IHC Capture the moment photo competition winners announced
Beren Hughes from New Plymouth has won first place in the IHC Capture the moment photography competition with his work "Friends Sharing Lunch".
Beren, who works at Atawhai nursery, loves how the monarch butterfly and bumblebee in his photo seem to be sharing the dahlia flower.
Capture the moment is IHC's photography competition for New Zealanders who have an intellectual disability or an intellectual disability and autism. The theme of this year's competition was "Nature: the living world".
Judges, Shayne Jeffares, Bridgit Anderson and Rachel Callander, said they loved the composition, colour palette, moment captured and superb framing of Beren's work. They agreed the creativity in the title was endearing and added an insightful layer of storytelling to the image.
Beren's dad Derek says of the many photos taken that day, the timing in his winning photo was simply perfect.
“Safe to say Beren is slightly overwhelmed by his win. His reaction was amazing. Beren's mum and I are thrilled and the team at the nursery are excited too."
There were more than 100 entries in the competition and Brody Nielson from Opunake took out second place for his work 'My Beach'. Third place went to Erena Wylie of Kapiti for 'Growth' and Xervier Doney of Wellington won the Youth Award for 'Woodcut Horse'.
Shayne Jeffares says it was a real honour to judge this year’s competition and see such stunning images submitted.
"My fellow judges and I worked through all the entries, coming up with our winning images, four incredible photographs depicting nature in all its beauty."
The 30 finalists' work will be exhibited at the FOTOFEST main gallery in Hastings from 14 September to 22 October (Hastings Municipal Building, Tama Tūranga Huata Room, 325 Heretaunga Street East).
"Seeing all the images selected, including the winning entries, as an exhibition is going to be a powerful testimony to the skill level of this year's contributing photographers, many who submitted for the first time."
"Well done to everyone who entered and congratulations to the winners, I know their images will inspire everyone who sees the exhibition in some way.”
The photographs will be for sale with 100% of the sale proceeds going to the photographer.
