Coast photo competition 2010

Overall winner: John Leech

feeling creative,by the sea,Northwest,Coast John Leech: Morecambe Bay

Category: Weather
Subject: Morecambe Bay, seen from Cumbria, in the mist.

The judges unanimously decided that John Leech\'s grainy image of Morecambe Bay was a worthy winner. Its dramatic mood and technical dexterity was an excellent representation of the category it won: Weather.

John Leech took this shot from the window of his house in Grange-over-Sands. ‘It was taken at almost midday on a dreary morning, the kind of Lakeland day that never gets light,\' he says. ‘The cloud was constantly changing, which created that misty feel. Technically, it was very straightforward. The lighting was well within the dynamic range of my camera, so there was considerable exposure latitude. I\'ve found that pushing subtle cloud quite hard in post processing can produce a lovely "wet on wet" watercolour sky, and I was pleased to see that developing here.\' The judges loved the image\'s grainy texture, its dramatic mood and the way it captures the transitory nature of weather. 

 

Read more about Coast\'s photo competition

Highly commended: Phil Bird

feeling creative,by the sea,Southeast,Coast Seven Sisters, by Phil Bird Praise also went to Phil Bird, for his image of the Seven Sisters, East Sussex, in the Weather category and its tonal range, composition and clarity

Runner-up: Chris Hopkins

feeling creative,by the sea,East Anglia,Coast Runner-up: Chris Hopkins: lighthouse

Category: Weather
Subject: Happisburgh Lighthouse, Norfolk

‘As I approached the coast,\' Chris says, ‘I could see a huge storm ahead.
It gave me time to think what settings to put my camera on and I ran into the field in front of the lighthouse. There was lightning all around and standing there with a camera on a tripod was terrifying.\'

The judges were impressed with how Chris had caught the atmosphere of the weather - they thought you could almost feel it. They also believed the lighthouse made a good subject, as it is symbolic of weather generally. 

Winner: Susan Brown

feeling creative,by the sea,Southwest,Coast Winner, Tranquillity category: Susan Brown Category: Tranquillity
Subject: ‘Wave Dancer\', South Milton beach, Devon
‘It had been a stormy day,\' Susan says, ‘and I visited the beach in the hope of an improvement in the light. It was quiet apart from a few fishermen and one young woman who gazed out to sea. I wanted to capture her wistfulness. I put the camera on a tripod and waited for the right moment. A wave rolled in, knocked her off-balance and she put her arms out. The slow shutter speed captured her movement and added to the impressionistic effect I was after.\'
The judges really liked the pastel colour palette, which they felt complemented the dreaminess of the image. They also enjoyed its enigmatic subject matter.

Runner-up: Lynne Wilson

feeling creative,by the sea,Wales,Coast Lynne Wilson, runner-up, Tranquillity Category: Tranquillity
Subject: Low tide at Portmeirion, Gwynedd
‘On a visit to Portmeirion, which is famous for its architectural idiosyncrasies, my attention was drawn to the beautiful estuary,\' Lynne says. ‘I felt that the busyness of the village contrasted with the tranquillity and mesmerising patterns across the estuary at low tide. I took this shot into the sun to get the shimmering effect on the water\'s edge. I included
the people in the picture to add perspective and balance.\'
The peacefulness of this image very much appealed to the judges, who
also praised its abstract qualities and rhythmic horizontals.

Winner: Emma Jacobs

feeling creative,by the sea,Southwest,Coast Emma Jacobs: winner, Adventure category Category: Adventure
Subject: Porthleven, Cornwall

‘This was taken in Praa Sands, Cornwall, on a late afternoon in January,\' Emma says. ‘There had been severe gale force winds and the electric blue light was spectacular. The shot captures the essence of this bracing day. An hour later, the wind and swell dropped to reveal a serene beach. The
transformation was breathtaking.\'
The judges liked the sense of adventure surrounding the swimmers. They also enjoyed the play of light on the beach and the different textures of waves, sand and rock.

Runner-up: Andy Miller

feeling creative,by the sea,Southeast,Coast runner-up Adventure category: Andy Miller Category: Adventure
Subject: boats in the Fastnet Race, The Needles, Isle of Wight
‘The BT boat (in the centre of the frame) was the first past the Needles,\' Andy says. ‘Its dramatic orange roundel was a strong contrast with the washed-out look of the rest of the photo. The horizontal stripe in the sea shows the edge of the current.\'
The judges thought this was a brave entry, owing to its unusual composition and minimal colour palette. The result, they felt, was strong and graphic.

Winner: Darren Appleby

feeling creative,by the sea,Wales,Coast Winner, Fun category: Darren Appleby Category: Fun
Subject: Three Cliffs Bay, Gower Peninsula
‘I love taking pictures of my partner Anna and daughter Daisy, six, when we walk on coastal paths or go away in the camper van,\' says Darren. ‘I was keen to take a picture at this precise moment as they leapt over the water. They were having a good giggle, jumping the waves.\'
The fun-loving spirit of this image pleased the judges, who praised its composition and the trail of footprints that draws in the eye.

Runner-up: Nathaniel Gonzales

feeling creative,by the sea,Southwest,Coast runner-up, Fun category: Nathaniel Gonzales

Category: Fun
Subject: Budleigh Salterton beach, Devon
‘I was walking along the beach when I saw the legs of this man appearing over a ridge,\' says Nathaniel. ‘His dog was peeking from behind the umbrella. I thought the moment was really heartwarming and, luckily, I was able to capture it.\'
The judges liked the way Nathaniel has caught the relaxed, fun-loving feeling of being by the sea in the summer. They also admired its wit.

 

Click here to see last year\'s winners

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