Winners of Littlehampton photography competition

From the moment a fox emerges tentatively from the darkness of the shrubby undergrowth in a field, to a sweeping scenic vista near the Scottish Highlands.

And now these pictures, by talented members of the Littlehampton and District Camera Club, have been hailed as the cream of the crop during the group’s latest competition.

More than 100 entries, from across the club’s newest members, were submitted in this year’s first enprint and merit competitions with the judges having a difficult task wading through the imaginative pictures.

Photographers were charged with submitting up to three unmounted prints, that were allowed some minor digital enhancements, which were then judged during the enprint section.

And after much debate, the first prize for this year’s enprint category went to Sharon Pepper for her image, Wary Water Vole.

Runner-up was John Raymond for his image of a fox, while third place went to Elaine Maguire for her rustic photo, entitled Kinnoull Hill, Overlooking River Tay.

The judge also awarded a fourth place to Carol Spanton for her colourful image, Summer Memories – a picture of luminous green glasses on well-tended grass.

The second competition of the night proved to be no easier, as the judge worked his way through 61 entries.

The competition was so fierce that the judge could not decide between Wendy Eve’s underwater shot, called Longnose Hawkfish in Banda Sea and Stephen Rogers for his autumnal image of a woodland daybreak.

In an unusual move, the pair were awarded joint first place.

Second place went to Kevin Barrett for his image of a zebra and third was awarded to Chris Kislingbury for his atmospheric piece, Autumn Walk.

The judge gave a special mention to Elaine Maguire and Carol Spanton for the impressive quality of their images, which, he said, in any other competition would have placed much higher.