Marwell Wildlife Photographer of the year 2010 winners
We are pleased to announce the winners of our inaugural photography competition. ‘Swallows Tale – The Chase’ taken by Paul Cook (36) from Glasgow fought off tough competition to scoop first prize. Whilst 14 year old Danielle Connor from Wimbledon Common secured first place in the Junior category with her stunning ‘Little Brown Bug’ image.
We received just shy of 2,500 submissions from around the UK, all hoping to be the one to successfully fulfil the brief and ‘capture the essence of nature’.
The stunning image ‘Swallows Tale – The Chase’ was taken at Milton-of-Campsie, Lennoxtown and shows a swallow hunting down a damselfly as it darts for the cover of a wildflower. Paul, a semi-pro photographer, took the photo by chance as he was focusing on damselflies with a macro lens next to a small pond but happened to see swallows flying around: “I was very lucky to spot the damselfly being pursued. I didn’t actually notice it until I was at home looking on the computer screen. - swallows are regular visitors due to rivers and ponds. Focus was on the swallows - the damselfly was a lucky surprise.
Danielle’s beautiful ‘Little Brown Bug’ photo, winner of the Junior category, was taken at Wimbledon Common whilst walking her dog. “I took the picture at the pond near the windmill. When I got home I thought I had taken some good snaps so my parents told me to enter. Since then I’ve been taking lots more photos, it’s my new hobby. I wanted to take Photography GCSE but school cancelled the course so to improve I now watch youtube videos. I’m amazed – speechless.”
Competition judge Chris Packham, Wildlife TV presenter and photographer, added: “We were overwhelmed with entries for the competition in its inaugural year, and judging was extremely difficult due to the high calibre of photos.”
All the category winners, runners up and commendation photos will be exhibited at the Winchester Discovery Centre, as well as the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009 exhibition, from 16 July – 12 September. Prints will subsequently be on display at the zoological park. The overall winning image will also feature in Marwell’s 2011 calendar plus receive a Canon Powershot SX200Is camera. The Junior overall winner will also feature in the calendar and win a Canon Ixus 95 IS camera.
Other prizes include: camera vouchers supplied by Canon and Park Cameras, gift vouchers, guided photographic workshops around the park from Wild Arena, Marwell Wildlife Annual Passes, dedicated e-cards, A3 prints of each image and a subscription to BBC Wildlife Magazine.
Slideshow - (click on 'show info' within slideshow to see details)
Marwell Wildlife Photographer of the Year full results:
FLIGHT:
Winner: Tale – ‘Swallows Tale – The Chase’, Paul Cook, Glasgow, Scotland.
Runner Up: ‘Reflection’, Alan Watson, Dumbarton, Scotland
Commendations:
‘Avocets’, David Whistlecraft, Dereham, Norfolk
‘Gannet with seaweed’ Peter Whieldon, Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire
This category is in support of Marwell Wildlife’s fundraising appeal for birds.
NATIVE WILDLIFE
Winner: ’Connection’, Tom Parizek, London
Runner Up: ‘Woodpecker’, Gary Beers, Redditch, Worcestershire
Commendations:
‘Cygnets’ address unknown
‘Bee and foxgloves’ Roz Tabberer, Cornwall
‘Kingfishers feeding’ Peter Whieldon, Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire
‘Fox in undergrowth’ Doug Tibbets, Havant, Hampshire
‘Fox in snow’ Ian Wade, address unknown
MARWELL WILDLIFE RESIDENTS
Winner: ‘Penguin Diving’ Ken Dear, Hedge End, Hampshire
Runner Up: ‘Gecko’ Simon Taylor, Farnborough, Hampshire
Commendations:
‘Wistful’ Helena Pugsley, Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire
'Cotton top tamarins' Jeremy Boulton, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
FUNNIES
Winner: ‘Douroucoulis tell a bad joke’ Stewart Badger, Farnham, Surrey
Runner Up: ‘He’s behind you’ Steve Mundy, Maidenhead, Berkshire
JUNIOR FLIGHT:
Winner: ‘Heron’ Kate Robson, 13, Widnes, Cheshire
Runner Up: ‘Macaw’ Josh Emerson, 15, Stourport, Worcestershire
Commendations:
‘Seagull landing’ Amy Louise Wilton, 15, Fareham, Hampshire
‘Golden eagle’ Barney Couch, 15, London
This category is in support of Marwell Wildlife’s fundraising appeal for birds.
JUNIOR NATIVE WILDLIFE
Winner: ‘Little brown bug’, Danielle Connor, 14, Wimbledon Common, London
Runner Up: ‘Resting seal’ Tom Cole, 15, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Commendations:
‘Blossom’ Amy Louise Wilton, 15, Fareham, Hampshire
‘Dragonfly’ Emma Smith, 13, Weymouth, Dorset
JUNIOR MARWELL WILDLIFE RESIDENTS
Winner: ‘Golden lion tamarin’ Amy Louise Wilton, 15, Fareham, Hampshire
Runner Up: ‘Giraffe’ Saskia Sheehan, 14, Gosport, Hampshire
Commendation: ‘Gentle lemur’ Sophie Wilcox, 10, Somerset
JUNIOR FUNNIES
Winner: ‘Reindeer’ Barney Couch, 15, London
Runner Up: ‘Baby bird’ Harry Good, 15, Chilworth, Surrey
The competition judges were:
- Chris Packham, Wildlife TV presenter and photographer
- Sophie Stafford, BBC Wildlife Magazine Editor
- Janet Robini & Peter Smart, Wild Arena photography workshops
- Paul Collins, Southern Daily Echo Picture Editor
- Kirsty Nutbeen, Winchester Discovery Centre Gallery Curator
- David Fidler, Canon UK Account Manager
- Chris Horsley, Marwell Photographic Group Chairman
- Paul Simmons, Marwell Wildlife Head of Marketing Communications
See what fabulous prizes the winners have won on our original Photography competition page
You can view the images submitted to the competition on Flickr. Alternatively, if you have taken great images of animals that are resident at Marwell Wildlife, you can submit them to the Marwell Wildlife Flickr group.