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2026 National Surveyors Week Photo Contest Winners Announced
Thanks to all our members and friends who participated in the 2026 photo contest
for National Surveyors Week. It was great to see so many different aspects of
surveying and regions throughout NY. As always, the PR Committee had so many
favorites, it was hard for them to choose just one winner.

Runners Up:
Best Social Media
CONTEST WINNERS: Fan Photo
Overall Contest Winner “Tailing Dam Project,
Featured on cover of Zimbabwe”
this issue! Submitted by:
Ivan Tanaka Arifeto
“Pondering the Path
Less Taken”
Submitted by
James Vianna, LS
Photo taken by
Samantha Vianna
About the winning photo:
This beautiful shot features
the view from Kipp Mountain
(Town of Chester, Warren
County NY) looking south-
westerly across Loon Lake
towards Crane Mountain on
April 28, 2025.
Jim notes, “My daughter and Best Stampede Photo
I were staking/blazing her “Cows Learning about Land Surveying”
property lines after having Submitted by Ravi Engineering
performed a retracement
survey the previous fall. I thought the title, ‘Pondering the Path Less Taken’ was
appropriate as it has a double meaning on this project:”
1. “Never do jobs for friends and relatives. This is an old survey adage relating to
those projects being the most difficult and least fruitful. In this particular case,
my daughter said, ‘Dad it’s only 11 acres’. Well of course we had to survey
about 30 acres to verify her 11 acres, and she also failed to mention the 400’
vertical ascent up a rock cliff where our equipment had to be handed up from
one person to another.”
2. “After a 40 year career in land surveying, one tends to ponder and reflect on Best in Class Photo
their career choice. Was it worth it? was it a good fit? What else could I have “Typical Day in the Classroom”
done that would have been as rewarding? For me, land surveying was a perfect Submitted by Alfred State Surveying Geomatics Class
fit, and I would not have changed a thing (well almost nothing lol).”

When asked about who to give winning credit for the photo, Jim graciously noted, On behalf of NYSAPLS, congratulations to
“My daughter, Samantha, took the photo. I would also like to credit the photo all of our winners and a sincere thank you to
to all those land surveyors that came before me taking the path less traveled. For everyone that participated in the contest!
without them leaving footprints (marks) to follow, I would not be able to perform View all photo contest submissions on our website
my role properly. To those that follow in my footsteps, rest assured I did my part (https://www.nysapls.org/gallery) or Facebook
by leaving footprints (marks) to keep you on the right path.” page (https://www.facebook.com/nysapls).

Did you participate in National Surveyors Week?
Please share your stories with us for a chance to be featured in the Empire State Surveyor magazine. Keep doing what you’re
doing! We’re so proud to showcase the hard work and dedication of our members. Thank you to all who have reached out so far. We’re
truly inspired to hear your accomplishments and view your beautiful photos!
EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 62 • NO 3 / 2026 • MAY/JUNE 15