Creativity and design have set one SCVi student apart after winning the Los Angeles Student Nature Photo Contest held by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

Third grade student David Blumenkrantz entered the museum’s first-ever nature contest for students from kindergarten through 12th  grade that garnered entries of wildlife such as waterfalls, plants, and animals from all over LA County.

Photo Courtesy Of Carla & David Blumenkrantz

Blumenkrantz heard of the contest from his school after SCVi Director Farnaz Kaufman sent home a package of ideas for the students to do over the summer, according to his mother Carla Blumenkrantz, who is also a photographer.

“The truth is that he didn’t even want me to submit the photo, but I did anyways. And when I told him that he got the prize, he got happy of course,” said his mother.

Blumenkrantz’s entry was one of more than 1,100 submissions and earned him an honorable mention award, a member souvenir package and his photo displayed on the museum’s winners display wall.

His photo was judged by museum staff as well as fine art photographer Catherine Opie and National Geographic photographer Steve Winters.

At almost nine-years-old, David’s photography career began about three years ago.

With a Nikon Coolpix camera or his mother’s iPhone in hand, David has taken countless pictures at home and while on vacation.

His winning photo titled “Exploration: Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona,” was taken during a family trip in Page, Arizona this past April.

And although David is constantly surrounded by artistic knowledge, his photographer parents hope this becomes a stepping stone for him to pursue his passion.

“We feel happy and proud of course, and hopefully this will be an incentive for him to explore photography a little bit more,” said his mother.

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