Vermilion photographer honored for Northern Lights picture

VERMILION — When it comes to once-in-a-lifetime photos, a local man has taken more than one lifetime's worth. Scott Dommin, of Vermilion, took first place for his photo, Aurora Borealis, in the 32nd-annual Life on Lake Erie photo contest, sponsored by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission. His photo will be featured in a traveling photo display starting at the Riffe Gallery in Columbus. Dommin has entered many photography contests over the years, and he's won several. Still, he was "kinda surprised" by his latest win. The photo, taken May 10, had a lot to do with the right conditions. "All that day, I had heard there may be northern lights," he recalled. "It was taken with my drone, so I had the battery charged and everything ready to go. At about 10 p.m., I went and looked outside and just knew this night was going to be something special." Many people took to social media to applaud him: • Cathy Brant-Johnston: Congratulations Scott Dommin. You deserve it, my friend. • Donna Strittmather: Congrats. You certainly deserve this recognition for the great work you do. We are blessed to have you in our midst, and I appreciate and look forward to your pictures. • Betsy Burgos: Congratulations, Scott, your photos are so amazing. I just love them. They are all spectacular. Developing a clearer picture Dommin, who lives near downtown, and his girlfriend, Paula DeMarco, decided to fly his drone near the city instead of going down to the beach where everyone else had gathered. "I took a few photos with my iPhone and thought the view from my drone was unique because you could see a view of the city with the northern lights," he said. "The wind was calm, so luckily I was able to get the shot. I took three pictures and stitched them together into a panorama." But luck was only part of the equation. Dommin has been taking photos since his days at Vermilion High School. "My friend was one of the editors on the yearbook committee, and something happened where everyone quit," Dommin recalled. "My friend handed me a camera and said, 'Go out and take some pictures.'" Whether it was happenstance, chance or fate, Dommin decided to study photography at The Ohio State University. His career, however, took a different path. He became a hurricane chaser with the Air Force and pursued photography as a hobby. After the Air Force, Dommin worked as an air traffic controller in New England before retiring in 2007 and moving back to Vermilion in 2009. "My family is originally from the Cleveland area," Dommin said. "My dad was in the Navy, and I was born in Hawaii, but I lived in Elyria for several years and went to Cascade Elementary School from kindergarten through fourth grade before we moved to Vermilion. I was looking for a place to retire to, and I've been all over the country and seen a lot of the world, but I came back to Vermilion because there are so many different things to photograph. There's the lake, the countryside, all four seasons — it's beautiful here." Dommin, who is on the board of directors for Main Street Vermilion and a member of the Vermilion Arts Guild, is a freelance photographer with the Vermilion Photojournal. Many of his photos also appear in the Register. His prints can be purchased at the Main Street Vermilion office and every year he self-publishes a calendar of Vermilion. His win with the Life of Lake Erie photo contest earned him the choice of several prizes. He chose a gold pass to Cedar Point for the 2025 season. "I worked at Cedar Point in high school, and I've only been back once maybe," he said. "I'm just going to enjoy walking around and taking pictures." Dommin also enjoys flying his drone, riding his bicycle and astronomy, although when there is an event, he is usually tasked with taking the photos. He advises anyone interested in photography to just take pictures. "That's how you get all of the good pictures," he said. "Just walk around your block. Take pictures of anything — a fire hydrant, a park bench, a leaf on the ground. Develop your own style." Read more at chroniclet.com.