Hawke's Bay Today's summer photo competition: The winner

Stacey Kaye has won the Hawke's Bay summer photo competition with this photo of her daughter Ruby throwing sand at Mahia. Photo / Stacey Kaye

Stacey Kaye has won the Hawke's Bay Today Harvey Norman Canon NZ summer photo competition with her photo of her daughter throwing sand in the Mahia sunset.

The photo was taken on Kaye's Huawei P30 pro phone, which she bought for the camera quality, as she had wanted a camera but also needed a phone.

Now the Hawke's Bay Hospital endoscopy nurse has both.

The photo was taken of Stacey's daughter Ruby, aged 11, at the family's holiday spot in Mahia beach shortly after New Year's.

Ruby has a fascination with throwing sand, Stacey said.

"Usually I tell her 'no, stop it', but it looked so great with the sunset I had to get a picture instead."

Winner of the competition Stacey Kaye is looking forward to practising her photography with her new camera. Photo / Supplied

Competition judge, Hawke's Bay Today chief photographer Warren Buckland, said the entries to the competition had been varied, but certain themes emerged.

"People seem to have taken advantage of the light in the evening sky from the burning fires in Australia.

"That's given the opportunity to photograph many beautiful sunsets. But the competition is more than just beautiful colours in the evening sky.

"We wanted striking images, and Stacey Kaye and the two other placed photographs have delivered.

"It's not your usual family fun at the beach photo and there is its strength.

"The image is dominated by a piercing light casting shadows in sand and enhancing a dramatic sky.

"A figure is pictured in silhouette, but what are they doing? At first it looks like they are casting a net out into the emptiness or maybe they are squirting water under a hot sun?

"On closer inspection they appear to be throwing sand making an unusual pattern as it is thrust outwards.

"We've all done it - usually in jest with siblings. Good summer fun as long as no one gets hurt.

"It is a captivating photograph. It's mysterious and that holds your attention and sometimes that's how good photography works. A thought-provoking worthy winner," he said.

Stacey wins a Canon 200D MkII camera with Canon 18-55 lens Canon camera bag plus San Disk 16GB SD Card and 12x18 print plus 500 6x4 print vouchers from Harvey Norman, Hastings, a prize package worth roughly $1500.

She said she had been interested in photography for the past year or so and was excited to now have a camera to practise her newfound skills with.

Ollie Powrie won the second place prize of a Canon IXUS 185 compact camera plus 300 6x4 print vouchers from Harvey Norman, Hastings.

Ollie Powrie came second in the Hawke's Bay summer photo competition with this photo of his daughter at the beach. Photo / Ollie Powrie

Buckland said the photo was "a bright, fun and quirky off-balance composition".

"As I look at the image, I can feel the late rays of the hot sun beating down. And bubbles at the beach - not the drinking kind, well that's unusual.

"As if splashing in the sea wasn't fun enough, add some bubble-popping magic and there's a memorable trip to the beach.

"Cleverly capturing the photograph just before the bubble burst adds that extra bit of excitement. A pleasing fun photograph with a difference.

Melissa Pinnecke won third place for her photo of a person walking the beach in Wairoa.

Melissa Pinnecke came third with this photo taken in Wairoa. Photo / Melissa Pinnecke

Buckland described her shot as "an interesting juxtaposition of the rainbow lining up with the biggest driftwood log and then bisected by the figure making some strong compositional lines within the image".

"Obvious thought has gone into making this photograph, elevating it beyond that quick snap at the beach".