Life lights up stark scene

LUCY JACKSON VIBEKE FRIIS CHERYL GASCOYNE MARGIE HUNTER

This month's winning photo, a sparrow waiting out winter in Washbourn Gardens.

Bird feeding in Queen's Gardens.

Reaching for the sun, Ben Cooper Park

Fungi at the Kina Beach Reserve.

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An image of a common sparrow waiting out winter in Washbourn Gardens, in Richmond, is this month's winner of Nelson Mail garden photo competition

The theme, Winter in the Park, was best captured by Nelson graphics co-ordinator Lucy Jackson, who said that despite the sparrow's comfortable appearance, it remained in the frame for only "half a second".

In-house judges, including Nelson Mail chief photographer Martin de Ruyter, were impressed with the simplicity of the image and how it brought a fresh aspect to the theme. The use of an animal evoked signs of life in a stark winter scene. The image was also sharp and technically good.

Ms Jackson said she snapped the image earlier this month with her new Canon 550 digital SLR. She enjoyed close-up photography and was now saving to buy a macro lens. She had recently diverted her attention to bird photography, which she said was "amazingly hard".

She wins the monthly prize of a $100 processing voucher from Hanafins Camera and Video.

NEXT MONTH The next theme, in keeping with the season, is "spring is in the air", preferably with an emphasis on pollen and pollination. Email your photos to garden@nelsonmail.co.nz. Remember, no more than five entries per person. Images must be at least 1MB and sent as a jpeg attachment, only one picture per email. The deadline is noon on Tuesday, September 28.

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