An inherited love of photography has paid dividends for a Napier father. His shot of his daughter in a quiet moment has won The Dominion Post Summer Pix competition.

Colm Stevens scooped first prize with an image of 4-year-old Emma relaxing in a hammock at the Esk River camp in Napier.

The photo was taken during the family's first camping trip at the beginning of January.

It was a stroke of luck, as Emma was usually fooling around with her 8-year-old brother Cameron, Mr Stevens says.

"When we were kids out camping we would have been playing cricket or something, but kids these days chill out and relax to play with their games.

"The game console she's holding was a Christmas gift from her uncle and she's been very attached to it since."

Photography is a new hobby for Mr Stevens, who started trying things out a year ago after he inherited his father's old camera when he died.

"I played with it constantly until it broke, and then finally last year we invested in a proper one.

"I love doing early morning photography and landscapes, and always have it on me to capture quiet or funny moments like this one."

The prize pack of a Canon 650D twin lens kit, valued at $1750, will be a big help in expanding his skills, Mr Stevens says.

"It's a real passion of mine. I think it's a hobby I'll have for the rest of my life."

Second prize of a Canon M Twin Lens Kit valued at $1450 went to Ngaio father Richard Jaine for his photo of his son Cameron and his cousins to extract Ella, 5, from a bucket. The funny family photo was taken on January 20 at Riversdale Beach, where the extended family has a bach. Mr Jaine says it was quite comical watching the cousins working to extract Ella, who had sat on the bucket to cool down from the hot weather. "When she went to get up she found was stuck in there. There were a few funny noises before she popped out, but it made for a few funny pics."

Asher Boardman's photo of a swallow fledgling being fed by its parent in Akatarawa Valley, Upper Hutt, won third prize of a CanonSX50HS compact digital camera, valued at $800. Ms Boardman got the lucky shot after spotting six fledglings waiting on the power line for a feeding. "I had to try it a few times, but eventually I just pulled off the right angle and speed. It was pretty cool to see."

Esther Whitaker from Whitemans Valley won the lucky dip, and will receive a Canon IXUS 125 digital camera valued at $300 for her picture of family friend Jacob Watson jumping into the Waikawa River earlier this month.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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