St John’s School pipped the competition to the post in the Marlborough Apple Day’s photographic competition with two of the eight winners being pupils at the school and a third being a St John’s teacher.
The competition, which invited budding amateur photographers to take an apple-related photo in celebration of apples and orchards, received more than 100 entries.
The winners were announced at an award ceremony at St Mary’s Church today (Saturday) and received a Wiltshire variety of apple tree as part of their prize.
The first prize in the 16 years and under category went to Emily Rodriguez-Martin for her photo entitled “Apples on Parade” (main pic). Emily who lives in Axford is a pupil at St John’s.
‘Apple Pile Up’
by Eleanor Woodley ‘Cockrel in the Orchard’
by Jack Gradidge
The adults’ category (over 17) was jointly won by Eleanor Woodley, from Chiseldon, who is also a pupil at St John’s, with her photo “Apple Pile-up” and Jack Gradidge, from Oare, with his photo entitled “Cockerel in the Orchard”.
Highly commended were Nick Barlow from Burbage, Carolyn Davis from Ogbourne St Andrew, Nicky Foy from Wilton, and Max More from Marlborough, who is a music teacher at St John’s.
‘Rotting Apples’
by Nicky Foy ‘After The Rain’
by Nick Barlow ‘Blossom’
by Caroline Davis
Chair of the judges, the eminent photographer and author Roger Phillips, described Emily’s photograph as “an outstanding compositional idea”, praised Eleanor’s “excellent combination of colour and fruit”, and admired Jack’s entry as “a stunning moment wonderfully captured”.
‘Beached Apples’
by Max More ‘Green with Envy’
by Nicky Foy
All entries to the photographic competition will remain on display for all to see in St Mary’s Church until next Friday (November 4). The winning photographs will then be exhibited in Waitrose café, in Marlborough High Street.
Organiser Philippa Davenport revealed added that the top eight photographs have been made into a set of greetings cards, now on sale for everyone to enjoy, with proceeds benefitting Marlborough Community Orchard.
Charlotte Tickel, aged nine, won a special prize for her photograph spelling out the words Apple Day in apples, a strong image adopted by Marlborough Apple Day 2011 for their poster.
Presenting the prizes, competition sponsor, Juliet Kindersley, of Sheepdrove Organic Farm, declared: “The philosophy and passion behind Marlborough Apple Day mirrors exactly our own commitment to link nature and culture, with local foods for local people at its heart.”
