St. Charles man wins photo contest

Sometimes you just know there's a good photo to be had.

That was the case for Chuck Bennorth a couple of weeks ago when he was driving on a foggy morning.

"The fog was very thick, and the sun was coming through just as a red ball," wrote Bennorth, a St. Charles resident who works in Wheaton. He submitted "A mist" to the DuPage County Photo Finish photography contest.

"I knew I wanted a shot, and when I saw this agriculture processing structure with the sun behind it, I knew I had the photo that I wanted."

Bennorth's instincts led to this month's winning image, selected by our professional photography staff.

Photo Editor Scott Sanders said the photo impresses him for a number of reasons.

"Mr. Bennorth had his camera with him, he saw the shot and he took the picture," Sanders said. "He's able to recognize a good opportunity when he sees it. And, more importantly, he's got his camera ready to get the shot when he sees it."

Bennorth says he carries his Canon Rebel with him all the time, a habit he formed soon after discovering digital photography about seven years ago. One of his favorite places to take pictures is Cantigny Park, where the flowers and grounds provide new opportunities all the time. The 47-year-old is a member of the Fox River Camera Club.

Each Sunday's Neighbor section includes at least one entry to our Photo Finish photography contest.

Our photography staff picks some of their favorite submissions to run each week and one overall winner, which appears on the first Sunday of each month.

The monthly winner receives a $50 gift certificate at PJ's Camera, Pickwick Place Plaza, 662 Roosevelt Road, Glen Ellyn.

If you would like to submit a photo for consideration, e-mail it in .jpeg format with at least 300 dpi resolution to ssanders@dailyherald.com.

Include your name, address and a phone number (for contact purposes only), plus a description of where you took the photo and what the occasion was for it.