John (Jake) Butler, a student at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Monica, Calif., has been awarded top honors in two international photography contests.

The International Society of Photographers, in conjunction with the International Library of Photography and picture.com, presented Butler with the award for Outstanding Achievement in Amateur Photography in 2004 for his photograph, "Night Lightning Storm: Tamarindo Bay, Costa Rica."

The same photo was selected as a first-place winner in the Landscapes category and Best in Show in the PACO International Photography Contest, sponsored by Premiere Artists Co-Op.