is a national forest."

She took out her newly acquired iPad and decided to see what the device could do.

The tablet produced the winning shot with no special adjustments.

"I liked how the photographer composed the image to leave in the crystal clear reflection of the church, and the cool, soft, foggy tones of the image leads to the viewer getting a real feeling of what it was like to be at that lake on that day," Daily Herald Senior Photographer Mark Black said.

Shepard said she was intent on getting a shot that featured a mirror image.

"I took some different photos that showed the reflection in the water. This was the clearest one," she said.

After she and her group finished taking photos, they investigated the island's treasures, including the church's interior, where stained glass windows make a visual impact.

The group next visited the ruins in the area, where a monastery once stood.

Shepard describes herself as a retired social worker who still serves several clients on a part-time basis. She began taking photos several years ago with her digital camera.

"Three years ago, I went to Africa and had a photo of a rainbow at Victoria Falls," she said. "I've been to some places that are just so lovely that you want to take a photo - besides taking photos of my grandchildren all the time."

Shepard said she plans to create a framed print of her contest-winning photo for display in her home.

"Everyone said it looks like an oil painting," she said. "It looks like it's not a real picture."

About our contest

If you'd like to submit a photo to our contest, email it in .jpg format with at least 300 dpi resolution to dupagecontest@dailyherald.com.

Be sure to include your name, address and a phone number, plus a description of where you took the photo, why you like it and what challenges you faced.

The winner will receive a $50 gift certificate from PJ's Camera, Pickwick Place Plaza, 662 Roosevelt Road, Glen Ellyn.

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