Buhman earns photographic honor

For 23 years, Stephen O. Buhman has been capturing the essence of SIUC through a camera lens. Buhman's eye-catching "Viva Las Vegas" photograph took top honors recently in the Science and Research category in the University Photographers Association of America's Monthly Image Competition.

A winning combination —Stephen O. Buhman's "Viva Las Vegas" photograph of professor Mark R. Dixon scanning his cards recently earned top honors in the University Photographers Association of America's Monthly Image Competition. The December photograph accompanied a story on Dixon's latest resarch on Texas Hold'em, the world's most popular poker game.

The striking photographic submission of an eye peaking over the lens of glasses reflecting a gambler in action was Buhman's first entry in the competition. The score of 283 was the second highest amassed by all the entries, topped only by the best of show for the award period covering photos shot in December 2007 or January 2008. Due to the holiday break, one competition covered the two-month period. Voting took place in February.

Buhman shot the photo to accompany a story by K.C. Jaehnig, SIUC public information coordinator, illustrating gambling addiction research by Mark R. Dixon, professor in the University's Rehabilitation Institute. After reading Jaehnig's story about Dixon's research into how gamblers playing Texas Hold'em poker make decisions as the stakes climb, Buhman conceived the photographic set-up. Searches at numerous discount and sunglass shops finally produced a pair of sunglasses with reflective silver lenses. The Rehabilitation Institute's research area supplied the gambling accessories and Dixon donned the sunglasses for the photo. Buhman, a producer/visual media professional in the photocommunications department of University Communications, got some help from co-workers Russell D. Bailey and Jeffrey P. Garner in creating the award-winning image.

"I was very happy with the results," Buhman said. He said receiving the honor is particularly gratifying "in that these images are being voted on by my peers at other universities and having them recognize excellence in photography means a lot to me."

Buhman plans to enter the Monthly Image Competition again, probably submitting one of the "ice photos" Mother Nature so graciously provided access to in February at SIUC.

- Christi Mathis