The Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced on June 1, 2012 the winners of the 2012 Downtown Georgia photo contest.

The contest, which sought photos of the state’s diverse historic downtown buildings and streetscapes, was held in partnership with the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Georgia Downtown Association, and the City of Madison. Judging was completed by a six-person panel of experts. The results are as follows:

First place went to Macon Terminal Station by Michael Williams. Coming in second with a three-way tie was Calhoun’s GEM Theatre, photographed by Sam Ratcliffe, Savannah Cotton Exchange, and Lowndes County Courthouse in Valdosta.

The top entry will receive an annual membership to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and a copy of the photo-rich book Madison: A Classic Southern Town.

Of the winning entry, contest judge Steve Storey wrote “The arcs of the water streams are quite striking and the starburst patterns of the lights add an interesting sharp-versus-soft contrast to that. The choice of black-and-white intensifies this effect. It might be lost in a color shot.”