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Central Electric Members Showcase Variety of Animals
By Courtney Cobb
From landscapes to animals, the 2026 Central Electric Cooperative (CEC) annual photo contest submissions displayed the area’s variety of life. CEC members captured images that show what it’s like to live, work, explore, and play in the high desert.
Michael Strand’s Mary, Queen of Scots is the winning photo. Michael is a lifelong photographer who says for many years he has focused more on vacations, kids’ milestones, and holidays.
“After retiring, I actively started shooting images from a creative perspective,” he says. “I love to shoot landscapes and bring the viewer into the experience, but there is something very special about a portrait of an animal in their habitat. That’s probably my favorite.”
For years, Michael has driven past Mary without stopping. However, that changed one morning in mid-January.
“I was in Tumalo shooting the Cascades early in the morning, and on my way home, I stopped at Mary, Queen of Scots’ corral to see if I could get a good shot of her,” he says. “It was really cold that morning—around 19 degrees—and the sun was hitting her perfectly.”
Using his Nikon Z50 and a Z28-400mm f/4.5 VR lens, 1/200, f/8, and ISO 640, Michael captured the winning photo.
“She was curious about me and started to amble over to the fence line as I ripped off several shots in the glowing light,” he says. “I moved on quickly, as I didn’t want to disturb her.”
Michael is happy he stopped. He met Mary’s owner, Katy Turpen from Shilo Church, who told him Mary is sweet and engaging.
A lifelong shutterbug, Michael’s advice to anyone interested in photography is to seek mentoring and be open to learning.
“Take thousands of pics,” he says. “We’re not paying for film and processing like in the old days. See what works, figure out what you like, and share your images.”
The second-place winner in the contest was Craig Coak. Craig’s photo captures an eagle taking flight at Wizard Falls Hatchery.
“We were lucky enough to see a pair of bald eagles flying around and landing on various nearby trees,” Craig says. “I took several shots, but this one of the eagle taking off was the best.”
The third-place winner was Corey Rucker, with Pablo the goat. Corey says he took the photo at sunrise on “a cool late summer morning where a layer of fog raised from the irrigated fields, leaving a magical horizon. Pablo the goat stood on a dry mound of grass waiting for the water to recede as if the water at his feet was going to make him melt.”
