Local images among those to be featured in 2027 calendar
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has announced the winners of its 21st annual Erie Canalway Photo Contest. Judges selected first-, second-, and third-place winners in four contest categories, as well as 12 honorable mentions, from a field of 302 entries.
The greater Rochester area is well represented among the winners. Dan Judd took first place for his photo of Greece, Hilton resident Claire Talbot placed twice for her images of Spencerport and Seneca Falls, and Alan Swire won third place for his photograph of Pittsford. Three additional images in the Rochester area are featured as honorable mentions, including one of a Spencerport sunrise.
“We thank everyone who participated in the photo contest and congratulate the winners for sharing these exceptional images. We hope they inspire people to appreciate this national treasure and to support the preservation of our remarkable canal heritage,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.
Winning images can be viewed online at https://eriecanalway.org/resources/gallery/photo-contests and will be featured in the upcoming 2027 Erie Canalway Calendar, available at area libraries starting December 1. Funding support for the calendar is provided by the National Park Service and the NYS Canal Corporation.
New York State Canal Corporation Director Ben Walsh said, “This year’s winning images perfectly capture the natural and human-made beauty of the Canalway Corridor, from its many recreational and commercial uses, to its rich ecology, to its workforce practicing the Canal Craft that keeps the waterways and trailways running into our third century of operation. Congratulations and thank you to all who participated in this year’s contest.”
2026 Erie Canalway Photo Contest Winners
A Vibrant Connector
1st Place, America Turns 250 (Spencerport) by Claire Talbot, Hilton, NY
2nd Place, Sunrise Over Lock 34 (Lockport) by Rudy Edlund, Sanborn, NY
3rd Place, Tug and Barge at Schoen Place (Pittsford) by Alan Swire, Pittsford, NY
Past Meets Present
1st Place, History in the Old Locks (Lockport) by Douglas Worboys, Rochester, NY
2nd Place, Ripples of Change (Seneca Falls) by Claire Talbot, Hilton, NY
3rd Place, Eagle Crosses Guard Gate 2 (Cohoes) by Zachary Baum, Rexford, NY
The Canal at Work
1st Place, Tug at Sunset (Albany) by Andrew Bellinger, Waterford, NY
2nd Place, Edward M. Cotter (Buffalo) by Robert Klick, Williamsville, NY
3rd Place, Thomas X. Grasso (Waterford) by Joseph Bode, Troy, NY
Scenic Beauty
1st Place, Winter Stillness (Greece) by Dan Judd, Rochester, NY
2nd Place, Serenity on the Erie Canal (Chittenango) by Jake Luttinger, Rensselaer, NY
3rd Place, Water Lilies (Northumberland) by Susan Meyer, Schuylerville, NY
Honorable Mention Recipients (listed west to east)
Harbor at Days End (Buffalo) by Beverly Goldschmidt, Lewiston, NY
The Castle (North Tonawanda) by Jim Callahan, Rochester, NY
Autumn Snow (Lockport) by Jeff Tracy, Lockport, NY
Morning Sunrise (Spencerport) by Dan Judd, Rochester, NY
Fall Day (Pittsford) by Jim Callahan, Rochester, NY
Winter’s Twilight (Pittsford) by Mark Janetos, Rochester, NY
Richmond Aqueduct (Seneca River) by Frank LaPlaca, Williamson, NY
Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief and C.L. Churchill (Syracuse) by Joe Carey, Syracuse, NY
Ghosts of the Past (Mohawk) by Laurie Reynolds, Utica, NY
Herkimer Gun Smoke (Herkimer) by Marni Rosenbaum, Columbia, MD
Cohoes Falls (Cohoes) by David Strong, Durham, NH
Evening Paddle (Waterford) by Joseph Bode, Troy, NY
