An amateur photographer has scooped first prize in an international photography competition.
Stephen Coyne took gold in the ‘Dawn and Dusk’ category of Amateur Photographer magazine’s annual competition.
The contest runs for 10 months and covers a range of topics, with the category Stephen winning asking for pictures of landscapes taken just before or after dark.
The 62-year-old’s submitted image was of twilight settling in over the desert in Morocco.
Retired teacher Stephen, who has also been vice president of Macclesfield Camera Club for six years, said he was shocked to come out on top. He said: “It is a truly international competition with the magazine receiving thousands of entries from all over the world. Last year’s overall winner was from Bosnia and Herzegovina so I was quite surprised to find out I had won, as I have not entered many rounds of the competition. My colleagues at the club are all much more diligent than I am in this respect.”
Stephen is not primarily a landscape photographer and concentrates on travel, but the judges were very impressed by his picture.
The judges said: “Stephen’s stunning shot taken at Erg Chebbi, on the edge of the Sahara Desert, was a clear winner. The sun was just setting over Morocco and thankfully Stephen was there to capture this beautifully composed image. The figures in their striking garb are excellent elements.”
Stephen’s win earned him a brand new Olympus camera, a series of lenses and a street case to carry it all, in total worth £1,200.
Another of the club’s members, Mark Helliwell, from Manor Crescent in Tytherington, also came second in one of the competition’s themes.
He is currently placed fourth overall in the competition with five rounds to go.
The club meets at 8pm on Mondays upstairs at Macclesfield Library, on Jordangate in the town centre, and started their new programme of meetings, events and talks on Monday.
As well as regular meetings they also run digital workshops, studio evenings, club outings and holidays.
Potential members can come along for a few trial evenings before deciding if they wish to join as a full time member.
To find out more about the club, visit its website at macclesfield
cameraclub.org.uk.
