Winning photograph has a dreamlike quality and an air of mystery, say judges
Yorkshire Life in partnership with Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate and the National Trust, invited readers to enter an exclusive Woodland Photography Competition in support of Yorkshire woodlands and woodland wildlife. The aim was to highlight the importance of woodlands and their wildlife to the countryside and our well-being. There was a very high standard of entries which can be seen on our website and which made choosing a winner difficult for our judges.
But at last we are able to announce the winner. Judges were unanimous in their decision in naming Harry Feather with his photograph ‘Saplings in the Mist’ taken near Keighley Road in Silsden, as the winner.
Harry is a 50-year-old quality engineer working in the automotive industry and lives in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. ‘I took up landscape photography about four years ago and have been a member of Halifax Photographic Society for around 18 months,’ he says.
‘Some people think that landscape photography is an easy pastime, that it slows you down, possibly therapeutic. In actual fact, it can be short bursts of absolute mayhem and stress....
‘By necessity, you are out at ridiculously early hours, trying to chase that elusive magical light and hoping it falls on your amazingly captivating subject, in the fascinating location that you have been researching for weeks. Oh, and you then have to consider the biggest variable, the weather.
‘For me though, it is those key words, magical, amazing, captivating, and fascinating, that sum up landscape photography. Because when the madness has passed, it is then when you sit back and clear your mind and glory in the beauty of nature, knowing that you’ve captured that moment for an eternity.’
Harry wins a bumper prize of a £105 voucher for a one-to-one workshop with widely published landscape photographer John Potter or to buy a signed print; vouchers worth £70 for a celebration meal at one of Bettys Café Tea Rooms plus a Bettys’ gift bag and a £50 voucher to spend at a National Trust gift shop.
What the judges say:
John Potter, landscape photographer from York
Harry’s ‘Saplings in the Mist’ grabbed my attention the moment I first saw it. It oozes atmosphere, and has an air of mystery and intrigue. The central section is shrouded in mist and I’m curious to know what there is beyond these tender young sapling trees. The sky and clouds have a lovely warm glow and Harry has done well to retain detail in the highlights. The cooler tones in the lower half provide a simple and uncluttered backdrop to the delicate and superbly composed saplings. This image stirs my emotions and makes me want to be there to watch the sunrise unfold.’
Samantha Gibson, Bettys & Taylors, Harrogate
I chose ‘Saplings in the Mist’ for a few reasons. The soft pink light and trees fading into the distance give the picture a dreamlike quality, which I love.
But what I really appreciate are the silhouettes of the saplings against the backdrop. They look so fragile in this picture, with their spindly stems. It’s amazing to think that, as these trees grow, they’ll make such a difference – creating new habitats for wildlife and enhancing the landscape. The photo was a lovely reminder of all this.’
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