Charles Bohnham, Midland MI

3^rd Place Award: American Gothic Church

Artists statement. This photograph, American Gothic Church, came about after photographing the Saint Stanislaus Kostka Roman Catholic gothic style Church in Bay City MI and photographing a 25 foot tall sculpture in Saginaw MI by artist Seward Johnson called God Bless America (his work, obviously inspired by the famous painting American Gothic). After shooting both subjects Bonham later came up with the idea of bringing the two subjects together based on their gothic nature and a play on words. He changed the original pitchfork in the sculpture for a cross and brought the two images together working in Photoshop and NIK Silver Effects Pro software.