After careful consideration and a rigorous judging process, in association with competition partner and sponsor Orms photographic store, the panel of judges selected the following winners:

• Camera class: First place, Mike Hodgson, with a photograph of a blue crane bird sculpture in the East Garden.

1 Mike Hodgson Camera class winner
1. Blue crane sculpture, first place in the Camera class. (Credit: Mike Hodgson)

• Smartphone class: First place, Navashni Knowlden, a sunflower field against a mountain backdrop.

2 Navashni Knowlden Smartphone winner
Sunflower field against a mountain backdrop, winner of the Smartphone class. (Credit: Navashni Knowlden)

• Junior class: First place, Morgan Eaton, photograph of Vergelegen‘s historic Octagonal Garden.

3 Morgan Eaton Junior Class winner
Vergelegen‘s historic Octagonal Garden, winner of the Junior class. (Credit: Morgan Eaton)

The winner of the People’s choice award, based on guests’ votes at the celebratory event, was Thomas Moss, depicting Vergelegen visitors with wine.

4 Thomas Moss Peoples Choice winner
Vergelegen visitors with wine, People’s Choice, based on event guests’ votes. (Credit: Thomas Moss)

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.

6 Mike Hodgson left winner of the Camera Class bottom pic with Vergelegen MD Wayne Coetzer right
Mike Hodgson (left) winner of the Camera Class (bottom photograph), with Vergelegen MD Wayne Coetzer (right).

“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 R4495 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. Hodgson said he had visited Vergelegen frequently as a schoolboy, and chose to photograph the blue crane sculpture as he greatly admires this art work, birds are a favourite photography subject of his, and the water feature surrounding the sculpture adds depth to the image.

To view the finalists’ and winners’ photographs: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/a87e4f6011.html