Wildlife Photographic Competition Results

More than 200 fantastic images were entered into our 2011/12 photographic competition showcasing the wildlife and landscapes of the county.

The competition was judged by Chris Sperring, MBE, Vice President of the Trust and Matthew Marshall, Advisory and Wider Countryside Coordinator. As well as choosing their winning pic the judges also selected ten photographs which went forward for ‘The People’s Choice’ vote. We can now bring you the winners.

The Judges' Choice Award - Oil Beetle by Heath McDonald

Taken at Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Ubley Warren Nature Reserve, near Cheddar, in April 2011. Heath specializes in macro photography on the Mendip Hills, close to where he lives, often visiting Somerset Wildlife Trust reserves to capture their diverse flora and fauna. Heath is a member of the Trust and you can see more of his images at www.mendipwildlifephotography.co.uk

Oil Beetle

Judges comment: “We chose this as the winning image for a number of reasons; the focusing is spot on with the insect eyes, head and body tack sharp but with a shallow depth of field making the subject stand out from its surroundings. The photo also picks up well on some of the subtle colours of the beetle. The composition is great and we loved the look the beetle is giving the photographer. All-in-all a fantastic photo made all the better given the scarcity of the species.”

Highly commended by the judges were:

Otter on Ice by Liam Culliford
Waxwing by Paul Dibben
Cheddar Gorge Hairpin by Guy Winfield

The People's Choice Award - Heron sunset by Lauren Tucker

Taken at Newton St Loe in August 2011. Lauren, 17, is a photography and ICT student from Bath who hopes to pursue a career in photography. You can see more of Lauren’s images at www.flickr.com/photos/photographygal123/

Heron sunset

Enter the 2012/13 Competition later this year

This photo competition is open to all and we'll be launching the 2012/13 competition online in July. In the meantime, you can keep up to date with the latest local wildlife news, including the photo competition, by signing up for the Trust’s free bi-monthly e-bulletin here

A look at all the entries

To see all of the photographs that were entered into our 2011/12 competition just click and drag in the centre of the photos below or double click the photos you want to take a closer squiz at.