Tararua Photographic Competition draws amazing response

All the award winners present on the night with Mayor Tracey Collis

The Tararua Photographic Competition to capture "Historic, Iconic and Much Loved Buildings of the Tararua District" drew more than 130 entries extending from Eketahuna to Norsewood and out to the coast.

The prizes were awarded on Thursday, January 27, at the Woodville Art Gallery with Mayor Tracey Collis in attendance and many of the photographers but Covid limited the attendance of the public.

Joy Kopa, Records and Information Manager for the Tararua District Council who has run the two competitions so far was MC and she thanked all those who had entered saying the quality of the entries made it extremely hard for outside judge Mr Simon Woolf who said: "he was most impressed with the quality of the images especially of the new entrants."

Mayor Collis was also impressed saying many of the photos showed an angle on a building she knew well in a different light. She said the competition was a great opportunity "to showcase such amazing Tararua talent".

The judges were surprised at the range of buildings presented but they were also surprised by the number of worthy Tararua buildings that were not chosen.

Pam Gill won the adult section with her photo of Port Motors which was the People's Choice for third. Pam loves her photography and runs her website as a hobby with new additions almost daily.

Kevin McIntyre was second with Tui Evening and Moira Fergus was third with Milk Towers.

In the Secondary section, Lucas Belcher used his drone to capture Pahiatua's main street "Looking Down on Our Town" (which was also People's Choice second favourite) with last year's supreme winner Ollie Bowie second and third with Anglican Church and the Dannevirke Train Platform.

Younger sister Milla Bowie was first and second in the Intermediate/primary section with Old Graffiti Shed and Ruahine Motors, and Ronya Green third with Justice Served.

In the special section for Black and White Images, Pam Gill was first with No.29, Lisa Seator was second with School Yard Memories and Benjamin Blake Evemy was third with A Direct Line To God.

Best Cellphone Image went to Nature's Building snapped by Claire Matthews when she was out for her morning walk before the dew evaporated from the spider's web. It was also the People's Choice favourite.

Best Artistic Effect went to Arms to Heaven by Moira Fergus.

Specially commended were Anita Martin (Train Shed and Norsewood Flying Fox), Allan Chandler (Woodville Railway Station) and Robin Winter (Ngaturi School Gate)

The top 20 pictures were framed and hung in the Woodville Art Gallery by Kevin McIntyre where they will remain for public viewing until February 9. The other entries were displayed on the video.

The images will be put into a new book with Pam Gill's Port Motors on the cover. It will incorporate some history and quirky features of the photos and will be available in a few months.

The next competition in two years will have a theme soon to be announced so all can begin to meet the challenge. Only Joy Kopa and Mayor Tracey Collis in our district are ineligible to enter.