A Christmas Day snapshot has won the Historic Park City Alliance’s photo contest with an image that the judges felt best captured the Historic District’s spirit and character.

Parkite Mike Flaherty shot a couple of skiers making their way to the Town Plaza lift while he was in town visiting his son who was working at the Sky Lodge that afternoon.

“My son works up at the top where there’s sort of an open air après ski area,” Flaherty said. “I went out there because there were so many colorful buildings.

“I shot 20 frames around the town, and I was able to catch a couple of those guys who were coming down right as you ski under the bridge.”

“The backdrop of historic structures, a mining tower and skiers highlights all that makes Historic Park City unique,” the Historic Park City Alliance said about Flaherty’s photo in written statement.

The photo was one of 26 that was entered and judged, according the HPCA.

Flaherty will receive a $150 gift card that can be redeemed at over 100 restaurants and shops in the Historic Park City District. In addition to the top award, two additional photographers will be rewarded. Teresa DeWilde and Myles Rademan, were recognized for their photos. They will each receive a $100 gift card.

Flaherty, a resident of Ranch Place, which is located near the Swaner EcoCenter and Preserve, said Parkites are blessed to live in such a beautiful place.

“It’s hard for me to get around this area without having a camera with me,” said the photographer, whose day job is a banking and insurance salesman. “This place is so beautiful, and truth be told, I probably need an intervention from photographing so much.”

Although Flaherty considers himself an amateur, many Summit County residents have seen his work.

“I provide a lot of photographs to the non-profit organizations such as the Wildlife Protection Society and the Swaner,” he said. “I don’t sell anything. I donate the photos and they use them in their promotional materials.”

Flaherty has always been drawn to photography, especially outdoor photography.

“I’ve always enjoyed nature,” he said. “I wanted to move out here for the outdoors lifestyle, but photography was definitely in the back of my mind.

“There is a lot around Park City, but if you drew a circle around a six-hour driving radius from this area, there are probably enough national parks and state parks to keep someone like me busy photographing throughout a lifetime.”

Flaherty had to be coaxed into entering the HPCA photo contest.

“Sometimes I don’t enter these things because I’m lazy, but I’ve had a lot of people tell me to do so,” he said.

Flaherty moved to Park City from Atlanta, Ga., in 2001. He said there is no place that matches the beauty of Utah.

“I’ve taken a lot of trips to Yellowstone, but I come back here and I see things that just take my breath away,” he said. “Aside from that, Park City also has many cultural festivals and outdoor concerts, we are truly blessed to live here.”