This photograph was in the final stage of the North American Open Amateur Photography Contest hosted by The International Library of Photography. In fact it did win their Editor's Choice Award and is published on their Web site.

In the picture is Lu Tao, my sister-in-law, taken December 1996 in the beautiful countryside of my hometown, Chongqing, China. Camera: Olympus Infinity Zoom 2000. Film: Kodak. No special techniques used, but nine years' painting and design arts practice helped to frame the shot.