The fourth annual "Nature in Photographs" show at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center has new categories this year.

They include "Your Backyard," "Insects and Amphibians," "Macros of Nature" and "Youth" category for middle- to high-school aged photographers.Ninety images were chosen from the 163 images submitted.Three judges, Josh Finsel, Paul Laicz and Phil Campbell, took their time viewing the images before deciding on the winners, according to Lehigh Nature Gap Center's Amber Breiner, the associate director and network development program coordinator."Josh said it took them four hours to judge the show," she said."They were looking for pictures that evoked a mood or told a story."A group of volunteers led by Anita Collins, president of the board of directors at the nature center, organized and hung the submitted prints over the course of an evening."We always have a good time looking them over," Collins said.Collins was approached about hosting a photography contest after the success of the traditional art show at the Nature Center."Phil taught a classes at the center and said it would be a great idea. It's been a really big hit," she said.This year's category winners are:• Youth: "Spiral of Nature" by Priya Gupta.• Macro of Nature: "Curve" by Scott Keys.• Insects and Amphibians: "Inch Worm" by Jim Figlar.• Your Backyard: "Blackbird's Breath" by Jesse Fricker."This year Amber really got the word about the youth category," Collins said."They're marvelous photographers."Experienced bird photographer Scott Keys said this year's categories were "incredibly challenging.""Last year I bought a dedicated macro lens and started to explore in the summer months," he said."The LGNC contest was the first contest I ever entered. Winning in the macro category with my image 'Curve' was very rewarding. This specific image of a sphinx moth caterpillar was taken from my small garden at my house."According to Breiner, an online submission process has opened the doors to amateur and professional photographers alike."It's more accessible in a lot of ways. You can just keep snapping the pictures," she said.Breiner said the Gap received so many images taken by iPhone it has considered adding a "phone" category to future shows.The categories for next year's contest will be announced on the website in the next few weeks, giving photographers a chance to capture as many images as they can before the January deadline."The only restriction is that it has to be nature. It can't be man-made items," Collins said."We will announce them and then let folks express those as they see fit."The center will extend its hours this weekend to allow folks to come in and vote on their favorite prints before the reception at 3 p.m. Sunday.The "People's Choice" winner will receive a $100 gift card to Dan's Camera City.All the images are for sale, with 15 percent of the price tags being donated to the nonprofit nature center."They're already framed," Briener said. "It's ready-to-go wall art."The center will be open from 9 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with the reception being held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday.Photographers and judges will attend Sunday, giving photograph lovers a chance to ask questions about the captured images.The Lehigh Gap Nature Center is located at 8844 Paint Mill Road, Slatington. For more information on next year's contest visit site: http;//lgnc.org