Golden glow of success

Picture / Alan Gibson

A sunset silhouette of a worshipper making his way to a mosque in Egypt, by Herald photographer Alan Gibson, has been judged the single best travel photograph in this year's Cathay Pacific Travel Media Awards.

Another picture by Gibson, showing an Egyptian stallholder making his way to work at dawn, was runner-up in the section for the best unpublished image.

Gibson was also a finalist for the overall title of travel photographer of the year, which was won by Taranaki-based landscape photographer Fay Looney.

Herald writers also featured prominently in the travel media awards.

Mark Fryer was a finalist for the best newspaper travel article for a piece on Mumbai and its giant open-air laundry.

Michele Hewitson was a finalist for the best travel article about New Zealand with a piece on the West Coast.

In the award for the best article about a journey, Graham Reid, for a series of articles about a journey through the United States, and Linda Herrick, with her tale of returning to her hometown of Westport, were finalists.

The overall travel writer of the year award went to Timaru-based writer Jill Worrall. Runner-up was Keri Welham of Christchurch.

Other winners were: Best magazine travel story - Prue Dashfield (OnHoliday Magazine); best newspaper travel article - Jill Worrall (Timaru Herald); best travel article about New Zealand - Sue Farley (OnHoliday Magazine); best article about a journey - Keri Welham (Christchurch Press); new travel writer of the year - Pip Robertson; Best New Zealand Image - Mark Taylor; best photographic series - Steve Sole; best unpublished image - Greta Anderson; travel book of the year - Ian Robinson (Gantsara: Alone Across Mongolia, HarperCollins).