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Vergelegen Wine Estate in Somerset West has announced the winners of its inaugural photography competition, which attracted more than 500 entries from talented amateur and professional photographers, both locally and internationally.
After careful consideration and a rigorous judging process, in association with competition partner and sponsor Orms, the photographic store, the panel of judges selected the following winners:
• Camera class: Mike Hodgson clinched first place with a photograph of a blue-crane bird sculpture in the East Garden.
• Smartphone class: Navashni Knowlden was named category winner with an image of a sunflower field against a mountain backdrop.
• Junior class: Morgan Eaton snatched first place with a winning photograph of Vergelegen’s historic Octagonal Garden.
The winner of the People’s Choice award, based on guests’ votes at the celebration, was Thomas Moss with a photo depicting Vergelegen visitors in running action with bottles of wine.
The finalists’ images were unveiled in the glorious surroundings of the estate’s East Garden on the evening of Tuesday 4 April.
“We are blown away by the incredible talent and creativity demonstrated by all the photographers who participated,” said Vergelegen MD Wayne Coetzer.
“The subjects varied widely, from the historic homestead and fields of sunflowers, to wine and ancient trees – but all entries proved to me that the local community is falling in love with this property.
“I would like to thank everyone who supported the estate by submitting their photographs, they have truly captured the beauty and unique aspects of this wonderful estate. We are also extremely grateful to the staff at Orms, who guided us with enthusiasm and professionalism throughout the judging and printing process.”
Prizes included two Canon PowerShot Zoom cameras worth R4 495 each, sponsored by Orms, plus Vergelegen tour experiences, restaurant vouchers and wine.
“This is the first prize I’ve won in my life,” said Hodgson, whose late father was the general manager of the neighbouring farm Lourensford for 30 years.
He said he had visited Vergelegen frequently as a schoolboy, and chose to photograph the blue-crane sculpture for he greatly admired it as an artwork, and birds have been a favourite photography subject of his, and the water feature surrounding the sculpture added depth to the image.
