Drone helps amateur photographer from Arlington Heights win photo contest

Amateur photographer Adam Pearson has used landscapes in the suburbs, the city of Chicago and a family lake house as his real world classroom, but it's his captivating photo of Lake Arlington during a fall sunrise that's award winning.

The image, captured by the Arlington Heights resident by use of a drone, is the winner of the 2020 Village Hall Photography Competition, as chosen by the village's arts commission.

The contest was delayed a year because of the pandemic, but it was during that downtime that Pearson decided to hone his skills in drone photography.

He started flying drones before the pandemic, but began learning more about photography after picking up an old camera that belonged to his father. The camera sat unused for a year after his father's death, until Pearson's wife booked an Alaskan cruise that inspired him to start taking photos.

One morning he decided to take his drone to Lake Arlington - a popular spot for walking, running, and taking in the natural landscape.

"I knew I wanted to catch the fall colors somewhere, and I knew Lake Arlington would definitely show those off very well," Pearson said. "So I woke up early one morning and I took that picture."

Arts Commission Chair Kristen Schurtz said the panel received many excellent photos as part of the competition, but Pearson's stood out. The commission used criteria including technical expertise, image interest and creativity to pick a winner.

The photograph - formally titled "Lake Arlington Fall Sunrise" - has been enlarged and framed and is now on display at the village hall.