"Summer time days in Alaska just don't seem to end," writes Marriott. "I snapped this photo at 3 a.m." Marriott spent nine weeks in Alaska, where he "climbed mountains, hitched rides and practiced my beard-growing abilities."

We had nearly 40 entries and some incredible shots in this year’s “What I Did On My Summer Vacation” Photo Contest.

From eating breakfast with a turtle and frolicking in water parks, to happy pigs and midnight races in Helsinki, The Brock News got fantastic entries from faculty, staff and students.

Earth Sciences student Jordan Marriott earned first place for his photo of a 3 a.m. Alaskan sunset. Marriott’s shots also included a back-lit photo of a hitchhiker holding a sign asserting how safe it is to give him a ride, and his team doing a 14-day trek up the Matanuska Glacier. He took them during a nine-week trip to Alaska.

“Not only was his summer vacation a really unique trip, the images were really nice,” said Julie Jocsak, award-winning photojournalist with the St. Catharines Standard who judged the contest. “I also like that he spent his summer vacation in the snow.”

Marriott wins a $100 gift card from the Campus Store.

• View all of the contest entries

Second place went to Mercedes Walchuk, a first-year Brock student majoring in French. Walchuk took a 13,656-kilometre road trip with her mother, visiting spots such as the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and the Petrified National Forest in Arizona. She wins a $50 gift card for the Guernsey Market from Brock Dining Services.

“I really like the whole series of photos Mercedes submitted,” Jocsak said. “It was tough to decide what was the best. But in the end, I chose the one with her and the tree. It was a good way to take advantage of a great background and make a really interesting photo.”

Third went to Alicia Lorenz, a fourth-year Visual Arts student who went to Italy, Thailand and China.

“I’m not sure if you would call it an elephant hug or not, but I like the spontaneity of the photo,” the judge said.

Honourable mentions went to:

• Brooklnn Cooper, who took amazing photos of her trip across Europe, particularly a photo on the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland that impressed Jocsak for a photo that “says summer vacation to me.”
• Qian (Amy) Wen, whose night scene of a ship was impressive. “Night scenes are never easy, especially with moving objects like the ship in this photo,” Jocsak said. “The stark contrast of the red masts of the ship against the almost monochrome skyline make the photo.”
• Stephanie Bowes, whose black and white beach photo is “timeless”

Second place:
Mercedes Walchuk
(see all of her photos)

"Redwood Forest National Park, in California, while on a 13,656 km roadtrip with my mom this summer."

Third place:
Alicia Lorenz
(see all of her photos)

"This picture is from a elephant refugee camp in Chaing Mai, Thailand where this baby elephant was giving out free kisses!"

Honorable mentions:
Brooklnn Cooper
(see all of her photos)

Brooklnn Cooper traveled across Europe, including the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland

Qiun (Amy) Wen
(see all of Wen’s photos)

"I took a trip to Hong Kong in the summer and find that night scene attracts me the most," writes Wen. "When I enjoy the view in the Victoria Harbour, a ship with red sail came into my sight. With brilliantly illuminated building across the harbor, I took this picture."

Stephanie Bowes
(see all of her photos)

A beach shot in Port Dalhousie by Stephanie Bowes

• View all of the contest entries