First! Prize! Wow!

Life has been so busy lately, but so good. It really is true that hard work pays off. Just wish it hasn't taken me 32 years to realise quite how much that's the case! I have quite a bit of news to share, mainly about graduation, but this is a follow-up to this post, in which you all very kindly helped me to choose which photos to enter in the Southport Flower Show photography competition.

Well, the results are up today, and I'm absolutely thrilled to say that I won first prize in the Garden Views category (for people aged 17 - 54), with the picture below.

WOOOOOHOOOO! So pleased it was this shot, too, as it's definitely my favourite :) Thank you to everyone who made a suggestion! As an extra bonus, I think there's actually a cash prize - might take myself clothes shopping!

The judges said it's "a wonderfully evocative composition. It is really very difficult to obtain perfect exposure right across a picture such as this but it is achieved here to perfection".