Gallery: York Photographer Of The Year named

We asked if you could capture the Spirit Of York in just one photograph. The answer was a resounding “Yes”. Here are the winning and commended entries in the first YorkMix photo competition

Thank you to all the photographers who sent in images of York for our photo competition. The standard was very high and it wasn’t easy selecting winners.

But after a lot of deliberation, our judges have delivered their verdict. All the winning pictures are now on show at City Screen, see below for details.

First prize goes to Ray Price.

His black and white photograph of a Davygate busker caught the imagination of the judging panel, which was led by Allan Harris, President of York Photographic Society.

“This picture captures a moment beautifully,” Allan said. “We particularly liked the fact that the busker appeared unaware of the photograph being taken.

“The embracing couple in the background are lost in their own world, seemingly about to step into an impromptu dance.”

Fellow judges, photographer Eloise Ross, and YorkMix‘s visual arts curator, Jayne Dwyer, agreed.

Eloise praised the picture’s deceptive simplicity, which heightened the impact, and Jayne, a skilled photographic printer, also noted the technical excellence and clever compositional balance within the frame.

The picture earns Ray the title York Photographer Of The Year 2013. He also scoops a cash prize of £250 and a pair of first class rail tickets from the competition’s co-sponsor, East Coast.

Ray was also commended by the judges for his hen party photograph, which captures another aspect of the spirit of the city in an effervescent street scene. If you look carefully at the picture (below) you can just spot a very happy chauffeur in among the partying young women.

Second prize of £100 and rail tickets was awarded to Daniel Cooper for his atmospheric and technically brilliant shot of Peter Lane alleyway, which gave this tucked-away part of the city the quality of a night-time film set.

Like the winner, Daniel also scooped a highly commended certificate for his entry Reflect On The River.

Third place, and a £50 prize, was awarded to Chris Mackins, a York photographer who shunned the traditional side of the city, focusing his lens instead on the angular beauty of the new illuminated footbridge over the Foss, though the lit-up medieval Minster provides some background punctuation for this stunning shot entitled York – It’s Not All Medieval.

Catherine Pryce collects the Editor’s Award, selected by the YorkMix team. Her charming picture of two girls in Stonegate wins her a £25 prize.

Photo exhibition

You can see all the winners and highly commended photos in an exhibition in the Sky Lounge at City Screen on Coney Street.

YorkMix editor Chris Titley, said: “There are many different ways to capture the ‘spirit of York’ and the entries sum up so much about the different aspects of the city, from the bustling street life of a busker in the height of summer and the spooky alleyways and snickets to the ever-present scaffolding on the Minster and the railway heritage of the region.

“We wish to thank East Coast for their generous provision of prizes, and York Digital Image who kindly produced excellent prints for exhibition at City Screen.

“The winning picture was framed by Fulford Framing, who also helped hang the exhibition, which runs until the end of the month.”

Full results

York Open Photography Competition 2013

Winner
Ray Price: Dancing In The Street

Second prize
Daniel Cooper: Any Alleyway

Third prize
Chris Mackins: York – It’s Not All Medieval

The Editor’s Award
Catherine Pryce: Best Friends… Love To Shop

Highly commended
Steven James Wilhelmsen-Bradley: Minster Scaffolding
John Vause: The Wheel
Harry Silcock: York Minster (West Facade)
Daniel Cooper: Reflect On The River
Gillian Greening: Rooftops, Chimneypots
John Foreman: The Ouse

Commended
Ray Price: Hen Party
Rachel Grey: Shambles At Night
Sarah I’Anson: A Different Perspective (Shadows On The Bar Walls)
Jutharat Noppakaokeskul: Snowy Roofs By The Ouse
Harry Silcock: Under A Loco

Competition sponsors

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