Reader Gallery 13 continues a tradition of sharing photos that are taken by readers — locals and visitors who take joy in the always soul-nourishing landscape of Maine.

The first volume of photos was initiated in March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, when the world shut down. We worked through that time, and since then, you, the photographers, have steadily discovered new perspectives with your cameras.

The first 10 galleries in this series of contributor images captured how we perceived living through a deadly pandemic. As COVID 19 faded (as a major public health threat, although 4.5 years later, its strains still circulate, and few are immune to ‘catching COVID’) the galleries remained a fixture on PenBayPilot.com, with photos no less remarkably expressive, and beautiful.

In 2022, at the October Maine Press Association Better Newspaper Contest – and in a first-ever  win — it was PenBayPilot.com readers who brought home an award for best Picture Story. Your submitted photographs to the Pilot’s Pandemic Galleries captivated the judges. It was an unorthodox contest submission, but we believed that our Pilot community photographers deserved recognition.

“I love this idea and engagement, and clearly so did your readers,” wrote the South Dakota Newspaper Association judges, who were taking on the task of reviewing and naming winners of Maine’s annual competition. “Well done. Not sure how to judge this in a competition of professional photogs, but if Maine had some sort of engagement or innovative category, this would be stronger.”

This latest collection of submitted photos taken by residents and visitors to the state will join:

1: April 2020: Maine establishes new normal with a sense of grace 

2: June 2020: Maine weathers a pandemic

3: July 2020:Maine springs through a pandemic

4: August 2020: Summering on through uncharted times

5) October 2020:The Leaves of Change

6) November 2020: Finding our Footing

7) January 2021: Tipping toward Winter

8) April 2021: Hopeful new year

9) October 2021:A Wellspring of Hope

10) March 2022:By now we know the routine

11) September 2022: Grounding in our natural environment during troubling times

12) April 2023: Moving through the seasons with area photographers

All these galleries have been built on the love people have for the Midcoast and the natural beauty of their state. The photographers are observant, creative and astute. They help chronicle our current days.