Grand Coulee man takes state photo prize

Merle Roberts, of Grand Coulee, earned a blue ribbon in photography last week at the state fair in Puyallup.

Roberts named his photo, in dramatic dark gray shades of a local tree growing right out of rock, "Its A Tough Life." It took Best of Scenic for black and white photography.

He entered it in the International Photography Exhibit at the fair, which he said meant he would go up against entries from New York and California, or even Hong Kong.

"Yeah, you have to butt heads with the biggest people. I figured, why not?" he said.

Roberts said it's an honor just to get picked to show is an honor.

Roberts has been into photography for about eight years, but the hobby really took off after he retired.

"The more pictures you take the luckier you get," he said.

He shoots with a small Sony mirrorless camera, he said, adding gear as