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And the winners are ...

The waiting is over and the winners of The Pulse / Te Auaha digital photo competition can now be announced.

A panel of four judges scrutinised entries in the ‘My Favourite Place’ themed competition and chose five winners from nearly 200 photographs entered. The judges were author Bill Nagelkerke, photographer Neil Macbeth, Red K brand agency’s Sam Strati and Christchurch City Libraries’ Donna Robertson.

Neil Macbeth said the standard of entries was high.
“The best photographers were really exceptional, showing that they were making thoughtful, knowledgeable choices in the creation of their images.”

Author Bill Nagelkerke said this made the judges’ job a challenge. “The final selection shows the variety of interpretations that were possible and is an indication of how what might be considered both 'traditional' and 'ouside-the-box' interpretations of the theme succeeded because of strong compositional elements as much, if not more, than the actual subjects of the photos."

The winners of the two Vodafone 715 cellphones with $500 airtime credit are:

La Cruz

Amy Isbister - LaCruz1

The judges described this photo as a “starkly beautiful, strong composition”. Neil Macbeth said: “Great light, excellent composition and execution. Making it black and white and darkening the sky emphasises the monumentality of the subject. A work of art. Absolutely brilliant.”

Birdlings FlatHayley Sheppard – Sea at Birdlings Flat

The judges thought this was an unusual and striking image, full of dark mood and atmosphere which grew in its appeal. Generally, landscapes are improved by having some foreground detail but in this case the absence of foreground leaves the viewer not knowing 'where they stand' enhancing the unsettling mood of the image.

Winners of Nokia cellphones with $50 airtime credit are:

Sealy Tarns

Tom Wilkinson - Sealy Tarns

The panel described this as an archetypal New Zealand landscape, beautifully expressed. Exposure and focusing are just right. What makes this image work is its depth: the eye is drawn from the grass in the foregroundto the path to then to the mountain.

Dizzy PleasureIsaac Pawson - Dizzy Pleasure

Full of action and joy, this photo had real impact on the judges. This is a photo that shouts out for attention. There are four great elements combining to create that impact. Firstly the boy is very expressive and very close to the camera. There's also the excellent choice of having the camera moving in time with the boy, keeping him sharp against the motion blur in the background. Then there's the use of flash which not only lights the subject but helps keep it sharp. Finally, choosing black and white helps keep it simple and punchy. What it lacks in a sense of place it more than makes up for in impact.

Sumner BeachBriony Lightbody - Sumner Beach Chch

A strong and happy image conveying the simple pleasure of walking on Sumner Beach, the judges thought this image conveyed a sense of place in a conventional but well-executed way.

Farm BabiesJanelle Stuart-Menzies for Farm Babies

The judges decided to award Janelle two airtime credit vouchers and some pulse merchandise for her overall efforts which they thought were of a very high standard. "Janelle's images have great style and impact and I think we'll be hearing more about her photography in the future. Farm Babies is an extremely well shot image - the timing, exposure and composition are great - and the depth and emotion are really outstanding,” the panel said.

Other winners were:

Thanks to everyone who entered - keep in touch!