Photographers capture beauty of Landguard

The photographs – submitted as part of a competition – are being admired on the internet by people across the globe, and have now been compiled as a calendar which people can enjoy all year round.

It is the second year running the calendar competition has been held and this year it attracted even more entries from people keen to highlight the area’s diversity, beauty and history.

Photographers were asked to take their pictures with three categories in mind:

? Man-made – made by people rather than occurring in nature.

? Texture or Pattern – the appearance or feel of something or a repeated decorative design.

? Colour – a subject where the colour or colours were the predominant feature.

With beaches, the nature reserve, shipping, wildlife, the port and historic monuments, there was plenty of scope and lots for people to focus on, and they just had to make sure they had at least one foot on Landguard.

Landguard marketing and events co-ordinator Stephen Rampley said: “We had some outstanding entries and I think the standard was even better than last year.

“We put all the 40-plus entries on the web site in the summer and asked the public to vote for the ones they liked the best.

“We had some real corkers but because there were so many excellent pictures it was very difficult for people to choose and some very good ones didn’t make the cut.

“The competition has really taken off and we will definitely be launching another one later this autumn ready for the 2014 calendar.”

The top 12 in the public vote – which will all feature in the Discover Landguard Calendar 2013 – were then scrutinised by a panel of four judges, who chose the winner.

Annette Robinson took the honour this year with her photo of the old jetty, a massive breakwater at Landguard Point which helped create the harbour and the resort’s bay.

She won a one-to-one photography workshop, including lunch, with award-winning professional photographer James Fletcher.

Judges felt the photo captured an essential part of Landguard on a bright sunny day – a picture which really made people want to visit the area, explore and find out more.

The winners were all invited to a special awards ceremony in the council chamber at the Town Hall, and were presented with large framed prints of their entries.

Plans are being drawn up to use the photos, and also those from the pervious year, in an exhibition at Landguard Fort next year, and also to possibly use some as postcards.

Mr Rampley said details of next year’s competition were currently being finalised and a launch would take place soon.

n The Discover Landguard Calendar 2013 is now on sale for �5.99 from Felixstowe Tourist Information Centre, Undercliff Road West, Felixstowe, plus the shops at Landguard Fort and Felixstowe Museum.