Winning Images

Eyes on the prize This year’s top photo resonates with joy, hope and the richness of memories

In Benedetta Stellino’s family, she is known as the “ official photographer.” At family functions, she lurks in dark corners, waiting for the right moment and then — snap! — she’s got you on film.

“ I’m always the one with the camera in hand,” she says. “ I write a lot of poetry and I run a pastry shop, which is a lot of fun, but my next career is going to be photojournalism. I like to dabble.” The 44- year- old co- owner of a Toronto pastry shop is the grand prize winner of this year’s Toronto Star Amateur Photo Contest. Her winning photo, titled “Matteo and Nunziata’s 50th Wedding Anniversary,” captures the moment her mother was throwing a bouquet in celebration of this milestone. Her picture was selected among thousands upon thousands of entries because of its unique subject.

Stellino said the family wanted to break tradition by having only married women fight for the bouquet at the Sept. 12, 2004, celebration. Her mother hoped that it would bring the person who caught the bouquet the luck she’s had throughout her 50- year marriage. Interestingly enough, said Stellino, her nephew’s wife of just two years caught the flowers.

“ It was kind of fun that a young person had caught it,” mused Stellino. “Our interpretation was: May they also be married for 50 years.”

Although many faces in the photo were wrinkled and worn, Star photo editor Ken Faught described their expressions as ageless.

“ We just loved the look of it,” said Faught, one of three judges along with Star photographers Steve Russell and Peter Power.

This is the first time Stellino has entered the contest. For her entry, she wins a prize pack valued at more than $ 4,000. It includes a computer, scanner, photo printer and her very first digital camera, which may prompt her to hang up her worn- out 35 mm, she said. She hopes to frame her winning photo and give it to her parents.