Naperville teen named finalist in national photo competition

Casey Berner knew his photo was special the instant he took it.

During an Oct. 2 Naperville Central football game against rival Naperville North, Berner captured the moment of impact between a Central ball carrier and a North defender. In the background, a second North defender lies on the turf having just missed the tackle with the ball carrier launched in the air.

When he looked at the picture on his preview panel, Berner immediately sent it to his father.

"When I took it, it was one of those 'whoa' moments," he said. "I thought 'I've got something here.'"

Early this month, he was proved right. The Naperville native's photo was one of 28 chosen as a finalist in a national competition that drew around 9,000 entries. The contest has four divisions and Berner's image is one of seven in the Adult Action Photo category of Canon's "Why Do You Love Football Amateur Photo Contest." It is the fifth year for the contest and Berner has entered three times, he said. An online vote is underway and polls will be open through Jan. 8.

Berner, 19, received the news of his successful entry during a hectic week that included his first finals week at the University of Missouri, where he is a photojournalism and business major, as well as surgery related to his relapsing polychondritis, an extremely rare autoimmune disease he developed in 2006.

The debilitating condition weighed on his mind and then, after forgetting he had even entered the contest, he heard about the results.

"I needed some good news," he said.

Berner's mother, Marie Berner, said she was not surprised to see the amateur photographer's work get honored.

"Casey was blessed with a vision at a very young age," she said. "He knows he has talent and knows how to use it. He works very hard. He has been through a lot of challenges in his life with his health."

Relapsing polychondritis is a disorder characterized by cartilage inflammation throughout the body. As part of treatment, Casey is a frequent visitor to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

"He is an extraordinary child," Marie said of the oldest of her two sons. "He's a kid who never slows down. He pushes through. He wants to be normal and like every other kid."

His photography helps him through his ordeal, Marie said.

"He has a gift given from God and he will use it to make others happy," she said.

That gift developed very early on. During his eighth-grade graduation ceremony at Kennedy Junior High School in Lisle, Berner's video that captured the school year's highlights was played for the students.

"He's a genius on the camera," Marie said. "He has always had an eye for art and he's also got a real talent for the business side of things."

If his photo wins, Berner will win two tickets to Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. But more importantly for Berner, his photo will then be on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, for one year.

"The exposure within the hall of fame; that's a pretty important place," Casey said. "To have that for a year, to have that exposure would be priceless."

To see all the entries and vote in the contest, see the contest Web site at usa.canon.com/nfl and click on "Amateur Photo Contest" near the top of the page.