The first Hounslow Photographic Prize exhibition drew a large crowd to the Gardners Inn at Blackheath last Friday.
Best in show went to Alan Daniel for his work, Maelstrom.
John Forster won the “built environment” category with Katoomba Street, 7.24am, and Peter Hickey took out the “beauty and terror of the Blue Mountains” categroy with Into the Grose.
Mr Daniel said his winning photographer was taken from Rocket Point, Wentworth Falls in the late evening, just after a summer storm.
“The late sunlight was penetrating right into the very base of the falls making for a very dramatic scene.”
Mr Daniel is a member of the Upper Blue Mountains Camera Club, which meets twice a month in Wentworth Falls. The club aims to help members enjoy and improve their photography in a friendly, supportive manner. The club always welcomes new members and details can be found online via a quick search.
“The sheer number of entries and the high standard this first Hounslow exhibition attracted, shows there is a real need for photography events like this in the Blue Mountains,” Mr Daniel said.
“Special thanks to the Blackheath Rotary Club for creating and running the event, and to the Gardners Inn Hotel for hosting it.”
Ninety-four entries were received for the prize, established by the Rotary Club of Blackheath to support local photographers and highlight the beauty of the world heritage listed Blue Mountains.
It was named “Hounslow” after the name that Governor Lachlan Macquarie originally gave Blackheath when he passed through in 1815 on his way to Bathurst.
The name obviously slipped his mind as, on his return trip 16 days later, he wrote in his diary: “This place having a black wild appearance I have this day named it Black-heath.”