|  | BBC Staff Photography Competition 2010Yay! Here we go… the results of the annual BBC Staff Photography Competition for 2010. This year, the judges had to select the winners from 912 photos, submitted by around 270 participants. The categories were hotly debated online in our Flickr group, until we finally settled on: Is it Art? August Light & Shade, Street Photography, Rural Landscape and the perennial Our World (always the most popular, but this year with Street and Rural snapping at its heels). The competition has been sponsored once again by BBC Global News, with our thanks to Peter Horrocks for his support. And this year, the BBC Club Photography Section sponsored the August Light & Shade category, for which participants had to take photos during August 2010. Our 2010 winner was byres road reflections - glasgow by Simon Chirgwin of FM&T. Well done Simon! The judging panel said, "Surreal. Intriguing. It reminds me of the history of photography. And while you're pondering, you realise it's a really strong image." Overall runner-up this year was Boy soldier asleep on the train to Jerusalem by Matthew Anderson, BBC.com. "Almost an everyday commute. Catching a quick sleep on the train as any of us might. Yet he has a gun. It seems so different from our world, but it's his world." And overall commendation went to Damping down the dust in Ishkashim by Christopher Sleight, BBC Scotland. "A decisive moment. A task, captured beautifully… slightly three dimensional. Water is everywhere, yet you see the concentration on his face." Thank you to all our judges who so kindly gave their time and had some pretty intense discussions. Our roll call of judges for 2010 includes: Ros Atkins; Jason Baron; Phil Coomes; Kate Henderson; Nigel Jarvis (our competition winner in 2009!); Mark Lawson; John Linwood; Gary Lonergan; Jeff Overs; Lisa Pettit; Jason Quinn; Leo Scutt-Richter; Venus Speedwell; Charlotte Steeples; Vanessa Scott; Mark Thompson; Josephine Wildridge; Jamie Woodward; and Peter Horrocks, our Executive Sponsor and divisional director of BBC Global News. Ben Yacobi, Ant Smith and Annabel Blair were your competition organisers this year, together with Vanessa Scott who stepped in to help when the organisers got busy (thank you Vanessa!). And thank you to all those who took part or supported us in Ariel, Gateway, our web developer Mike Hammond, and many other colleagues. So check out the results below and find out what the judges said about the winning pics. >> CLICK ON THE THUMBNAILS TO SEE THE AWARD-WINNING IMAGES OVERALL WINNERS 2010The debate about the overall winner was very close.  | OVERALL WINNER:
byres road reflections - glasgow by Simon Chirgwin, Technology Manager, FM&T
Judges said: Surreal. Intriguing. It reminds me of the history of photography. It wouldn't have worked in colour. There are bits that aren't perfect. But it captures your attention, and from the first thought you're wondering, what is that? Then you want to ask, how did they do that? And while you're pondering, you realise it's a really strong image. Also: Winner, Is it Art? 2010 |
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Boy soldier asleep on the train to Jerusalem by Matthew Anderson, Online Content Producer, BBC.com
Judges said: Almost an everyday commute. It's real life for this chap. Who knows what he's been doing. Catching a quick sleep on the train as any of us might. Yet he has a gun. There's a juxtaposition of advertising and the corporate world. It seems so different from our world, but it's his world. Also: Runner-up, Our World 2010
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 | OVERALL COMMENDATION:
Damping down the dust in Ishkashim by Christopher Sleight, Multi Platform Trainer, News & Current Affairs, Scotland
Judges said: A decisive moment. Everyday life, a task, captured beautifully. We like the way the water is hanging in mid air, slightly three dimensional, almost blurring the background. Well framed and well shot. You concentrate on him, following his eyeline. Water is everywhere, yet you see the concentration on his face. Also: Runner-up, Street Photography 2010 |
^ Back to top OUR WORLD | WINNER:
Nightwatchman in Mumbai by Siddharth Khajuri, Assistant Producer, A&Mi Judges said: Interesting composition, great colours and depth, this really feels like a photograph you can walk in to. The straight lines of the lobby vs the curve of the sleeping man adds intriguing, subtle humour and makes this a very accomplished photo. |
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Boy soldier asleep on the train to Jerusalem by Matthew Anderson, Online Content Producer, BBC.com
Judges said: The juxtaposition of everyday commuter life and the weapons made this an engaging subject. The subtle tones added to the projection of the advertising on the window against the stark realities of life.
