FEDERAL WAY — Port Angeles photographer Matt Sagen is the official shutterbug for the World Championships of Sand Sculpture in Federal Way.
The event kicked off Sept. 8 with the “pound up” when the sand was packed so the sculptors could carve out their creations.
Sagen headed over to the event, about 15 miles south of Seattle, over the weekend to snap some shots of the duo competition.
This weekend, he will return for the individual and team competitions.
“I love the creativity that comes from the sand sculpting,” Sagen said.
Sagen had snapped some shots at the Windermere Sand Sculpture Classic in Port Angeles and sent the shots to Doc Reiss of Port Angeles, who organizes it annually.
“I said they could use the picture just to give me some credit or something, and Doc asked if I’d like to do the photos for the World Championship,” Sagen said.
Sagen, 26, said he takes every opportunity to share his work — but the sand sculpture fits right into his whimsical personality.
“I was a huge fan of Pixar and Disney as a kid, and I try to keep that same feeling in my photos,” he said.
For more information about Sagen, visit www.ourimaginationyoursmile.com.
The World Championships are being held in Federal Way for the first time this year.
Previously, the event was held in Harrison Hot Springs, B.C., but the classic faced closure because no one could run it this year.
Reiss, Charlie Beaulieu of Kingston and Suzanne Altamare of Daytona Beach, Fla., stepped up to the plate to run this year’s world championship — to which the Windermere classic is a qualifying round.
In the end, about 40 sculptures will fill the lot at 31510 20th Ave S, Federal Way, Reiss said.
There is no “best day” to attend the competition, Reiss said, but by viewing the website www.worldchampionshipofsandsculpting.com people may choose what suits them best, he said.
A season pass to enter any day as often as you like is $30. A single adult pass is $8.50 per person, and seniors 65 and older and children 5 to 16 are $6.50 each.
Children 4 and younger enter free.
The gallery will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The Windermere classic was held in July at Port Angeles City Pier.
Reiss estimated that 5,000 people came through the sand sculpture gallery.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
