South Downs’ straw bales wins people’s choice vote

February 13, 2015

A golden image of straw bales in evening light is the deserving winner of the people’s choice prize in the South Downs National Park Authority’s photo competition 2014/15.

Taken by Andy Walker from Cuckfield in West Sussex, the photograph was shortlisted by the competition judges who praised the technical strength of the picture and loved the patterns made by the pathways through the bales. He now wins £100 for the people’s vote.

First prize was won by Andy Flowerday for his ethereal photograph of a dew pond at dusk by – taking home a first prize of £250. The judges felt that it captured a moment of still drama that perfectly fit this year’s competition theme of ‘Hidden Gems’.

Nick Heasman, competition judge and Western Downs Area Manager for the South Downs National Park Authority, said:
“Our winning image was so surprising and the quality of entries was so high that we decided to open up the shortlist of eight photos to a public vote. Andy’s straw bales were so popular they won almost a third of votes – he’s a deserving winner.”

Andy Walker said:

“Through July and August I found myself regularly passing the Long Furlong as the sun was going down. The way the soft, shallow evening light caught the bales produced these wonderful lazy, repeating shadows that caught my eye.

“I must have thought about stopping ten times to capture something magical. Then one evening I just did. I wandered around for at least an hour, but I had a feeling the shot would come from the opposite side of the valley, which in the end it did.

“It is a fantastic location which really evokes Sussex and the South Downs.”