Photo comp winners share in $5,000 prize money

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By JACINTA CUMMINS | SPONSORED

THIS year’s Senex Wandoan Photo Challenge winners and runners up chose to showcase the local region in its finest form with sublime sunsets, nature’s best, young and old faces, harvesters, wind turbines, children playing, bucking bulls and stunning skies.

All of which made for a difficult job for new judge Heidi Morris, who was forced to make some tough decisions.

It was the Moree photographer’s first time judging the photography competition and she described it as one of her most challenging yet rewarding jobs to date.

“The judging was a lot harder than I expected given the quality of the photos – I went over the entries so many times,” Heidi said.

“The only way I could separate entries was to go away then come back with fresh eyes to review them again.”

Senex Community Relations Manager Trevor Robertson and Wandoan Photo Challenge Coordinators Leesa Rathbone and Hope Powne. IMAGE: Jacinta Cummins

Senex Energy Community Relations Manager Trevor Robertson echoed Heidi’s sentiments when presenting the prizes at the Wandoan Show.

“Senex is delighted to once again sponsor this outstanding competition which showcases life in Wandoan and surrounds,” he said.

“Each year when I see the entries I’m consistently impressed with how they showcase the vibrancy of the Wandoan region and its community.

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“But this competition can only be as good as the people run it, so I would like to thank Leesa Rathbone and Hope Powne for volunteering many hours of their time to coordinate it this year.

“It’s important to also acknowledge the previous coordinators, Helen Golden and Ingolf Eide, who made the Wandoan Photo Challenge into the crowd favourite competition which it is.”

Tania Baker won first in *Places* with *History under the stars*

But as much as no one envied her, Heidi’s job was to judge and she had to pick winners.

Wandoan’s Tania Baker cemented her previous Wandoan Photo Challenge success with History Under the Stars winning the Places category.

First time entrants Troy Tompkins and MKarla James took out second and third places with Places for Storm Rolls and Following in Poppy’s Footsteps.

Wallumbilla photographer Katie Frith won the Faces category with Siblings while the 2022 Wandoan Photo Challenge best local photographer Emily Blackley placed second with a black and white photo aptly titled Cooling Off featuring her daughter in the creek.

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Emily also won Best Body of Work, with Heidi describing her entries as “very beautiful moments that weren’t staged and which caught my eye instantaneously and were very consistent”.

Third place in Faces went to Jacinta Cummins for another black and white photo of a family at the Taroom Races just after their horse unexpectedly won the last race.

Heidi noted that this style of photo proved the best camera is the one you have when you want to take a photo.

The Small Town, Big Country category was a family affair with first time entrant Layne Sinnamon of Guluguba winning with an aerial photo Chasing Acres and his mother Chris hot on his heels in second place with Following the Sun.

Senex Community Relations Manager Trevor Robertson congratulates Layne Sinnamon on winning the *Open Small Town, Big Country* Category. IMAGE: Jacinta Cummins

Carly Baker was awarded third in the *Open Small Town, Big Country* Category with *All the gear and no idea*. This photo was also awarded second in the *Peoples’ Choice*.

Carly Baker claimed third place for All the Gear and No Idea which was also voted third in Peoples’ Choice.

Lucy Pitkin won Small Town, Big Country – Youth with Afternoon Bike Rides.

Her mother Katie said the six-year-old had been trying to take more “real photos” recently and wanted to buy a pair of roller skates with her prize money.

The $5000 plus prize pool donated by Senex Energy was a big part of the attraction for the competition and has no doubt contributed to its success, having grown from 79 photos in its first year in 2017 to 228 in 2023.

Previous winners Georgina Dahl and James Klass placed second and third in the Youth section and James also received the Youth Encouragement Award.

First time entrant Jessica Crisp won the Open Encouragement Award.

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Another first-time entrant, Jeffrey Yates, won Peoples’ Choice with a photo of the sunset in Guluguba during the February fires.

Jeffrey, a self-taught photographer who recently moved to Wandoan, said there was a photo opportunity everywhere he went out, so he never left home without his camera.

“I was really happy to get into the Top 30 so to then win, wellI was just stoked,” he said.

And, to round out the winners, a rodeo action shot by Troy Tompkins came second in Peoples’ Choice.

The Top 30 photos will be displayed at the Wandoan Cafe.

SLIDESHOW

Troy Tompkins placed second in Places with Storm rolls.
Katie Frith won first in Faces with Siblings.
James Klass was awarded third in the Small Town, Big Country – Youth Category with Mysterious bird.
MKarla James was awarded third in Places for Following in Poppy’s footsteps.
First time entrant Jessica Crisp won the Open Encouragement Award. This image of her son Fletcher is just one of the photos she entered.
Jeffrey Yates won first in the Peoples’ Choice with Downfall sun in Guluguba.
Emily Blackley placed second in Faces with Cooling off.
Chris Sinnamon placed second in the Open Small Town, Big Country Category with Following the sun.
Jacinta Cummins was awarded third in Faces with When your horse smashes the odds to win the race.
Troy Tompkins placed second in the Peoples’ Choice with Flip him.
Georgina Dahl placed second in the Small Town, Big Country – Youth Category with Orange sunset.
Layne Sinnamon won first in the Open Small Town, Big Country Category with Chasing acres.
Lucy Pitkin won first in the Small Town, Big Country – Youth Category with Afternoon Bike Rides.