The first Maine Photography Show without Jim Taliana happened to feature a lot from the late artist. Not only was the artist's work on display during the April 12 opening, but his memory was invoked when the awards were handed out.

Director Bruce Burnham said that while the Boothbay Region Art Foundation show went on, it wasn't the same without the longtime local artist and organizer.

Burnham said Taliana hardly ever said I, but used a number of adjectives starting with I to describe Taliana.

“Most of all, he is irreplaceable,” Burnham said.

Burnham said the show has grown since its inception eight years ago.

“When we started, there were 300 photo entries,” he said. “The last few years we have had up and over 800 entries. (Juror) Tony (Sweet) said it was a monumental task to select the images in the show.”

Moe Chen won the newly-christened Jim Taliana Award, which takes the place as the highest honor bestowed upon a photo.

His photo, entitled “Sand Beach Nights” features a starry landscape and the tide rolling in at Acadia National Park. He said the park's unique setting made the award-winning photo possible.

“Acadia is one of the last remaining dark sky areas in the east,” he said. “It's one of a few places where you can see the Milky Way come up.

“(With this photo) it was 100 percent location, and I support the park and want to keep the sky dark.”

In addition to Chen's best of show, other winners included Russell Caron, whose “Snowliage” won the Committee Choice Award.

In the themed category, which for 2013 was trees, Patricia Takacs was first with “Lonesome,” Kathleen Clemons was second with “Golden Rain,” Leslie Inman was third with “APortals #13” and Robert Crink's “Stormy Tree” won honorable mention.

Charles Laurier Dufour's “The Final Goodbye” was first in the black and white category, Daryl-Ann Leonard's “Spiraling” was second, “Celestial” by Eva McDermott was third and “Ira C in fog” by Jonathan Manning won honorable mention.

“Iced Daisy” by Richard Morin was first in the color category, while Alton Spencer's “Waiting for Summer” was second, Denise Wood's “Abandoned” was third and Ni Rong's “In America – Winter #1” was honorable mention.

In the student category “Transition” by Emmaline Waldron was first, “Gulliver's Travels” by Elena Laustsen was second, “Sophie” by Yanmei McElhaney was third and “Through a Cloud of Darkness” by Olivia Jernigan was honorable mention.

The photo show will come down May 3 to make way for a student photography show.

Ben Bulkeley can be reached at 207-633-4620 or bbulkeley@boothbayregister.com. Follow him on Twitter: @BBRegisterBen.