News: Canon photo competition winners announced

Results are in for Canon‘s vaunted Photo5 competition, with creative Kiwis taking out two of the top five positions.

Entrants were sent a box containing five briefs, each with their own special object to test their photographic mettle.

Photographer Sam Hobson took out the Close Up category. The challenge involved getting as close to a packet of hundreds and thousands as possible, which Hobson mastered by using a reverse-lens technique coupled with live view.

Fellow New Zealander, Shona Kebble bested the ‘Practically Black’ category, which, as its name suggests, is all about shooting in the dark. Kebble found her winning image in a shed on a back road in Taumarunui while out photographing in the early morning fog.

Australians Erin Johnson, Ross Calia and Kylie Clark took out the Splat, Bokeh and Portraiture challenges respectively.

“The EOS Photo5 competition has surpassed all expectations, both in the sheer number of creative and inspired people that participated, as well as the talent and quality of the works they produced,” said Canon brand manager, Rochelle Mora.

Each of the five talented individuals walks away with a brand-new Canon 5D Mark II, an EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens and a trip to Queensland for a photographic adventure hosted by adventure photographer and Photo5 judge, Chris Bray.

“Although I knew it wouldn’t be easy, I was thrilled to be asked to judge Canon’s popular EOS Photo5 competition this year,” said Bray “I was truly amazed and inspired by the diversity and creativity of the many entrants; there was no end to the unique ideas and passions expressed. Thankfully the final winners were left to the public to decide!”