Top Top Notch: Waves, camera, action

Chris Pate of Holmes Beach won the grand prize in The Islander's annual Top Notch contest with his photograph of a wave-skater at White Avenue beach. Pate won $100 from the newspaper, plus gifts from Islander advertisers, including a $50 gift certificate from the Chiles Restaurants Group, a $50 certificate for Hair's to You Salon, a $25 certificate from Mister Roberts Resortwear, a $10 certificate for Minnie's Beach Cafe and the framing of the winning photo by Karly Carlson Custom Framing. The weekly winners received Islander "more-than-a-mullet wrapper" T-shirts and front-page placement of their photos. Next week, The Islander's honorable mentions in the popular contest.

Week Four: Mmm, hmm

Drinda Procter of Holmes Beach is this week's winner in the newspaper's six-week-long Top Notch contest, winning front-page placement of the photo and an Islander newspaper "More-Than-A-Mullet wrapper" T-shirt. The entry - an image of a contemplative cat and an unresponsive fish taken on Procter's deck in May - will go into a pool of weekly winners eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and other prizes from Islander advertisers.

Week Four: Soft landing

Ann Howard of Bradenton is the Week 4 winner in the newspaper's six-week-long Top Notch contest, winning front-page placement of the photo and an Islander newspaper "More-Than-A-Mullet wrapper" T-shirt. The entry - a shot of a butterfly alighting on a flower - will go into a pool of weekly winners eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and other prizes from Islander advertisers.

Week Three: 1, 2, 3, jump...

Becky Cosgrove of Bradenton is the Week 3 winner in the newspaper's six-week-long Top Notch contest, winning front-page placement of the photo and an Islander newspaper "More-Than-A-Mullet wrapper" T-shirt. Frick's entry ? a striking red, white and blue-themed photograph taken at New Pass near Mote Marine ? will go into a pool of weekly winners eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and other prizes from Islander advertisers.

Top Notch, Week Two: Stars and stripes salute

Penny Frick of Bradenton is this week's winner in the newspaper's six-week-long Top Notch contest, winning front-page placement of the photo and an Islander newspaper "More-Than-A-Mullet wrapper" T-shirt. Frick's entry ? a striking red, white and blue-themed photograph taken at New Pass near Mote Marine ? will go into a pool of weekly winners eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and other prizes from Islander advertisers.

Top Notch, Week One: A great blue and golden sky

Mark Kracker of Bradenton won the first week in The Islander’s Top Notch photography contest. For his photograph of a great blue heron in Bradenton Beach, Kracker won an Islander “more-than-a-mullet wrapper” T-shirt and is the first entrant in the grand prize contest for a $100 cash prize and a collection of prizes from local merchants.