Children camping captures nostalgia, wins photo contest

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Katrina Heikkinen
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Lindsey Caroon, wife of Maj. Speight Caroon, 341st Operations Support Squadron ICBM emergency war orders chief, was recently named the 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Quarterly Amateur Photo Contest winner for her submission, "Brothers summer camping in Glacier."

The photo expertly encompassed the theme, "Montana Summers" as her children, Joshua and Logan, are seen talking to each other at a picnic table late at night while camping at Glacier National Park in Hungry Horse, Mont.

"I'm very excited to have won," said Caroon. "I treasure the photo since my children are in the image, but it's nice to know that others appreciate it as well."

An experienced photographer, Caroon used a high ISO and no flash but ambient light from the lantern to illuminate the candid image.

"My family just PCS'd [permanent change of station] to Malmstrom this summer, so our boys were eager to travel to Glacier since they had never had the opportunity to see snow during our [last] tour in Louisiana," said Caroon. "We were exhausted from traveling and hiking, the campground was quiet, but the boys were too excited to sleep. The boys were lost in conversation and simply forgot I had my camera."

Caroon says her love for photography started when she was just 13 years old when her father gave her a kit that allowed her to build her own camera and develop her photos.

"Photography has always been an outlet for me," she said. "When military life gets stressful, I escape by concentrating on my viewfinder and getting the perfect shot. Since our move here, I've focused more on photography as a hobby and helping ease my children through the transition of moving."

As Caroon and her family adjust to Malmstrom, Caroon hopes to eventually open a photography business, but for now, she enjoys photography as a hobby and can't wait to take more landscape images of Montana.