Matthew VanSwearingen is only 4, but he knows what he likes when it comes to taking pictures.

Using his mother’s iPhone, the Whitefish youngster has snapped thousands of images over the past year or so, capturing all kinds of scenes from a child’s height and perspective. When his mom, Jennifer VanSwearingen, finally uploaded them onto her computer, she thought to herself, “These are pretty good.”

She entered some of Matthew’s favorites at the Northwest Montana Fair, where he wound up winning grand champion in the children’s photography division for ages 11 and under. He also raked in 10 first-place blue ribbons and two third-place awards.

The grand champion photo captures the bountiful beargrass blooms from earlier this summer.

Matthew may have a penchant for photography in his genes. 

His grandparents, Ryan and Barbara Marty of Whitefish, worked for a long time as photo assistants for famed photographer Ansel Adams, helping put on photo workshops outside of Yosemite National Park.

In addition to his photography exhibits, Matthew entered a wide range of other open-class items, from a smattering of garden vegetables to a finger painting that won a blue ribbon.

He also scored high with his rabbit, chickens and roosters, earning another four blue ribbons and two red ribbons with his animals. His two roosters, Gator and Kramer, both known to be notorious crowers on their home turf, were entered into the Rooster Crowing Contest but couldn’t find their voice to crow up a win.

Getting up early every morning to feed and water the animals was a learning experience for Matthew, his mother said, and a bit exhausting. By Friday afternoon the 4-year-old was in no mood for a serious sit-down interview with an Inter Lake reporter.

Instead, he skipped through the photo displays, pointing out which ones were his. He had taken a blue-ribbon photo of his farm-fresh eggs that he sold at his lemonade stand. A sunset over the Whitefish Community Garden was another stunning shot.

His favorite? A picture of a dump truck.

Boys will be boys, his mother confided.

“The iPhone works so well for him, but we’re probably going to have to give him his own camera,” Jennifer said.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at [email protected].