We all know Waihōpai is a great place to live, but now the Invercargill City Council wants the community to show us why with The Grrreat Invercargill Photo Competition.
To mark the launch of Council’s new Love Waihōpai email newsletter, Council is asking the community to whip out their cameras and show everything there is to love about the city.
There are three categories to enter – Colour & Light, Iconic, and Our Faces. The only prerequisite is the photo must be taken within Invercargill or Bluff.
Invercargill City Council Group Manager Community Engagement and Corporate Services Trudie Hurst said the competition was a good chance to show off the skills of our community but also the best it has to offer.
“Invercargill and Bluff are full of interesting faces, places, and spaces, and we want to celebrate this.
“With temperatures increasing, this is a good opportunity for people to get out, explore the district, and get some great snaps to enter into the competition.”
He Waka Tuia Manager Sarah Brown, The Southland Times Chief Photographer Robyn Edie and Te Anau Photographer Graham Dainty will judge the entries.
After achieving a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and a Post Graduate Diploma in Museum and Heritage Studies, Brown began her career in the arts as Assistant Manager/Curator for Invercargill Public Art Gallery in 2011, when it was located at Anderson House. She became manager when it moved to the inner city in 2016. She has played a key role in the development of He Waka Tuia.
Edie has been taking photos for the Southland Times and Stuff for more than 20 years. She loves capturing images of the local people and beautiful region we live in. The highlight of her year is the Tour of Southland, along with other sporting moments. Being a photographer/videographer enables her to meet many amazing people in all facets of their lives.
Dainty has been in the profession for more than 34 years. His passion lies in wilderness photography. Dainty was awarded a Fellowship with the Photographic Society of New Zealand in 2004, and was on its Honours Board for 10 years.
When considering a winning entry, Brown said she would be looking for something that was original, and that captured the essence of the region in a way she hadn’t seen before.
“I’m really excited to see what participants choose to capture with so much inspiration at hand. I am also excited to see what can be achieved when using a phone rather than professional photography gear.”
There are prizes up for grabs for three category winners and spot prizes for those who share their photos on social media channels using the hashtag #LoveBluff or #LoveWaihopai and tagging @InvercargillCityCouncil.
Entries are open from Monday 4 December 2023 and close at 5pm Thursday 29 February 2024.
For more information, including terms and conditions, check out the Grrreat Invercargill Photography Competition page here The Grrreat Invercargill Photo Competition | Invercargill City Council (icc.govt.nz).
