Natalie LeDonne ’18, a student photographer for University of Lynchburg, has won first place in a scholarship competition sponsored by Kappa Pi, an international art honors society.
Kappa Pi’s New Initiate Scholarship honors photographers in their first year of membership in the society. Natalie became a member in August 2016.
She submitted five photos, including two from University of Lynchburg soccer games and three that she took while in Minneapolis for a summer photography internship at the Minnesota Zoo.
Her work was chosen winner among 110 entries from 20 Kappa Pi chapters around the United States — the largest number ever received, said Michael Stanley, international president of Kappa Pi. “It was a very difficult decision due to the high quality of work submitted, but Natalie’s portfolio emerged as the strongest among the applicants,” he said. “Natalie’s entire portfolio was very strong and is comparable to professionals working today. The images she submitted in her portfolio were diverse, demonstrating a wide knowledge and understanding of the technical aspects of photography, and the colors were vibrant and enhanced the overall feel of each piece. The strength and cohesiveness of Natalie’s work proves she is deserving of such a prestigious scholarship and speaks to the high quality of education she is receiving at University of Lynchburg.”
Natalie was thrilled by the recognition. “It’s such an honor to be chosen as Kappa Pi’s winner in this contest,” she said. “I love how my classes and work experiences at LC have helped me develop my passion and talent for photography.”
During Natalie’s first year at LC, staff photographer John McCormick saw some photos she had taken and noticed her natural acumen for photo composition. He invited Natalie to begin working part-time with him in the Office of College Communications and Marketing, and his advice and guidance has helped Natalie sharpen her skills since then. Natalie’s photos have appeared in University of Lynchburg Magazine as well as Faces of Lynchburg, the Lynchburg.edu homepage, and LC’s social media.
Take a look at the photos that Natalie submitted to the contest below:
