TOP PRIZE 2008
Allan Calder, Scotland
Category: "The language of plants"
Image name: Lilly
One sunny day in his own Scottish garden, Allan noticed a particularly vibrant lily.
Sensing an opportunity, he reached for his camera and recently-acquired macro
lens to get up close and personal with the subject.
The hobby photographer says “The flower attracted me with its hot, vibrant colors and
the contrast between the stamen’s purple tip and the petals’ yellows and oranges.”
Allan chose to enter this shot because he saw great beauty in the strong but elegant diagonals of the stamens.
Why should people participate in the Syngenta Photo Prize 2010
and what makes a winning shot? "The feedback I received, having won the Photo Prize in 2008, was pretty overwhelming and has put me in touch with many photographers and people who appreciate photography within the company. Entering the competition was daunting but was an excellent opportunity to challenge myself by shooting to a brief. I had no expectation of winning a prize, so it’s definitely worth having a go. My advice on winning is to study the brief carefully and try to interpret it creatively – don’t copy what’s been done already. And most importantly....have fun!"