Stow & District Civic Society

Photographic Competition 2024

ADULT CATEGORY - Animals & Wildlife

ALAN CHATTELL (AW)

“I caught this beautiful barn owl hunting on the lower slopes of Bredon Hill.”

ANDREW KING (AW)

“This butterfly caught my eye, sitting in the sunshine. I got quite close before it flew away.

I was surprised at the detail I could see.”

ANDY GRAHAM (AW)

“A Firecrest announces the arrival of Spring at Batsford Arboretum. I wanted to champion local wildlife at a local site. Firecrests are not easy to see, let alone photograph. I think he is fun to look at singing his heart out … and I wanted to try and up-lift people … and think fondly of Spring. The image is focused on the main subject of the bird with details of the feathers apparent, but hints at when it was taken with the blossom present although out of focus.”

ANGIE MacKINNON (AW)

“Barn owl at Batsford Falconry Centre”

ESTHER BATE (AW)

“Chedworth”

GERALDINE CURTIS (AW)

“There haven’t been many butterflies around this year, so I was very pleased to have captured this Common Blue butterfly in a meadow near Upper Slaughter in August last year.”

JOE SMALLEY (AW)

“Cotswold Falconry Centre”

JONATHAN BARRETT (AW)

“We have a small pond in our garden at Upper Rissington and have been watching Southern Hawker dragonflies crawl up our irises and emerge from their nymphs throughout the summer. We have been snapping away as the dragonflies dry out in the sun but my son’s mobile camera is way better than mine so we are submitting his offering.”

MADDIE PHELPS (AW)

“Can’t You Read?”

MARTIN COX (AW)

“Hanging On”

MARTIN FENTON (AW)

“This photo was taken at Cotswold Falconry, it is a Turkmenian owl. I chose this because I like the stare and colour of its eyes. At the time it was screeching and I was able to capture its open mouth.”

MICHAEL OMER (AW)

“Hypno sheep. I chose this one, as it has a slightly hypnotic mood to it – maybe it was me who hypnotised the sheep though more likely the other way round ….!”

SIMON CLARKE (AW)

“Red Admiral. Taken on one of the Rollright stones.”

SUE WADHAM (AW)

“I took lots of shots of this lovely barn owl hunting in a field near Hawling but liked this one best as you can clearly see its face as it flew towards me and it stands out nicely against the blurred background.”

TERENCE RICHARDSON (AW) - CATEGORY WINNER

“Sheep are notoriously timid and run off as soon as you get near to them. This is what this Jacob sheep did only to hide behind this tree and peer out from behind it to make sure I was walking away. I caught her with a long lens.”

THOMAS HILL (AW)

“A rare moment of brown hare madness during their mating.”

ADULT - Architecture

ANDY BENEDEK (AA)

“This attractive door just took my fancy.”

ANGIE MacKINNON (AA)

“Broadway Tower staircase”

BEN EDDOLLS (AA)

“Men of steel”

DEBORAH STEVENS (AA)

“Spring beckons in Lower Swell, with bells (and buds) poised to come to life.”

ESTHER BATE (AA)

“Opening Time. A wintry wait for opening time at the local.”

GERALDINE CURTIS (AA)

“Stanway House is such a beautiful example of the rich colour of the local Cotswold stone. This photo was taken on our visit to this year’s fete held in the gardens.”

LORNA HUGHES (AA)

“Saint John the Evangelist Church, Taynton, near Burford”

MADDIE PHELPS (AA)

“A Room with a View”

MARGARET DEACON (AA)

“Phone that never rings”

MARTIN COX (AA) - CATEGORY WINNER

“Church Street”

MARTIN FENTON (AA)

“It is a shot of a row of Cotswold cottages in Lower Slaughter. The cold winter day and the stillness of the river Eye made for some great reflections.”

SIMON CLARKE (AA)

“Whispering Knight Rollright Stones. A magical place and the light was glorious.”

SUE ROBERTS (AA)

“This lovely old barn sits between Upper Slaughter and Stow. It was built in the early 18^th century and its history is currently being researched by old friends who inherited the farm from parents. I love that it still exists despite its dilapidation and alterations over the centuries. I chose not to remove the red box before I took the photo as it was all part and parcel of its history of use and dates this view to the current century.”

TINA ALSTON (AA)

“Chipping Campden open air theatre”

TONY BATE (AA)

“Sheep Street”

VALERIE SIMMONS (AA)

“The Crescent / Half Moon House, Maugersbury”

ADULT - Landscape

ANDREW KING (AL)

“I drive past this field regularly. I enjoy the fact that it looks different every time, due to seasons and farming. This time the yellow rape seed made me stop and take some pictures.”

ANGIE MacKINNON (AL)

“Broadway Tower”

CHAD RUDNICK (AL)

“I am from Florida, United States, and have been staying in the Cotswolds for the past few weeks. It has been such a privilege spending time in the Cotswolds and enjoying the scenery and hospitality.”

DEBORAH STEVENS (AL)

“Soft evening light illuminating grazing sheep on gentle green conveys tranquil, timeless Cotswold beauty.”

JON MASLEN-JONES (AL)

“Just one of the many beautiful views you see when you are out delivering newspapers in and around Stow!”

JUDY DEAN (AL)

“Unusual to see such a rainbow.”

JULIA STANBRIDGE (AL)

“The photo was taken on a Ramblers walk near Turkdean in March this year and reminds me of the lovely area we

have to roam in.”

LINDA HAMMOND (AL)

“I chose this one taken at Farm Ed because it captures the sign ‘slow’ and reminds us that the beautiful Cotswold countryside is so calming.”

