SEQUIM — Local photographers earned some significant accolades for their shutter skills.

The Olympic Peaks Camera Club (OPCC) recently came in second place in their group of 25 camera clubs at the National Inter-club Photo Competition sponsored by The Photographic Society of America.

Club members submitted images in both color and monochrome divisions, and the club’s strong showing in the color division moved it up a level for the upcoming competition year.

Moreover, two OPCC members, Peggy Hanson and Lori Moilanen, won honorable mention awards, and club president Bruce Fryxell won the gold medal for the top photograph in the group.

Fryxell’s photo, “Catch of the Day,” captured the Great White Pelican (African Pelican), the second largest species of pelican and one of the largest flying birds in the world, standing up to 5 feet tall with a wingspan of up to 11 feet. This particular bird was photographed off the coast of Walvis Bay, Namibia, flying with its beak open and gular pouch extended to catch a fish in mid-air.

Moilanen’s “Elegance at Full Throttle” is an image of an Arabian mare showing grace and power as she runs full speed on a crisp fall morning on a farm near Eugene, Ore.

With “We are Family,” Hanson spotted mergansers at the Salt Creek Recreation Area near Port Angeles.

“Seeing a new mom with seven ducklings in tow was like hitting the jackpot,” she said.

“While being as discrete as possible, I followed this family as they quickly swam along the shoreline, and by using my longest lens … I was able to capture an image I had envisioned for years, without disturbing or frightening my endearing subjects.”

The Olympic Peaks Camera Club has about 60 members who meet regularly to share photos, go on field trips, enter competitions and support the community by hosting the Photography Barn at the Clallam County Fair.

In addition, the club hosts a monthly Speaker Series on Zoom with speakers from across the world helping members improve their photographic skills.

The club is open to photographers at all levels.

For more information, visit olympicpeakscameraclub.org.