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 | COMMENDATION:
Morning Funeral - Taken on IPhone by Jonathan Swingler, Broadcast Journalist, BBC Tees, English Regions, Middlesbrough
Judges said: A young girl's encounter with 'our world' made the judges choose this photograph which felt like a real glimpse into a private moment.
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^ Back to top IS IT ART? | WINNER:
Byres road reflections - glasgow by Simon Chirgwin, Technology Manager, FM&T
Judges said: An astonishing image that is beautifully framed with a great balance of strength in the reflection, demonstrating everything you would expect in a talented photographer; an eye for a striking and unexpected find that is executed perfectly. A genius shot.
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Bethanie and Eleni by Mark Mitchell, Assistant Editor, BBC News Resources
Judges said: A beautifully fashioned image with an impeccable eye for colour and contrast. Intriguing and arresting, the more you look at the image, the more you can see.
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 | COMMENDATION:
20091001 Oxford St 009 by Andrew Downs, Senior Content Producer, A&Mi
Judges said: This image brilliantly captures unexpected creativity in a mundane, everyday activity. Whilst slightly let down by the framing of the image, the judges commended the brilliant spot by the photographer; the natural connection between the colour and pose of the street cleaner and the fashion model.
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^ Back to top STREET PHOTOGRAPHY | WINNER:
Lunch Break by Zoubin Navi, Picture Editor, Persian Television, Global News
Judges said: If street photography is about capturing a moment, this is a perfect example; the subject peeking around the pillar is very well done. The added pun of the road sign and the red jacket make for an even more intriguing image.
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Damping down the dust in Ishkashim by Christopher Sleight, Multi Platform Trainer, News & Current Affairs, Scotland Judges said: A great capture by the photographer, the water makes this an arresting image. The added metaphor in the title gives an added political relevance.
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 | COMMENDATION:
We all fall down by Hannah Smith, Researcher / Broadcast Journalist, English Regions, Birmingham Judges said: Vibrancy in the colours and a real curiosity for what the subjects were doing captivated the judges who wanted to know more about what was going on. |
^ Back to top AUGUST LIGHT & SHADE | WINNER:
Fly on old glass by Matt Barrett, Producer/Director, Scotland
Judges said: An amazing capture that stood out from the start. Even without the fly itself the geometry of the background lends an interesting edge to the image. The detail in the wings and angle of the lighting, ensuring the fly is not lost in the dark part of the background, demonstrates a lot of skill and a keen eye. |
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Corridor by Martin Deutsch, Broadcast Systems Engineer, Broadcast Engineering
Judges said: This image has strong interplay of light and shade both literally and emotionally. It conveys a sense of loneliness, but with a clear light at the end of the tunnel. It's a picture you can spend time looking over as it provokes a strong emotional response.
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 | COMMENDATION:
Paddling pool alien invasion by Matt Barret, Producer/Director, Scotland
Judges said: This is a clever spot, a well seen photograph which fulfils the brief with fun. It's a clear reminder of August and school holidays and is quirky enough to invite the viewer to construct a narrative - it tells a story.
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^ Back to top RURAL LANDSCAPE | WINNER:
Camouflaged Snowball by Dan Sumption, Project Canvas
Judges said: The main draw of the image was the incongruity of the pink ball against a bleak setting suggesting a moment in time between a past activity that has been frozen by heavy snowfall and what will come after the thaw. The fence gives a strong lead-in line and almost seems to shield the ball from the elements. The image is laden with narrative and gives a unique, quirky, view of rural life and living with the elements. Altogether it's a natural shot that looks very much like it could be a constructed art piece.
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 | RUNNER-UP:
Bluebell Ladybirds HWH 230510 by Harry Whinney, Operations Organiser, East Middlands TV News, English Regions, Nottingham
Judges said: Although very different to the winning image, it was again the interplay of colours that drew us to this images. The shot captures quite a specific moment in time in the English rural calendar and a very precise fleeting moment in the lives of the two ladybirds. It has a sense of two friends enjoying each other's company whilst going about their own business. An intimate and heart warming shot.
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iPhone Angel from car by Jonathan Swingler, Broadcast Journalist, BBC Tees, English Regions, Middlesbrough
Judges said: This image powerfully conveys a sense of menace from the coming storm and makes the viewer remember what it is like to desperately want to get inside in to shelter. The low tech approach not only makes the moment accessible but it is quite possible that a higher spec camera would have failed to capture the same mood which the strange, unnatural colours portray so well.
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Staff were asked to enter their images via our group on Flickr. More than 900 images were entered and you can browse through these, as well as the discussions, via the Flickr group page:
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