A magic moment caught on her sister's camera has won Dunedin amateur photographer Madeline Bilkey (12) the top prize in this year's Magic Moments competition.
But Madeline's younger sister and good sport Annabel (11), who also entered the competition, seemed just as happy as Madeline yesterday when the ODT arrived at their Maori Hill home to drop off the first prize, a Canon EOS 7000 camera.
''She was so excited when the call came in, she jumped up and gave Madeline a big hug,'' mum Christine Taylor said.
Madeline was thrilled with her new camera and grateful to sponsors Canon and Jonathan's Camera Warehouse for supplying it.
She said she had been interested in photography for ''ages'' and loved taking photos and making videos.
Her own camera was rather old, and not good in water, so she borrowed Annabel's covered GoPro camera for her winning shot, a selfie taken as she jumped into the Sowburn Stream at Patearoa during the family's annual summer holiday at their crib.
''Actually, I'm jumping forward in the photo, but it looks like I'm jumping backwards. I just jumped and looked [at the camera] and smiled. You can easily smile because it's so exhilarating jumping off that rock into the crystal clear water.''
ODT illustrations editor Stephen Jaquiery said the competition attracted 639 entries this year, 120 of which were published.
It was interesting to see many entries, including some of the winners, were taken on ''novelty'' cameras, such as cellphones or GoPros, he said.
It would be nice next year to see more people using DSLR cameras to compose a picture and capture a special moment.
He also thanked the sponsors of the competition, Canon and Jonathan's Camera Warehouse.
And the results are ...
• First prize: Madeline Bilkey, of Dunedin (Canon EOS 7000)
• Second: Kathy Richards, of Dunedin (Canon Powershot SX60 HS)
• Third: Simon Rutch, of Queenstown (Canon Powershot SX600)
• Fourth: Anna Spittle, of Oamaru (Canon Powershot D30)
