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Most dredging banned under new proposed guidelines ... Our View: Stay flexible on kindergarten hours ... Longtime Ashland New Plays Festival artistic director is retiring ... Most dredging banned under new proposed guidelines ... Our View: Stay flexible on kindergarten hours ... OUTDOOR JOURNAL JPEG Moments Oregon Outdoors launches 15th annual Wild Bird Photo Contest Submissions begin today for the 15th annual Oregon Outdoors Wild Bird Photo Contest. By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 21, 2014 @ 2:00 am Updated Nov 22, 2014 at 2:46 PM By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 21, 2014 @ 2:00 am Updated Nov 22, 2014 at 2:46 PM » RELATED CONTENT • 2014 Oregon Outdoors Wild Bird Photo Contest » Social News After Jim Shames captured his impressive image of a white pelican rising off the Klamath Lake surface just as the sun peaked over the ridge, he looked down at his viewing screen and knew he nailed it. "I's a pretty cool photo," Shames says. "It's very sharp and dramatic." The incredible detail on the pelican's wings and breast was sharp and dramatic enough to capture first place last year in the 14th annual Oregon Outdoors Wild Bird Photo Contest. Its publication last year drew plenty of attaboys and way-to-goes around his hometown of Ashland and at work as Jackson County's health officer. Then a funny thing happened: Life moved on. "It's a pleasant distraction," Shames says. "I have a lot of other things going on. It's always nice to hear that someone likes your stuff. But it didn't change my life." Shames expects to dig around his files of jpegs shot over the past year in search of another artful image to enter in this year's contest that begins today. This all-paperless contest is open to amateur photographers who either shoot images in Oregon or are Oregonians shooting outside of the state or both — as long as the Oregon connection is there. A recap of past winners shows that exotic birds shot in far-flung locales aren't any more likely to win than homegrown birds in familiar settings. Marilyn Patterson of Medford took the 2012 top honor when she stumbled upon and photographed a reclusive long-eared owl during a visit to Northern California's Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. In 2011, Curtis Mix of Medford won for a photo of a yellow warbler taken in his backyard. Lance Coenen of Grants Pass pulled the same trick in 2010, winning the contest with an action shot of a hummingbird feeding in his backyard. Deb Harder of Medford won in 2009 for a photo of a sandhill crane she captured while on a birding trip to Del Apache Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico in 2009. But the year before that, Jerry Pogue of Ashland took top honors when he captured a pair of sandhill cranes in the snow just a few miles from home, near Howard Prairie Lake. Last year, Shames' picture was judged best among the 412 entries. It was the first contest win for the lifelong shutterbug who pulls out his Canon 6D roughly once a week to shoot anything from fall colors and rising water birds to his grandchild. "It's my artistic release, when I have some time," Shames says. "Some are good, some are bad. But I definitely lucked out on that one." Much of it turns out to be pelicans shot on Klamath Lake, a go-to photography draw for 68-year-old Shames — often sitting in the front seat of his canoe while his wife, Heidi, paddles in back. This year, he's captured some nice images of great blue herons in flight. One might find its way onto the Oregon Outdoors contest website for consideration by this year's judges and, as always, the People's Choice award.  "It was fun and I'll probably try it again," Shames says. "I'll have to rummage through and see what I got." Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 541-776-4470 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/MTwriterFreeman. By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 21, 2014 @ 2:00 am Updated Nov 22, 2014 at 2:46 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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