EMERALD BAY PHOTOGRAPHY - Architecture, Food, Product & Editorial Photography by Simone Paddock, serving Bend, Central Oregon, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, and beyond

After the awards party on Saturday eve I was seriously exhausted, so I took yesterday off to recover - and hence, the pics from that event are up a day late. I hope you all still enjoy them though:

The amazingly talented Marcia Whitehead sings an aria after the screening of "Laundry and Tosca", the documentary based on her quest to become an opera singer

The BendFilm awards festivities at the Elks Lodge get started with a drink at the beautifully decorated bar

Central Oregon's own "American Idol" Katie Rush greets the guests at the door with her glowing smile

Jody Denton, head chef and owner of "Merenda" restaurant, puts the finishing touches on the dessert buffet

The evening kick-starts with the announcement of the "Indie Kids" award.

Mark Duplass accepts the award for Best Screenplay for "Puffy Chair"

The audience loved Taggart Siegel's "The Real Dirt on Farmer John" so much, they awarded him the Big Check with an almost 99% approval rating

Taggart Siegel lets Farmer John give direct thanks to BendFilm over the cell phone after the movie wins its second award of the evening for "Best Documentary"

The "Best in Show" award went to "Shakespear Behind Bars", a documentary about a band of prison convincts who put on a production of Shakespear's "The Tempest"

From singer to singer: Marcia Whitehead chats with Central Oregon "Idol" Katie Rush

A happy Taggart Siegel celebrated his win with Hanna Elias, director of "The Olive Harvest"

Winners Circle (from left): Scott Coleman Miller ("Uso Justo"), Evan Stuart ("Reality Check"), Taggart Siegel ("The Real Dirt on Farmer John"), Mark Duplass ("The Puffy Chair"), Taggart's producer, and Devor Robinson ("Police Beat")