Red panda snap earns top prize for Carrick photographer
The competition, which has been running for 34 years, is sponsored by HB and challenges budding and amateur photographers to creatively photograph the animals and scenes of the zoo.
Joe Beattie of Carrickfergus Camera Club won first prize in the 'best picture by a club photographer' category for his striking image of the elusive red panda.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIn the same category, he was highly commended for his shot of a striped hyena.
Joe also won third prize in the 'best black and white picture' category with a photograph of a Barbary lion.
Zoo manager and competition judge, Alyn Cairns, said: “Despite the fact that the competition has been running for more than 30 years, we are always stunned by the standard of the submissions, as well as the quality and skill demonstrated by entrants.
"Having moved the competition into an online and digital platform this year, we have received almost double the amount of submissions with more than 650 entries! The photographs certainly highlighted the beauty and diversity of the species that we care for.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"This year we even introduced a new category to challenge visitors to get some snaps of our most endangered primates. We were astounded by the number of species represented in the competition from the tiny pygmy marmoset to Tina the elephant! I would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsor, HB, for their continued support of the competition. I would also like to praise the efforts of everyone who entered the competition this year, as well as our winners.”
The winners were as follows:
Category A - best picture taken by a club photographer
1st prize and overall winner – Joe Beattie (Carrickfergus Camera Club)
2nd prize – William Allen (Central Photographic Association)
3rd prize – Tommy Millar (Ballymoney Camera Club)
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Adhighly commended – William Allen (Central Photographic Association)
highly commended – Joe Beattie (Carrickfergus Camera Club)
Category B - best picture taken by a zoo visitor
1st prize – Mervyn Marshall
2nd prize – Mervyn Marshall
3rd prize – Chris Gunning
highly commended – Lesley Barker
highly commended – Marina Kulakova
highly commended – Chris McSherry
Category C - best black and white picture
1st prize – William Allen
2nd prize- Fiona Beattie
3rd prize – Joe Beattie
highly commended – Bruce Marshall
highly commended – William Allen
highly commended – Chloe Thompson
Category D - best funny caption
1st prize – Gemma Vennard
highly commended – Siobhan Carrabin
highly commended – Fiona Beattie
Category E - best picture taken by someone under 16
1st prize – Alexander Allen
highly commended – Joshua Willey
highly commended – Alexander Allen
The winners of Belfast Zoo’s annual photographic competition were selected by a judging panel including two professional photographers.
You can see all of the winning photographs from Belfast Zoo’s annual photographic competition 2017 at www.belfastzoo.co.uk/photocomp