Back to the 14th Annual Contest >> First Prize 13-Day Southern Africa Safari for Two (Trip courtesy of National Geographic Expeditions and American Airlines) “Living abroad for three years changed the way I perceived myself and my culture,” says Kristen Imig, who works at a Seattle photo lab. “On my trips home I had bouts of culture shock, but above all I became incredibly nostalgic. Ordinary elements of American culture became extraordinary to me. So upon my return to the U.S. I was obsessed with capturing those scenes. Two summers ago I spent the Fourth of July in Stony Brook, Long Island, where my boyfriend had spent his summers growing up. I wanted to relive some childhood memories—to eat a burger and watch the fireworks. I took the photo standing on the deck of a beach cabana at the Old Field Club. The kids were waving flags, singing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ and playing kazoos. They marched in front of each cabana where families were picnicking. The air smelled of barbecue, sparkler smoke, and the sea.” (Hasselblad 500C, Zeiss 80mm lens, Ilford HP5 film) © 2001 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.