Local photographers snap up awards

By Lachlan Ellis

Twenty-four winners have received awards for their fantastic photography at an annual photo competition, with five entrants being awarded Grand Prizes worth more than $5,000 in total.

The winners of the Lal Lal Moorabool Photography Group (LLMPG) 2022 Photography Competition were announced at Lal Lal Primary School on Wednesday 19 October.

Secretary of the LLMPG, Kristina Kitchingman, said it was exciting to have people at an in-person event again.

“The judges were all blown away with this year’s entries, the level just went up again, as it does every year. We had a lot of new people entering, people that hadn’t entered before, because it was online…it welcomed a whole new demographic, I think,” Ms Kitchingman told the Moorabool News.

“We didn’t have meetings for two years, so it was really nice to be able to award the winners in-person, and meet those new faces we hadn’t met before. We had 510 entries come in, so there was a lot to go through, that’s for sure. On average, we probably get 300 to 320 in-person.”

Winning Grand Prizes were Lyn Steele (Grand Open), Brooke Howells (Grand Novice), Waka from Lal Lal Primary School (Grand Youth), Kate Fetherston (Mayor’s Choice), and Karlee Litchfield (People’s Choice).

Ms Steele and Ms Fetherston won a $1,000 Camera House Voucher each, with Waka winning a $1,500 Camera House Voucher, and Ms Howells won a $1,350 training voucher from David Bailey Photography & Training.

For getting the most votes and winning the People’s Choice Award, Ms Litchfield was awarded a $500 Camera House Voucher.

To view some of the magnificent entries into the LLMPG 2022 Photographic Competition, head to www.lallalphotogroup.org and click ‘Gallery’.

Ms Kitchingman thanked sponsors David Bailey Photography & Training, Buninyong & District Community Bank, Moorabool Shire Council, and the Geelong Camera House for making the competition possible.