Photo submission section of Kentucky daily's Web site becomes showcase for local artists

Many newspapers have created sections of their Web sites that solicit and display readers' photographs. The sections help increase Web traffic on the sites, but The Independent in Ashland, Ky., has seen its photo section start to become an artistic showcase.

"Although we've received our share of cute pet photos, and I like those, we're getting some visually high-brow submissions as well," chief photographer John Flavell wrote in an e-mail. "What started out as a blatant way to attract readers to interact with the Web site could become a public space for the artistic types in the region."

The Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. newspaper recently displayed a collection of photos from Tim Webb, a commercial photographer in Richmond, Ky. (including this photo of his family's home in nearby Carter County). The paper presented a gallery of some of Webb's photos and some biographical information about Webb. The paper also plans to feature the work of another Carter County native, photographer Steve Shaffer. Shaffer works for Kentucky Educational Television and produced an audio slideshow for the network's special on Abraham Lincoln. (Read more)