Rulon C. Scott of Salt Lake City Local 57
Every year, we celebrate the hidden beauty of electrical work with the IBEW Photo Contest. This annual celebration has awarded prize money to three winners and a handful of honorable mentions for nearly 30 years. And although its current form traces its history to 1996, the contest is actually a continuation of a much older tradition.
In April 1958, the editors of The Electrical Worker announced the first IBEW Photo Contest. The rules were simple: Entries must be originals taken by an IBEW member, and the subject must be electrical in nature. The prize for first place was $500, second was $100, third was $50, fourth was $25, and 10 honorable mentions were given $10 each. In addition to being featured in a future issue of The Electrical Worker, the winning photos would be exhibited at the 26th International Convention in Cleveland later that year.
Second Place Winner
Joe Budde of New Orleans Local 1139
Third Place Winner
Lawrence Horner of St. Paul, Minn. Local 110
To help members with their submissions, the photo editor of The Electrical Worker, Jim Weber, included this advice: “Any good picture starts with a good negative. The film must be properly exposed, the camera must be held steady, and the focus must be correct. In picturing people, make them be doing something. The scene should be natural and authentic in its detail as it pertains to be the electrical industry.”
Inspired by the many wonderful photos submitted to the Local Lines section, the article called on the entire membership to “show off your picture-taking prowess.”
Judging the photos were James Ragsdale, the IBEW’s official photographer, and L.O. Vallery, an editor at Ransdell Printing Press.
The winners were announced in the September issue, with first place awarded to Rulon C. Scott of Salt Lake City Local 57; second place to Joe Budde of New Orleans Local 1139; and third place to Lawrence Horner of St. Paul, Minn., Local 110.
Fourth place was split by three entrants: Raymond Propst of Medford, Ore., Local 659; Jean Marie Dionne of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Local 1885; and Dean Beemer of Cody, Wyo., Local 1761.
The article ended with the hope of continuing the tradition. “It is highly probable that another contest will be held sometime in the future,” wrote the editor, “so hang on to those good prints and continue to submit photos for Local Lines!”
It would take almost 40 years for that hope to be realized. In June 1996, The Electrical Worker relaunched the IBEW Photo Contest.
It is now an annual tradition. Tens of thousands of photos have been submitted, a testament to the pride our membership takes in capturing the beauty found in a day’s hard work.
Visit nbew-ibewmuseum.org for more on how to support the IBEW’s preservation of its history. Have a an idea for this feature? Send it to [email protected].
