Congratulations to Verity Davidson, the winner of the Canon Online round 3 for 2026.  There were 108 entries in this round.

A bit of history about Verity:

I am a member of Nelson Camera Club and relatively new to photography. After spending 40+ years as a drama teacher, I embraced photography as a new creativity outlet in my retirement in 2021. I am enjoying exploring many kinds of photography and am learning all the time.

About the winning image

I took this aerial image from an open door fixed wing Cessna in Shark Bay, Western Australia last September. The lines, shapes and textures of the salt pans were beautiful from the air. In Lightroom, I had fun experimenting with different possibilities to enhance the features of the images I captured.

 

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The judge for this round was Neil Gordon APSNZ.

An introduction to Neil:

My interest in photography began at an early age, first with a Kodak Instamatic as a teenager and later with an Olympus OM-1, Ektachrome slides and even a few Cibachrome prints in my twenties. Photography then took a back seat for a time while family and work responsibilities took priority, until about twenty years ago when I joined the local Waikanae Camera Club, now the Kāpiti Coast Photographic Society, and soon after became a member of PSNZ.

Although I had been told I “had an eye”, I quickly discovered through the camera club that there was still a great deal to learn. Much of that learning came from listening to judges’ comments on both my images and those of other members. I gained my LPSNZ in 2010 and APSNZ in 2015.

That experience sparked my interest in giving back through judging. I attended training courses run by Bruce Girdwood and Shona Jaray, became an accredited judge in 2018, and now judge regularly and mentor other judges. In 2022 I began co-presenting the PSNZ weekend judge training courses and joined the Judge Accreditation Panel, which I have chaired since 2024.

My own photography covers a range of genres, although I am especially drawn to landscapes. As a meteorologist, I find it hard to resist a good sky.

 

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Judge’s Comments

What a delight it was to review all these images, but what a challenge to narrow them down to the top ten. There were many more that were knocking at that door. I returned to the images many times before finally converging on this selection. Thank you to everyone who submitted images, and congratulations to those who made the final cut.

1st Useless Loop - Verity Davidson

This image grabbed me from first viewing - I initially thought it was some kind of abstract involving wooden furniture. Then I realised it was an aerial view  of a solar salt operation in Western Australia. I love the contrast between the warm coloured levees and tracks dividing the salt ponds, and the cool, streaky brine.  Wonderful graphic design, with details that reward a closer look.

2nd Scarlet Bloom - Sharon Souproanuck APSNZ

I have trouble taking my eye off those scarlet lips blazing through the dark embroidered netting. When I do, I find myself wondering what is going on behind those closed eyes. In this case having them closed feels like exactly the right choice, deepening the mystery.  I love the extreme contrasts with a deep black background, and the black fabric against the light-coloured skin, with small bits of foliage just touching those lips.

3rd Gannet over Waves - Jo Broadhead FPSNZ

This has a wild, restless feel for me with the intentional blur merging the gannet and the breaking wave into a single, flowing form.  I think that's a great artistic choice here, rather than having the bird more clearly separated in the sky above, as it makes the bird feel more connected to the ceaseless ocean waves.

4th A man and his dog - Val Burns LPSNZ

With about three quarters of New Zealanders living within 10 km of our coastline,  there is something very special about that thin margin between land and sea.  I think this drone view captures that zone very well, with wonderful textures and rhythmic lines, from the waves at the bottom to the man in mid-stride with his dog following along behind - both small but very important for this image.

5th Peachy Keen - Hannah Jairam LPSNZ

I think this is a lovely still life, with a well-crafted arrangement, lovely lighting, sharp detail, and good exposure, and so life-like that I want to reach out and grab and enjoy one of those luscious peaches.

6th Cauldron of Light - Alyson Bone

What an amazing, luminous sight with the water cascading down between the rock walls, and a sliver of teal-green water providing a lovely base to the image.

7th Submerged Flower - Gaynor Hurst LPSNZ

This feels almost like it is on fire, which is rather at odds with the title, although there are some lovely little water droplets on the petals. The glowing colour and soft surrounding haze give the image a strong, almost dreamlike presence.

8th Changsha Architecture - Liz Hardley FPSNZ GMAPS EPSA LRPS EFIAP/d2

This is extraordinary modern architecture with sweeping layers like waves, and the figure at left providing scale.  The sky above and reflected in the glass complement the building tones and textures.

9th The Lone Photographer - Eva Petro

This intrigued me and I kept coming back to it. How very meta, with a photo of a photographer, and my eye is naturally drawn across to the scene being captured, with those windswept trees and the house on the hill.

10th Tiyani - Kelly Munro APSNZ

That open mouth and that posture make this scene feel full of tension and expectation. The low angle puts me right there at ground level, close to the action. I think the background light on the grasses adds atmosphere rather than distracting from the subject, and helps draw my attention back to the lovely rim light along the top of the leopard.