Prizes for budding photographers

THE Lal Lal Moorabool Photographic Group’s annual photo competition is back in its eleventh year.

There’s prize money on offer for works in the categories of miscellaneous, landscape or seascape, pets, flora, wildlife, and phone or tablet.

Photographers with differing abilities can enter, with sections for children, novices, and experienced.

In total $2800 worth of prizes are available, with the Mayors Choice and Sarah Peckham awards worth $500 each.

Lyn Steele took out the grand prize last year for her landscape shot of Rocklands Reservoir which she took early one morning.

“I’d been camping and we were the only ones on the Rocklands Reservoir, and I saw how magical it looked, it was just amazing,” she said.

“I raced straight down to the water with the camera and it was a magical morning.”

Steele had entered the competition for several years and is now a member of the Lal Lal Moorabool Photographic Group.

“I’ve enjoyed taking photos for quite a few years and about five years ago I saw they had a competition and I entered,” she said.

“I didn’t win anything that particular year, but I met the group and it was lovely to get together with likeminded people.”

Last year’s win allowed Steele to buy a wide-angle lens which has increased the variety of things she can capture.

“The Camera House voucher was better than cash because you have to spend it on camera equipment rather than household things,” she said.

“A lot of what I’ve previously done has been wildlife which is quite close up but with the wide-angle it’s totally different getting as much as you can in the shot.

“It’s a whole new world I can photograph that I wasn’t able to before.”

Entry into the competition costs $10 and can be completed at lallalphotogroup.org by Thursday 31 August.