Solangel Castro is now a professional photographer.

The McAllen second grader participated in Valley Land Fund’s 2010 Youth Photo Contest Southern Exposure, winning third place in the humor category in her age division for her photograph of a Brown Anole. 

“We were charmed by her photographs,” said Nancy Millar, Vice President and Director of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce’s Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. “They capture the essence of our area’s amazing natural resources beautifully, so we negotiated to purchase the rights to use her images.” She added that Solangels’ photos will be used on the Convention and Visitor Bureau’s website and possibly also in printed materials promoting McAllen.

There were 600 entries in different categories in the Valley Land Fund’s Youth Photo Contest this year. 

Solangel attends second grade at Donna Wernecke Elementary School in McAllen.  She is the daughter of Edgar and Aidee Castro.