1st Place Winner

Comments from our judge, photographer Larry Vogel:

This eye-to-eye encounter with another species is almost unsettling at first glance. Lots of emotion here.  It has been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and staring into the eye you can’t help but wonder what – or who – is behind it. Those who maintain animals lack souls need only look into this eye – something is going on in there. There’s an intelligence, an awareness. And it takes an up-close-and- personal examination to be aware of it.