Totally Leighton Buzzard's Great Big Green Week nature photography competition winners announced
The photo competition was a fantastic way to end a great series of Great Big Green Week activities
The winners of a Great Big Green Week photography competition have been announced.
As part of Leighton Buzzard's involvement in the national Great Big Green Week 2023, Totally Leighton Buzzard in conjunction with the Leighton Buzzard Photographic Club organised a fantastic free-to-enter photo competition for adults and children.
The competition received a fantastic selection of entries which were judged jointly by David Bligh, Leighton Buzz Radio show host and town councillor, and Terry Godber from the Leighton Buzzard Photographic Club. Terry is an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society (ARPS) in nature photography.
The results were announced by Tim Crabb, chair of the Photographic Club and David Bligh at the Repair Cafe Leighton Buzzard event at the Conservative Club on Saturday (June 24).
The winner of the Under 18s category was Ben Fletcher for his photo "Insect at Tiddenfoot". The judges were impressed by Ben's nicely framed macro shot that captures the insects' characteristic investigation of a flower whilst also retaining an out of focus background. The combination then serves to then dictate that we focus our attention as you intend on the bee. This looks simple, but that's a part of the challenge too.
Eliza Nuttell's two images 'Knee high to a grasshopper' and 'The Bees Knees' were also highly commended and awarded second and third place respectively.
The winner of the Over 18s category was Steve West for "Sharing nature". The judges were impressed by the beautiful capture of two Meadow Brown butterflies on the contrasting Yellow Gardenia flowers with a dreamy background created by distant foliage takes the top place in this competition for me. They commended a really good sharp focus on two of a kind with a nicely framed image providing context.
A second image also taken by Steve West called "Peek a Boo" was awarded second place and third place was awarded to Natasha Richardson's "Sunset wishes".
Prizes were presented to the first placed winners along with a framed print of the winning photograph.
To see if you agree or disagree with the overall winners and the judges assessment, watch a full Slideshow of Nature Photography Competition entries 2023 as published on Instagram.
The photo competition was a fantastic way to end a great series of Great Big Green Week activities as part of the UK's largest nationwide community action campaign to promote awareness of climate change and to celebrate nature. Local events included a wide of range of activities including a Letters to Tomorrow event held at Leighton Buzzard Garden Centre, pop up shop events run by Young Growers Club, Studio Spokes and The Buzzard's Nest at The Refill Leighton Buzzard, Celebrating our Wild Churchyard at All Saints Church, nature art events with the Leighton Buzzard Art Society, a walk organised by the Friends of Knolls Wood and foraging events led by Hedgewitch Kat.
If you want to get involved with helping to organise Leighton Buzzard's 2024 Great Big Green Week and make the event even bigger and better, then get in touch with [email protected]
And if you love photography, then please join the Leighton Buzzard Photographic Club which is a friendly and supportive which has been running for over 60 years and has around 50 members. They welcome all types of photographers regardless of whether you use a mobile phone or more sophisticated equipment. The group holds a packed programme of talks and other events. Find out more online here - they would love to welcome new members.