LORNA HUGHES (AL)

“Taken at Sezincote”

MARTIN COX (AL)

“Early Morning Mist”

MICHAEL OMER (AL)

“Fork in the road. This definitely has a ‘road not taken’ vibe to it, and of course is very representative of the landscape around Stow-on-the-Wold.”

NIALL McINTOSH (AL)

“I used to work down in Gloucester and one morning as I was driving down through the snow I came across this scene near the entrance to the Bourton-on-the-Water Caravan Club site. I loved the bright red of the post box against the snow.”

RACHEL SWALLOW (AL)

“A Winter scene”

SIMON CLARKE (AL)

“Right place at the right time to catch this perfect moment of a rainbow over the allotments. Panic whilst I found my phone and took the photo seconds before it was gone.”

SUE WADHAM (AL)

“The lonesome tree on Cleeve Hill on an overcast day. I like the juxtaposition between the tree and the two people walking away from it. I wonder where they are going?”

TERENCE RICHARDSON (AL) - CATEGORY WINNER

Snowy Silhouette. “I caught this image by pure chance as I got out of my car; I saw these two people disappearing over the horizon and just managed to get one shot – this is it. There was heavy snow and no-one else around at the time.”

ADULT - People

ANDY BENEDEK (APL) - CATEGORY WINNER

“As I entered the Stow Horse Fair these four implored me to take their photograph. They spontaneously adopted this pose. Two sets of twins I believe.”

ANGIE MacKINNON (APL)

“My people, random sunny day in the buttercup field.”

BEN EDDOLLS (AL)

“Top of the hill”

EM DRYBURGH (APL)

“I shot this photo on my 35mm film camera. It captures a tender moment between my sister, Sophie, and her new-born baby, Archie, during his first outing at Cotswold Lavender in 2019. I chose this photo because it encapsulates the joy and wonder of new motherhood and the beginning of Archie’s journey in the world, framed by the natural beauty of the landscape.”

ESTHER BATE (APL)

“Chasing”

GERALDINE CURTIS (APL)

“I took this photo on a trip to photograph the sunset at Broadway Tower. As the sun went down this couple provided an interesting silhouette as they turned to leave the scene.”

JENI SMITH (APL)

“Waiting for the 2012 Olympic torch bearer!”

JOE SMALLEY (APL)

“Prescott Hill Climb”

JUDY DEAN (APL)

“It reminded me that not all days out with young children are so peaceful!”

MADDIE PHELPS (APL)

“Team Photo!”

MARTIN FENTON (APL)

“I captured this shot of my great grand-daughter as she was running through the Cotswolds lavender fields;

she had a lovely day.”

MICHAEL OMER (APL)

“Shadowlands. Rather than going for the usual portrait, I chose a group of people relating to each other in a relaxed and informal way, during the interval of a summer concert given by the Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra at Pershore Abbey.”

NIALL McINTOSH (APL)

“A few years ago the Sealed Knot visited Stow, and I took this picture of one of the members looking very thoughtful.”

SUE ROBERTS (APL)

“The ever-present tourist. It annoys me that so many photos on social media show idyllic photos of quaint cottages and views completely devoid of people. The reality often shocks tourists I speak to whilst I am out litter-picking who didn’t expect our ‘quiet village’ of Bourton-on-the-Water to be full of tourists.”

SUE WADHAM (APL)

“The ice-cream seller in Bourton posing for a photo. I chose it because in black and white it’s really nostalgic.”

TERENCE RICHARDSON (APL)

“Catching people unawares so that they are not physically posing for a photo always creates a more natural image. This was a gentleman working as a market trader on a fruit and vegetable stall. Shot with a 200mm lens.”

ADULT - Pets

ANDREW DAVIES (AP)

“Fudge the spaniel loved apples and frequently picked them from the lower branches of the trees before

they were anywhere near ripe.”

ANDY BENEDEK (AP)

“A dog telling its owner to ‘put that phone away’ at the Guiting Festival.”

CATHERINE DAVY (AP)

“Walking down the footpath behind Stow’s doctor’s surgery and all the white flowers with my tiny white dog!”

ESTHER BATE (AP)

“His master’s voice”

JENNY EVANSON (AP)

“My ball!”

JOYCE NORRIS (AP)

“The Naughty Step?”

JUDY DEAN (AP)

“He looked so unhappy!”

LORNA HUGHES (AP)

“Selfie taken with my wire-haired vizsla taken on a walk from Bibury.”

MARTIN COX (AP)

“Ready, Steady …..”

MARY WORKER (AP)

“I think I took this photo as it epitomises everything I love!”

NIALL McINTOSH (AP)

“I was at the Music Festival at The Fox in Barrington when I met this beautiful lady. Speaking with her owner, I discovered that he also lived in Stow, and this was one of his working dogs.”

RACHEL SWALLOW (AP)

“Lavender Bliss”

RUTH COX (AP)

“My Stow friend’s dog called ‘Rilla’ – an old lady hard of hearing (the dog, that is!) with a very loving nature.”

SASHA PREECE-HENDERSON (AP) - CATEGORY WINNER

“There’s a dog at the door!”

SCHEILA MALISKA (AP)

“Cotswold cat.

Spot, our garden’s wild guest,

Untouched by us, yet she’s the best.

Though we can’t reach her, not just yet,

She brings us joy we won’t forget.”

SUE WADHAM (AP)

My favourite photo of Charlie, our cheeky Collie cross Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who was rescued from a shed last year. He can’t quite believe he’s allowed to run free in the garden. Just look at that adorable face!”