The Mosgiel resident was enjoying showing her holiday spot of choice for 37 years to her grandchildren, recently arrived from Australia.
Aside from occasional snapshots of the garden, she was not often behind the lens, and had little patience for people who took a long time staging pictures, she said.
"It was just a spontaneous photo."
The image of Sophie Fisher (8) and brother Thomas (4) fishing in the dappled sunlight of the riverbank was then sent by her daughter to the children’s other grandmother, who saw the appeal and had read about the photo competition.
"She said ‘you should enter Magic Moments!"’
She was pleased with the outcome, and as first prize winner, received a Panasonic TZ90 camera valued at $495.
Runners up were Lyndal Roe with her photograph of Aidan Roe with Ted on Otago Harbour and Ben Ludgate's photograph of sisters Annabel (age 16) and Isla (13) Ludgate playing in the twilight at Chisholm Park Golf Course, on New Year's Eve.
They both win a canvas enlargement from Jonathan's Photo Warehouse
"The overall winner, Gaye captured our splendid summer in a frame.
"It is beautiful, timeless image you could expect to see on a box of chocolates or the cover of a Huckleberry Finn book."
